Here are some changes to Maryland Voting laws and policies from the last election. These are from a friend of mine who is an election judge in Frederick County, MD.
1) Maryland (like everywhere else) is expecting very high voter turnout and has a lot of new voters. This probably means that there will be long lines. I know Frederick County has greatly increased the number of voting machines (The number is almost doubled) but especially at popular times there will be lines
2) There has been a court ordered change in 'Provisional Voting'. In the Primary and in the 2006 election voters were allowed to cast a Provisional ballot if they showed up at a voting location outside their home precinct. This is no longer allowed. So if you were planning on going to a polling place near work instead of home and using a provisional ballot it will not be allowed
3) Although the deadline for requesting an Absentee ballot be mailed to you has passed you can fill out a 'Late Absentee Ballot Application' and TAKE IT IN PERSON to the Board of Elections and get an Absentee Ballot. You can the fill it out and turn it in or take it home and mail it in (Make sure it is postmarked by November 4)
http://www.elections.state.md.us/pdf/2008_Late_Absentee_Ballot_Application.pdf
4) If you are voting absentee the absentee ballot must be postmarked on or before November 4 or turned in at the Board of Elections by 8 PM on November 4. You can not turn it in at a polling place (I had someone try and do that last election) because the folks at the Polling place will not have it back to the central Board by 8 PM (when the polls close)
Please take the time to vote on Tuesday.
Friday, October 31, 2008
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