This morning’s primary election began with the news that 80,000 voters would have to cast provisional ballots after the Maryland State Board of Elections said it did not receive address changes from the Motor Vehicle Administration. That number was an increase from an initial estimate that the glitch would affect 18,700 voters. Yikes.
As with other vote-casting days, some people encountered long lines and other foul-ups, including confusion over the aforementioned provisional ballots. Here’s a roundup of what citizens and candidates are reporting on social media.
Broken Ballot Machines
It’s after 7:30 and no one in Hampden has cast their ballot due to a broken machine. This is no good. There’s lots of close races today. District 13 Precinct 3. @ErinatTheSun pic.twitter.com/f6CWsPWhoT
— Joseph Martorella (@Mojo_Art) June 26, 2018
7:50 and no one cast a ballot yet. Election official just said “we’re trying to figure out if we can void your ballot so you can come back later.”
Voter: “what if we can’t come back later?”
Official: “then you can’t.”@lukebroadwater @ErinatTheSun— Joseph Martorella (@Mojo_Art) June 26, 2018
We are to put our ballots into “an emergency top bin” on the voting machine and a “determination” on what happens to our ballot will be made later. Democracy dies in darkness. @ErinatTheSun @lukebroadwater
— Joseph Martorella (@Mojo_Art) June 26, 2018
Here is the “emergency bin.” After 8 and not a single vote cast. @ErinatTheSun @lukebroadwater pic.twitter.com/DwtBthQHVI
— Joseph Martorella (@Mojo_Art) June 26, 2018
Del. Antonio Hayes (D-40th District), who’s running to unseat incumbent Sen. Barbara Robinson in his same district, also said several voting machines weren’t working early on at Towanda Recreation Center, which served as a polling place for Northwest Baltimore today.
Several Voting machines at Towanda Recreation Center at 4126 Towanda Ave, Baltimore, MD 21215 are broken not scanning ballots @baltimoresun @wjz @WYPR881FM @wjz @wbaltv11
— Senator Antonio Hayes (@AntonioHayes40) June 26, 2018
No Longer Your Polling Place
Voters who went to Friendship Academy in Calverton to cast their ballots were informed that it wasn’t even a polling place anymore. Signage outside indicated otherwise, but elections staffers there sent everyone to nearby James Mosher Academy.
We just found out Friendship Academy Polling Place is closed today. Voters are being directed to James Mosher Elementary @baltimoresun @wbaltv11 @wjz @FOXBaltimore Please help get the word out!
— Senator Antonio Hayes (@AntonioHayes40) June 26, 2018
Del. Brooke Lierman (D-46th District) notified voters this afternoon that city elections officials had relocated a polling site from Patapsco Elementary School to nearby Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson Elementary/Middle School. At least that move was only half a mile.
Cherry Hill Voters – Baltimore City is moving the voting location for 25-9.
From: Patapsco Elementary School, 844 Roundview Road
To: School #160 Carter Woodson Modular Building, 2501 Seabury Road
— Brooke Lierman (@BrookeELierman) June 26, 2018
Fox-45 reported the move was made due to complaints of fleas and mice.
The City Board of Elections also notified voters early that they’d switched a voting site in Armistead Gardens, moving it about a half-mile up the road.
**POLLING PLACE EMERGENCY MOVE IN #BALTIMORECITY** Ward 26 Precinct 14, previously located at 931 Armistead Way, has been moved to: School #243 Armistead Gardens Elementary School located at 5001 E. Eager St. #Election2018
— Baltimore City Elections (@Bmore_Elections) June 26, 2018
On Monday evening, the state told voters in Baltimore County their polling place was moved due to a power outage.
EMERGENCY POLLING PLACE MOVE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY: Notice to voters who vote at 15-12 Essex Co-op Community Center. Due to a power outage there, voting has been moved to Eastern Technical High School Gym. 1100 Mace Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21221.
— Maryland Elections (@md_sbe) June 26, 2018
UPDATE (7 p.m.): The Baltimore City Board of Elections announced the following polling places would be open until 9 p.m.
THERE WILL BE EXTENDED HOURS FOR BALTIMORE ACADEMY #378
WARD 27 PRECINCTS 29, 28 AND 35 ONLY! THE POLLS WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 9:00 PM. pic.twitter.com/u3yUbfp9Mh— Baltimore City Elections (@Bmore_Elections) June 26, 2018
Provisional Ballots are Confusing
Activist Megan Kenny, who says she’s unregistered with any political party, encountered some confusion at a polling site at Success Academy in Northeast Baltimore. Kenny said she showed up after she was one of tens of thousands to hear from state officials about her muddled voter registration. She figured she couldn’t vote at all, but was told she had been registered Democrat. She sought to clear it up.
It turns out, I *CAN* vote AND they had my correct address but it would be a provisional ballot. I thought…wait…doesn’t this defy the definition of a closed primary???
AND! if they had my correct info, why did I get the email??? 4/
— #FreeKeithDavisJr (@expandyourfocus) June 26, 2018
I rolled with it. After some confusion, I was handed a provisional ballot and GUESS WHAT.
It was a REPUBLICAN ballot.
?!?!?!?!
Remember, I didn’t think I could vote in the primary at all up until I walked in the bldg. So, I didn’t know what I was expecting to be handed. 5/
— #FreeKeithDavisJr (@expandyourfocus) June 26, 2018
I asked, “why did you give me a Republican ballot?”
Answer: “that’s what we were told to hand out. That’s all they gave us.”
I repeat: at this polling location, ALL PROVISIONAL BALLOTS ARE REPUBLICAN BALLOTS.
I did not vote. End/
— #FreeKeithDavisJr (@expandyourfocus) June 26, 2018
That was not the end.
??? UPDATE: I came back and they had since talked to the state and learned that I COULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN ANY BALLOT.
So, I will be given a provisional Dem ballot.
I will be casting one vote in one election.
— #FreeKeithDavisJr (@expandyourfocus) June 26, 2018
Another voter, Paul Gardner, said he was told he had to fill out a provisional ballot, only to later learn the email about the mistake as, well, a mistake.
6 years in the same apartment. Voted in 3 election cycles without a problem. Now in the *day before the primary* I find out I’m voting provisionally. pic.twitter.com/MMjj3OaAbf
— Paul Gardner (@paulmgardner) June 25, 2018
Fun update: poll worker says I have a regular ballot, not a provisional one. So the BoE is sending out emails warning of provisional ballots to people who don’t have to vote on one. https://t.co/4KqKLAFy2B
— Paul Gardner (@paulmgardner) June 26, 2018
It’s OK if you’re confused about how this happened. We are too.
Mayoral Typos
Good morning Maryland! Despite what the subject line of this morning’s email from @MayorPugh50 says, polls open at 7 am. pic.twitter.com/z6S31Sox4e
— Mark Gunnery (@MarkGunnery) June 26, 2018
This story will be updated. An earlier version incorrectly said voters were rerouted from Friendship Academy in Hamilton Hills, when in fact they were rerouted from Friendship Preparatory Academy in Calverton.
