Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday directed election officials to open all polling locations on Nov. 3 for the general election, and to encourage early voting, absentee voting and in-person voting during off-peak times.
But unlike the June 2 primary election, where mail-in ballots were supposed to be sent to all eligible voters, anyone who wants an absentee ballot for the general election will need to request one. And that has drawn criticism from some state lawmakers and advocates.
Many Marylanders received their primary election ballots late, with errors, or not at all, while others stood in line for hours to vote in person, Hogan noted in a letter to State Board of Elections Chairman Michael Cogan.
A printing error on Baltimore City District 1 ballots resulted in election officials having to duplicate those votes onto new ballots
Hogan wrote that the issues with the primary election are “completely unacceptable.”
“I remain concerned about the series of failures that–while not intended–potentially resulted in disenfranchisement and suppression of primary voters,” Hogan wrote.
Hogan proposed his own plan for the general election, which he said will maximize voter participation and minimize confusion and risk amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The general election will be held as scheduled on Nov. 3 with “enhanced voting options in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hogan said.
Under Hogan’s plan, all polling locations would be open on Election Day, and all early voting centers would be open for people who wanted to cast their ballots before Nov. 3.
Hogan also directed the State Board of Elections to send out absentee ballot request applications to all eligible Maryland voters.
The state will also encourage government employees to supplement election staffing needs and provide personal protective equipment for staff and volunteers.
In a statement, the Maryland State Board of elections said it would move forward with Hogan’s plan and promote voting by mail, voting at off-peak hours and early voting.
Senate President Bill Ferugson (D-Baltimore City) and Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) issued a joint statement expressing concern about local election officials having the resources to process applications for absentee ballots.
“The Governor must provide the necessary resources to the local and state boards for personal protective equipment, additional staff and a robust awareness campaign,” they said.
The leaders of the legislature also said they hope Hogan is flexible and will change approaches if the pandemic worsens by November or elections boards cannot find enough judges to oversee the process.
“It is now incumbent upon every election official and elected leader to work together to make this election a success,” the said. “Failure is not an option.”
Several state lawmakers and advocates voiced their opposition to Hogan’s plan.
Common Cause Maryland, a local watchdog group, said Hogan is going against recommendations from the Maryland Association of Election Officials, pointing to a June 26 letter in which the group said there is not sufficient time to prepare for a normal in-person election.
Instead, the group urged the state to hold a “hybrid” general election conducted primarily by mail while also increasing the number of in-person voting centers from the primary election.
The local election officials said that requiring residents to apply to receive a mail-in ballot would cause “added confusion” and would “jeopardize the entire process” as local election boards do not have enough staff to process the volume of requests nor enough money to hire more staff.
The Maryland Association of Election Officials followed up with a July 6 letter to Hogan, Cogan and Maryland State Administrator of Elections Linda Lamone reiterating their support for a hybrid approach.
Georgia election officials reportedly spent at least $5 million to send vote-by-mail ballot applications to eligible voters for the state’s June 9 primary election and were “overwhelmed by more last-minute applications than they could successfully process in time for Election Day,” the Maryland Association of Election Officials wrote.
As a result, Georgia had to extend voting hours in more than 20 counties to allow voters to cast their ballots in person, the Maryland election officials wrote.
“We cannot overstate the devastating consequences likely to result if the State of Maryland does not plan now to mail every voter a ballot for the 2020 Presidential General Election,” they wrote.
Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D-Prince George’s County) also noted that the plan went against the recommendations of the organization.
“Hogan has dismissed the recommendation of our state election experts by announcing that ballots will not be mailed to voters,” Wilkins tweeted. “Instead, voters will have to *request* a ballot, which the MD Assoc of Election Officials has warned is costly, burdensome and unsuccessful.”
State Sen. Shelly Hettleman (D-Baltimore County) said having to apply for an absentee ballot creates an extra hurdle for voters who do not want to vote in person due to COVID-19.
“In midst of a pandemic, Gov’s fully opening Early Voting sites, ALL Election Day polls & making it a multi-step process to get an absentee ballot?!! In one swoop, the Gov is making light of our public health crisis and making it harder to vote if you take the crisis seriously,” Hettleman tweeted.
Del. Stephanie M. Smith (D-Baltimore City) said Hogan’s plan is costly and runs contrary to his goal of minimizing confusion.
“It would be smarter, cheaper and more efficient to simply send everyone a ballot instead of an application for a ballot,” Smith tweeted. “This is actually creating more confusion no matter what you tweet. #FakeLeadership.”
