Tag: elections
Maryland ballot drop boxes installed as vote-by-mail deadlines approach
The Maryland State Board of Elections completed the installation Wednesday of 286 ballot drop boxes across the state for the general election.
Read More
Congressman, actress, and federal economist among Maryland’s top donors
Three Maryland couples – including Rep. David Trone and his wife, June – contributed more to federal campaigns this cycle than all the other 1.7 million reported contributions under $15 in the state combined, illustrating one way, according to some analysts, in which the wealthy have outsized political influence.
Read More
Glendening: Maryland can do better with African American political engagement
A recent study ranked Maryland No. 13 for the states with the highest African American political engagement. Former Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening said: “Being number thirteen is good but it’s certainly not great. I think it illustrates the opportunity for us to expand participation significantly.”
Read More
Montgomery Democrat proposes automatic voter registration
Maryland Sen. Roger Manno wants to eliminate voter registration, and instead automatically enroll every Marylander of voting age with a state-issued ID card or receives benefits from social services. On Thursday, Manno, D-Montgomery told the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee that it is time for Maryland to modernize its voter registration system and join states like Oregon and California that have already enacted similar legislation.
Read MoreCampaign finance reform passes in House and is moving in the Senate
A major campaign finance reform bill cleared the House of Delegates Thursday, and a Senate version of the bill is now being considered in committee.
The bill would increase campaign contribution limits and stiffen penalties for those who fail to disclose their contributions. It was unanimously passed by the House of Delegates.
Read MoreUse of old voting machines angers state senators
Sen. Richard Madaleno said Thursday on the floor of the Senate he was shocked by the news that Maryland will not be replacing old touchscreen voting machines with more advanced technology before the 2014 election. “I was under the impression that we were going to have new voting machines in place by then,” Madaleno said during debate on a bill to make voting easier.
Read MoreOutdated Md. voting machines will not be replaced before 2014 election
When the gubernatorial election rolls around next year, most of Maryland’s touch-screen voting machines will be past their prime.
The state is already facing a shortage of voting machines, with only four jurisdictions in the last election providing enough to meet state regulations.
In 2014, voting machines in 23 of the state’s 24 jurisdictions will be at least 10 years old, reaching the limit of the manufacturer’s guarantee.
State voters will have to wait three years before they can use upgraded voting machines with a verifiable paper trail, a delay which is angering election reformers.
Tensions flare as committee considers voter ID bill
Tensions were high once again this year as delegates on the House Ways and Means committee debated a bill that would require Maryland voters to present proof of identity at polling stations when voting.
Read More
Report: Maryland has nation’s second best election website
Maryland has the second-best state election website in the nation, according to a report by the Pew Center on the States.
Read MorePublic financing of election campaigns makes another try
In what has become an annual tradition, Del. Jon Cardin is sponsoring legislation to establish a fund that would finance General Assembly campaigns with public funds.
The bill was applauded by citizens’ and voter rights groups appearing before the House Ways and Means Committee Tuesday. It has yet to win approval from both houses of the General Assembly. Cardin, a Baltimore County Democrat, said that he “inherited” the bill from former Del. John Adams Hurson, who retired in 2005.
Read MoreDelegates debate requiring photo ID to vote
Requiring voters to show identification in order to vote is a necessary and easy way to prevent voter fraud, Del. Kathy Afzali told her colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee, but other delegates and voter advocates argued that the requirement would prevent people from voting.
Afzali, a freshman Frederick County Republican, has proposed a bill that would require voters to present government-issued photo ID to verify their identity and address in order to cast a ballot. Voters who do not have photo ID, or who have moved and have a different address than the one on their ID, would be allowed to cast provisional ballots.
Read MoreElection produces little change in state legislature compared to rest of nation
Tuesday’s election did not alter the Maryland General Assembly in a major way, though Republicans did pick up six seats in the House of Delegates and they lost two in the Senate.
House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Mike Miller, the Democratic presiding officers, said they expected little change in their chambers or their leadership teams, including committee chairs.
Read More
Recent Comments