Early voting proposed

Friday, Feb. 13, 2009

At least one precinct in all 24 jurisdictions will be open starting two Fridays before the primary and the general election and run through the following Friday, according to legislation sponsored by 27 Democratic senators. Polls, which will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. over the duration of early voting, will stay open on the Saturday but be closed Sunday.

The proposal stems from conversations with state and local elections officials about "what works best," said Sen. Roy P. Dyson, the chief sponsor, who chairs the Election Law Subcommittee.

A statewide referendum on early voting passed with overwhelming support in November. Supporters believe keeping polls open for more days will boost overall turnout, curb long lines and prevent inclement weather on Election Day from disenfranchising voters.

Dyson (D-St. Mary's, Charles, Calvert) recalled leaving Annapolis early on the day of last February's primary election to get ahead of a nasty ice storm that caused gridlock and prompted polls to stay open 90 minutes late. Even so, thousands of voters were unable to cast a ballot.

Critics — mostly Republicans — worry that the system will invite voter fraud and cost too much to provide round-the-clock security and pay election judges. A fiscal analysis had not been completed as of Thursday afternoon.

State lawmakers have the authority to establish parameters, but local election boards will administer early voting.

The tight turnaround between the conclusion of early voting and Election Day could be problematic, said Daneen Banks, the Prince George's County deputy elections administrator.

"We need to make sure we have all our voting units and all our electronic poll books ready for Election Day," she said. "That doesn't give us much time."

Dyson's measure specifies that a voter must cast a ballot in his home county. A similar bill sponsored by Sen. Mike G. Lenett (D-Montgomery) does not require local residency to vote early and would allow the state and local election boards to designate the period of time for early voting. It also gives local boards flexibility in determining how many precincts will have early voting and the hours polls will be open.

Both bills will have a hearing in the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee on Feb. 26.

With only seven weeks between primary and general elections, Dyson acknowledged that local boards will have their hands full.

Under his proposal, which Lenett co-sponsored, most jurisdictions will have only one precinct for early voting, selected by the state elections board in consultation with the local boards.

Counties with more than 150,000 registered voters but fewer than 300,000 will have three polling places. The largest counties will have five polling places for early voting. Only five jurisdictions — Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George's counties and Baltimore city — would have fit into the latter category for the 2008 general presidential election.

The proposed legislation also requires local boards to inform the public about early voting and the location of the polling place, once it becomes public, via mailings and public service announcements.

abrody@somdnews.com