Maryland Early Voting Sets Record: What You Need to Know

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Maryland voters swarmed into polling places across the state on Thursday for the first day of early voting, setting a record for ballots cast.

State elections officials said 125,914 Maryland voters checked in statewide Thursday, easily surpassing the first day of early voting in 2012 total of 78,409. The previous one-day record for early voting, set in 2012, was 107,385.

Election officials are encouraging residents to vote early, which can help ease lines at the polls on Nov. 8 and allow residents to vote at the time that best matches their schedules.

At Landover’s massive Wayne Curry Sports and Learning Center the line went out the door. Throughout the evening drivers searched the parking lot for a space, said WJLA.

Voters can cast their ballots from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting Thursday, Oct. 27, through Thursday, Nov. 3. To find early-voting locations in your county, see a list of the 2016 general early-voting sites (PDF).

Voters were lined up to vote Thursday more than an hour before polls opened at the City of Bowie Gymnasium, say officials.

"The lines have been out the door all morning and seem to be getting longer rather than shorter," said Una Cooper, City of Bowie spokesperson, told Patch. "Inside, people seem good natured because the lines move fairly quickly. There's about 50 voting stations for people to use. It’s great to see so many people getting out to vote We want to remind voters that early voting goes on for seven days and the lines usually subside after the first few days.”

While Maryland is not a battleground state in the presidential race between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump, there are many state and local races on the ballot, including electing a United States senator to replace the retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski, other members of Congress and state legislators. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

If you missed the voter registration deadline earlier this month, good news: You can still register to vote at an early voting site.

To register and vote during the early-voting period, go to an early-voting center in the county where you live and bring a document that proves where you live. This document can be your MVA-issued license, ID card, change of address card, paycheck, bank statement, utility bill or other government document with your name and new address.

The state will use a paper-based, digital image scan voting system; voters will mark their selections with a pen on paper ballots prior to inserting them in the scanner for tabulation. For more election information, visit the Maryland State Board of Elections’ website at http://elections.state.md.us.

And the question of taking selfies at the polls has been a topic of online conversation recently.

According to state law, no technology devices are allowed in polling places, so taking cell phone photos of a completed ballot in a Maryland polling place is banned. It is permissible, however to take a photo of a ballot before mailing one in. Members of the media can photograph ballots, but they cannot take images that show how someone votes.

Donna Duncan with the Maryland State Board of Elections says generally speaking the state ban on use of electronic devices becomes somewhat of an issue every election. But there's not much officials can do to prevent cell phone selfies in the voting booth. Local officials will act if they notice behavior that is disruptive, or if there is a complaint at the polls.

“There are signs posted in the polling place that say no technology devices in polling places,” Duncan said.

»Photos of Bowie residents waiting to vote, courtesy of Una Cooper, city of Bowie