Early Voting Begins for HdG: Where, How to Cast Ballot

By DEB BELT (Patch Staff)

Voters can cast their ballots ahead of Maryland’s primary election starting this week.

The state’s primary will be held April 26; polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day.

Early voting in Maryland begins Thursday, April 14, and runs through Thursday, April 21. Polling places are open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. those days.

Harford County Early Voting Sites

The county has four voting locations set up:

• McFaul Activities Center, 525 W. Macphail Road
• Edgewood Library, 629 Edgewood Road
• The University Center, 1201 Technology Drive
• Jarrettsville Library, 3722 Norrisville Road

The ballots vary by county and can be viewed ahead of time on the Maryland State Board of Elections website.

Besides voting for Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, Maryland residents will select Congressional nominees, U.S. Senate candidates for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Congressional candidates, and delegates to the national political conventions, among other races.

To vote in Maryland, you must register to vote, which can be done during early voting. Your local board of electionscan answer questions on how and where to do that. Online Voter Registration also is available.

You may register to vote online using Maryland's Online Voter Registration System or you may print an application from the website or contact your local board of elections or the State Board of Elections to request an application.

Maryland Poll of Presidential Contenders

The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll released in early April gives Clinton a 55 percent to 40 percent over Sanders among likely Democratic voters. The poll showed that Clinton has roughly double the support among African-Americans, women, voters age 50 and older, and moderates and conservatives in the party

The strengths for Sanders are voters younger than 40, and he has a slight lead among white voters.

The poll of likely GOP voters gives Trump the lead with 41 percent support, Kasich next at 31 percent and Cruz trailing at 22 percent.

Kasich has won only his home state, to date, but his supporters in recent days have talked about the likelihood that he could win the nomination at the Republican national convention as a divided GOP gathers in July with no clear favorite.

The Ohio governor and former senator leads among Maryland college graduates with 43 percent, while a majority of voters without a college degree name Trump as their favorite.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who endorsed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, has not endorsed any of the remaining contenders. But Hogan has said whose approval ratings are soaring, has said he does not think Trump should be the party’s nominee. But he has declined to endorse any other candidate since his close friend, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, dropped out.

Hogan has made it clear, in recent interviews, that he’s not a fan of Trump.

“I’m not a Trump fan,” Hogan told The Associated Presslast month. “I don’t think he should be the nominee. At this point in time, I have no idea who the candidates are going to be or who I’m going to vote for.”