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Ballot counting continues despite threats to 15 local election boards in Maryland

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Ballot counting continues despite threats to 15 local election boards in Maryland

Nov 11, 2024 | 5:10 pm ET
By Bryan P. Sears
Ballot counting continues despite threats to 14 local election boards in Maryland
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State elections officials said Maryland continues to count ballots in advance of local and state deadlines at the end of the week. Some counties with larger numbers of uncounted votes may have to extend their counts a few days — something allowed by state law. File photo by Danielle E. Gaines.

Election boards around the state are back at work counting the remaining votes from the 2024 election, following a series of bogus bomb threats made on Friday.

The threats — emailed to 15 local election boards in Maryland — were similar to incidents reported in other states. They came in as many boards were wrapping up counting for the day and did not result in any disruptions or delays, Maryland Election Administrator Jared DeMarinis said during a call Monday with reporters.

“It appears that they (the threats) originated from overseas, and we are working with the FBI and our federal partners on that as well,” he said.

DeMarinis said he made the decision Friday to ask for a safety check of each local election facility.

“That was one of my calls … once it started to look like more and more were getting bomb threats,” said DeMarinis. “We wanted to make sure that everyone is safe.”

Ballot counting continues despite threats to 15 local election boards in Maryland
Maryland Election Administrator Jared DeMarinis. Photo by Bryan P. Sears.

According to the state office, the county boards that received threats Friday were: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Calvert, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Montgomery, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester.

DeMarinis said the threats were like those sent to other states including New York and Oregon. But he said election officials had prepared for potential disruptions and other emergencies and conducted “tabletop” drills in advance of the first ballots being cast.

Despite the threats, DeMarinis said voting in Maryland was a relatively smooth during this election. He called the threats “an outlier.”

“I was very happy with the election,” DeMarinis said. “On Election Day, civility reigned supreme in Maryland.”

Final turnout for the 2024 election may ultimately be lower than expected. On Election Day, DeMarinis had expressed hopes that the state might exceed 3 million total voters and perhaps surpass 81% voter turnout. But currently, the state is on pace for as many a 2.7 million votes cast. Voter turnout stands at about 63% so far.

“We’re still counting,” DeMarinis said. “It could be ticking up a little.”

About 42% of those votes were cast in person on Election Day. Slightly less than 37% voted during eight days of early voting, and about one in five votes were cast by mail or using one of the 280 drop boxes located around the state, DeMarinis said.

The state also saw a record number of provisional ballots cast — about 135,000 statewide. Local boards will begin counting those ballots on Wednesday.

“We’re estimating it will be higher than 2020,” DeMarinis said. He added that the state is doing a “deeper dive” into why there were more provisional ballots this year, including asking voters why they were voting provisionally.

One potential cause is what DeMarinis, on Election Day, called “convenience voters.”

The term was used in reference to delays at polling places in College Park and Burtonsville. Voters found longer wait times linked to some who had to vote provisionally because they did not go to their assigned polling place.

Most of the state is expected to complete vote counting by Nov. 15. Some larger jurisdictions with more uncounted votes may need more time — something allowed by law.

The Board of State Canvassers is scheduled to certify the state elections on Dec. 5.

I was very happy with the election. On Election Day, civility reigned supreme in Maryland.

– Maryland Election Administrator Jared DeMarinis

“It is not anything new, or anything that would be, I would say, untoward, or something that’s outside of the bounds of election administration,” he said of a potential extension for some local boards. “They will count every ballot. They will make sure they work tirelessly at it. They’ll get it done so that the state will certify on the 5th without problem.”

The state board is also scheduled to conduct audits of the vote. One audit will include a digital review of every vote cast on Election Day or during early voting, as well as those delivered by mail or drop box.

“It’s an automated tabulation,” DeMarinis said. “This tabulation verifies the accuracy of the voting system and provides confidence in the election results. ”

A second audit — a manual count of randomly selected precincts in each county — will also be conducted.

The state’s presidential electors are scheduled to meet on Dec. 17.

“The election is over, but election work is still ongoing,” DeMarinis said.