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Maryland Democratic Party Statement on the Delayed Mailing of Baltimore City Ballots

May 18, 2020

For Immediate Release 5/18/2020

Annapolis, MD TODAY, Monday, May 18, 2020, The Maryland Democratic Party called on the Maryland State Board of Elections to take additional steps to ensure the voices of Baltimore City voters are heard in the June 2 Presidential Primary, in light of news that the delivery of mail-in ballots for the jurisdiction were significantly delayed.

Originally, the State Board of Elections stated Baltimore City ballots would be mailed by May 8th and begin arriving in voters mailboxes the next week. Yesterday, in a public statement, they announced that ballots may not arrive to Baltimore City voters until May 23rd, significantly shrinking the window for voters to fill out their ballot and postmark them by the June 2nd deadline.

“It is simply unacceptable that the arrival of these ballots will be delayed by more than a week,” said Yvette Lewis, Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party. “While voters throughout the state have already received their ballots without issue, the voters of Baltimore City — a majority African-American population in the largest city in the state of Maryland with the most competitive local elections — are now contending with delays that are preventing them from participating in the democratic process. Every voter in our state matters and it is imperative that every eligible Marylander is able to make their voice heard. At the end of the day, I have confidence that every ballot will be counted and the mail-in ballot process will go as planned. However, in light of this disappointing news, I implore the State Board of Elections to do everything in their power to ensure Baltimore voters affected by these delays have what they need to participate in this election.”

Anyone who encounters problems of any kind in the voting process can seek assistance with the Maryland Democratic Party Voter Protection effort by contacting the staffed hotline at 833-MD-VOTES (833-638-6837) or emailing [email protected].

Information about how to vote by mail and fill out the ballot that will arrive in your mailbox can be found on the Maryland State Board of Elections website. If you have not received your ballot by the dates outlined, you can submit a ballot request to [email protected] or call 1-800-222-8683. Anyone not registered to vote in the primary may still do so until Tuesday, May 27 by following the options on the “Register to Vote” page on the Maryland State Board of Elections website.

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