MD lawmakers call for in-person option

MD lawmakers call for in-person option

MARK ROPER.

HE'S LIVE AT THEINNER HARBOR WITH MORE ON WHYTOP LAWMAKERS IN MARYLAND SAYJUNE'S PRIMARY SHOULD NOT BECONDUCTED ENTIRELY BY MAIL,EVEN WITH ALL THE CONCERNABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS.SENATE PRESIDENT BILL FERGUSONAND HOUSE SPEAKER ADRIENNEJONES SENT A LETTER TO THEGOVERNOR ON TUESDAY━ SAYINGTHEY UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNFOR POLL WORKERS HEALTH BUTTHAT VOTING IS NOT ONLY ANESSENTIAL ACTIVITY BUT AFUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.

THE LETTERSTATES MARYLAND MUST FIND AWAY TO MAKE I━PERSON VOTINGPOSSIBLE FOR A LIMITED NUMBEROF VOTERS━ ADDING THE STATENEEDS TO ENSURE WE AREDEMONSTRATING DEMOCRACY CANSTILL FLOURISH IN THE MIDST OFA PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.

THESENATE PRESIDENT AND HOUSESPEAKER POINT OUT SEVERALISSUES THEY HAVE WITH VOTINGBY MAIL ONLY.

THEY SAY THEMARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLYCONSIDERED HOLDING VOT━B━MAIL ELECTIONS SEVERAL TIMESIN THE PAST BUT NEVER MOVEDFORWARD WITH IT.

THEY ALSOSTATE SOME SOCI━ ECONOMICGROUPS ARE LESS LIKELY TOPARTICIPATE OR EVEN RECEIVETHEIR BALLOTS IN THE MAIL.FERGUSON AND JONES CITE A 2011PEW CHARITABLE TRUST STUDYTHAT VOTING BY MAIL REDUCES APERSON'S CHANCE FOR VOTINGABOUT 13 PERCENT BUT DECREASESTO 50 PERCENT FOR URBANVOTERS.

NOT TO MENTION STATESWHICH ALREADY HAVEVOT━B━MAIL ELECTIONS HADYEARS TO MAKE THE SWITCH NOTJUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

ONEOTHER POINT THE TWOLEGISLATIVE LEADERS MAKE INTHEIR LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR━ IS A PLAN TO MOVE FORWARDWITH VOT━B━MAIL ONLY WOULDVIOLATE STATE LAW WHICHREQUIRES MARYLAND TO HAVEELECTION DAY REGISTRATION THESTATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WILLVOTE TOMORROW ON A FINAL PLANON HOW VOT━B━MAIL WOULD BEDONE IN MARYLAND.

THE BOARDWILL THEN SEND IT OFF TO THEGOVERNOR ON FRIDAY.

LIVE ATTHE INNER HARBOR MARK ROPERWMAR 2 NEWS.MORE THAN 48 MILLION DOLL