Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community
To the surprise of many, the Washington Post has endorsed Republican Barry Glassman for Maryland Comptroller yesterday. The moderate GOP candidate is facing off against Democrat Del. Brooke Lierman in the November election.
Read the editorial here.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Maryland State Board of Elections reminds voters that tomorrow – Oct. 18 – is the deadline to update their registration information online and to register in advance to vote in the 2022 General Election.
Voters should review their registration information online or contact their local board of elections office. Eligible Marylanders can register to vote or update their registration information in advance of the Nov. 8 election using SBE’s online system, completing and submitting a paper application (in Spanish),, or by completing an application in-person at their local board of elections office. Registering to vote or updating information now will make voting during early voting or on election day a faster process.
Once Marylanders have registered or confirmed their registration information is up to date, SBE encourages voters to review the list of early voting centers, some of which have changed since July’s Primary Election. The complete list of early voting centers is posted here (in Spanish). Early voting will be held from Thursday, Oct. 27 through Thursday, Nov. 3. Early voting centers will be open each day during that window from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voters wishing to cast their ballots in person on Election Day can find a complete list of Election Day polling locations posted toward the bottom of the 2022 Elections landing page under “Polling Place and Precinct Reports.” The best option for individual voters to identify their polling place is to use the Voter Look-Up website. Election Day polling places will be open Nov. 8 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voters who prefer to vote by mail or ballot drop box must request a mail-in ballot be sent by the U.S. Postal Service no later than Nov.1. The deadline to request a link to a mail-in ballot be sent via email is Nov. 4.
Ballots being cast by mail must be postmarked by Nov. 8. Properly completed ballots mailed by the deadline will be accepted until Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. Voters may also cast their mail-in ballots via a secure ballot drop box. There are 281 ballot boxes located across the state. A list of the ballot box locations is available online (in Spanish). Ballots may be submitted by 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 at any drop box location in a voter’s county of residence.
Marylanders interested in serving as election judges can complete SBE’s online interest form to be considered for this important civic role. Residents can also contact their local board of elections for more information on serving as an election judge.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Leagues of Women Voters of the Midshore, Queen Anne’s County and Kent County will sponsor a forum for candidates for the US District One Congressional race. The forum will be held on October 27th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Kent Island High School, 900 Love Point Rd., Stevensville, MD 21666. Andy Harris (R), Heather Mizeur (D), and Danial Thibeault (Lib) have agreed to participate. The event will be recorded by The Spy and will be live streamed to the League’s facebook page, facebook.com/lwvkcmd. After the forum, a recording will be available on the League of Women Voters of Kent County website; kent-lwvmaryland.nationbuilder.com .
During the forum, the candidates will be given 2 minutes to introduce themselves and will answer three questions from the League that they have received in advance. The audience will have an opportunity to participate by submitting questions for the candidates on cards collected by League members. The program will conclude with closing statements from each participant.
The forum will be filmed by the League of Women voters and by those who have been granted permission by the League. No other recording will be permitted. Campaign signs, literature or clothing that indicates support of a candidate will not be allowed in the forum room.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation in government; it does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates for office.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Maryland State Board of Elections today released the anticipated ballot-counting and election-result announcement schedules for the 2022 General Election. Marylanders will be able to track the canvassing process and election results online here.
Soon after the polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 8, jurisdiction-specific results of in-person early voting (conducted Oct. 27-Nov. 3) and mail-in ballots counted up to Election Day will be released. In subsequent hours on Election Night, by-jurisdiction results from in-person Election Day voting will be released.
Early voting and Election Day results will include ballot counts from all 24 Maryland jurisdictions. According to the local boards of elections’ preliminary canvassing schedules, ten jurisdictions* are scheduled to conduct pre-Election Day canvassing of mail-in ballots and release their early mail-in totals on Election night; the remaining 14 jurisdictions** are scheduled to begin canvassing mail-in ballots two days after Election Day, on Nov. 10.
Local boards of elections are finalizing their mail-in ballot canvassing schedules following an Oct. 7 ruling by the Maryland Court of Appeals. The ruling authorized but did not mandate pre-Election Day counting of mail-in ballots. Due to the availability of space or personnel, some local boards opted to refrain from canvassing mail-in ballots until after Election Day.
“We appreciate the diligence of the local boards in assessing the most appropriate canvassing approach for their individual teams and always placing the integrity of the election process above all else to ensure the will of Maryland voters is heard through their votes,” said Maryland State Board of Elections Administrator Linda H. Lamone.
Mail-in voting totals will be updated, by jurisdiction, as ballots are received and counted by the local boards. Mail-in ballots must be cast by ballot drop box no later than 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 or be postmarked by Nov. 8. Properly completed mail-in ballots returned by the U.S. Postal Service will be accepted until Nov. 18 at 10 a.m.
Provisional ballot canvassing will be held on Nov. 16. Mail-in ballots will also be canvassed on November 18. Once all the mail-in and provisional ballots have been counted, the local boards will certify the results of local contests. Local certification cannot occur before Nov. 18.
*The Baltimore City Board of Elections and the Allegany, Baltimore, Calvert, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Saint Mary’s and Washington County Boards of Elections plan to conduct pre-Election Day canvassing of mail-in ballots.
**The Anne Arundel Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Garrett, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester County Boards of Election plan to begin canvassing mail-in ballots on Nov. 10.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE) is encouraging voters to ensure their registration information is up to date and to identify their early voting and Election Day voting locations in advance of the 2022 General Election.
Eligible Marylanders may register to vote in advance of the Nov. 8 election using SBE’s online application page, submitting a paper application (in Spanish), or by completing an application in-person at their local board of elections office. The advance deadline to register to vote is Oct. 18.
Voters should also ensure their registration information is up to date by Oct. 18. Voters can review and update their registration information online or by visiting their local board of elections office.
Early voting for the 2022 General Election will be held from Thursday, Oct. 27 through Thursday, Nov. 3. Early voting centers will be open each day during that period from 7am to 8pm. A complete list of early voting centers is posted here (in Spanish). Voters should be aware that some early voting center locations changed following July’s Primary Election.
The complete list of Election Day polling locations is posted toward the bottom of the 2022 Elections landing page under “Polling Place and Precinct Reports.” The best option for individual voters to identify their polling place is to use the Voter Look-Up website. Election Day polling places will be open Nov. 8 from 7am to 8pm.
Voters who request mail-in ballots by the following deadlines have the option to cast their vote via ballot drop box or the U.S. Postal Service. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot by mail is Nov. 1. The deadline to request an email containing a unique link to a mail-in ballot is Nov. 4.
A complete list of the ballot box locations is available online (in Spanish).
All ballot box locations will be available for use until Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. Voters who choose to utilize ballot drop boxes may submit their properly completed mail-in ballots at any official ballot drop box in their county of residence.
Marylanders interested in serving as election judges can complete SBE’s online interest form to be considered for this important civic role. Residents can also contact their local board of elections for more information on serving as an election judge.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE) has confirmed that all 281 ballot drop boxes slated for use in the 2022 General Election have been installed and are currently available for use. A complete list of the ballot box locations is available online (in Spanish).
Voters who request mail-in ballots by the following deadlines may opt to cast their vote via ballot box or the U.S. Postal Service. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot by mail is Nov. 1. The deadline to request an email containing a unique link to a mail-in ballot is Nov. 4.
All ballot box locations will be available for use until Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. Voters who choose to utilize ballot drop boxes may submit their properly completed mail-in ballots at any official drop box in their county of residence.
Eligible Marylanders may register to vote in advance of the Nov. 8 election using SBE’s online application page or completing an application in-person at their local board of elections office. The advance deadline to register to vote is Oct. 18.
Voters should also ensure their registration information is up to date by Oct. 18. Voters can review and update their registration information online or by visiting their local board of elections office.
Early voting for the 2022 General Election will be held from Thursday, Oct. 27 through Thursday, Nov. 3. Early voting centers will be open each day during that window from 7am to 8pm. SBE encourages voters to review the final list of early voting centers, which is posted here (in Spanish). Some of the early voting center locations changed following July’s Primary Election.
The complete list of Election Day polling locations is posted toward the bottom of the 2022 Elections landing page under “Polling Place and Precinct Reports.” The best option for individual voters to identify their polling place is to use the Voter Look-Up website. Election Day polling places will be open Nov. 8 from 7am to 8pm.
Marylanders interested in serving as election judges can complete SBE’s online interest form to be considered for this important civic role. Residents can also contact their local board of elections for more information on serving as an election judge.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
Last night the Avalon Foundation and the Talbot Spy co-sponsored a town hall gathering for nine of the ten candidates running for seats on the Talbot County Council this November. With a full house in downtown Easton, and some 500 watching online, Spy Columnist Craig Fuller moderated a two hour conversation about the future of Talbot County.
We present the entire evening in full. For quick access to certain portions of the event, please use the guide below as well as access to each candidates pre-recorded opening statements:
0:00 – Prerecorded opening statements
17:10 – Introduction from the Avalon’s Al Bond and the Spy’s Dave Wheelan
21:50 – Introduction from moderator Craig Fuller
23:26 – Topic: What is special about Talbot County that you want to preserve and protect
41:51 – Topic: What opportunities do you see for the next council term
1:05:07 – Topic: Economic Development
1:25:23 – Topic: Education
1:45:17 – Topic: Election Integrity
1:53:37 – Closing statements
2:15:15 – Conclusion
For opening statements please go here
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
A legal skirmish over the upcoming election came to an apparent conclusion on Friday when the Maryland Court of Appeals issued an order allowing local elections boards to tally mail-in ballots as they are delivered.
The court issued its ruling in a four-page order that was signed by Chief Judge Matthew Fader and released five hours after the seven-judge panel conducted a hearing.
The ruling represented a victory for the state Board of Elections, which petitioned for the right to process mail-in ballots as they arrive. The board expects a deluge of mail-in ballots this election. Under state law, mail ballots cannot be opened or counted until the day after the election.
The decision was a defeat for Republican gubernatorial hopeful Dan Cox, a state delegate from Frederick County. He fought the board’s request in Montgomery County Circuit Court, and after a judge there ruled for the elections board, Cox appealed that decision.
During a circuit court hearing last month, a lawyer for the elections board argued that keeping to that timeline opened the possibility that results would not be known in time for county executive and council council members in charter counties to take office in early December as required. Judge James Bonifant sided with the elections board, giving elections officials the right to begin processing and counting mail ballots starting on Oct. 1.
On Friday in Annapolis, the board’s attorney, Assistant Attorney General Daniel Kobrin, restated their rationale for wanting to count — but not publicly report — ballots prior to Election Day. He said elections officials across the state continue to adapt to broad changes in voter behavior brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The board could not foresee that a once-in-an-almost lifetime event in 2020 would so fundamentally change the voting patterns in Maryland, and that the current statutory framework for canvassing and certifying results would not be fit, would be so ill-suited for that change in Maryland’s voting patterns,” he said.
As of Oct. 6, 551,483 Marylanders had requested a mail-in ballot, far eclipsing any prior election.
Kobrin also said local elections boards do not have the space to properly count ballots all at once and must do so as the postal service delivers them. In Montgomery County, he noted, the county’s budget was finalized the day before Gov. Larry Hogan (R) vetoed legislation that would have allowed ballots to be counted early.
Ed Hartman, an attorney for Cox, told the court that he understood why the board would seek permission to count ballots early. He said it might even be the best way to administer the election. But without a clear emergency, he maintained, the courts don’t have the power to allow it.
“We’re talking about ‘well, how can we help the board of elections do their jobs better,’” Hartman said. “That is not our job. That is the job of the General Assembly. And shame on ’em if they didn’t do it right. But that doesn’t mean that the Constitution authorizes us to swoop in and fix what they did.”
Hartman said the surge in the use of mail-in ballots was “a reasonably anticipated event that had been foreseen for some period of time” and therefore not an “emergency” requiring a court intervention fewer than five weeks before Election Day.
In a statement, the elections board said it is “pleased” with the high court’s ruling. “This decision will be instrumental in assisting local election officials complete the timely canvassing and tabulation of these ballots and meet all relevant statutory deadlines,” the board said, adding that the state board and local boards of elections have begun “implementing the pre-Election Day canvassing protocols established during the 2020 General Election.”
Cox is a backer of former President Trump and has floated baseless allegations about the 2020 election. He spent time in Philadelphia as part of “Lawyers for Trump.” He did not issue an immediate reaction.
The legal debate over early counting began when Hogan vetoed a measure sponsored by Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-Montgomery) on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. She told reporters that the weeks-long legal battle triggered by his veto was avoidable. She accused the term-limited governor or attempting to bolster his White House prospects. “He was playing Republican politics by looking for an elections bill to veto so he could try to pander to the Trump wing of his party,” she charged.
Hartman and a second Cox attorney, who was flown in from Mississippi for the hearing in Rockville, are being paid from campaign funds. The court ordered Cox to pay the costs associated with his legal challenge.
Prior to the appeals court’s ruling, Cox left open the possibility that he would take his fight to the U.S. Supreme Court. “This is the last word in the state of Maryland,” he said during a news conference outside the Court of Appeals in Annapolis. “And I’m not going to speculate on any attorney advice or any options. As a member of the Supreme Court bar, I am always proud of the constitutional process that you can always appeal to the Supreme Court.”
“That’s not something that is even considered at this point,” he added.
By Bruce DePuyt
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The League of Women Voters of the Mid-Shore will sponsor a forum for candidates competing in the Dorchester County Council election. The forum will be held on Monday, October 17 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Weinberg Intergenerational Center at Chesapeake Grove, 108 Chesapeake Street, Cambridge, MD. It is free and open to the public.
The following candidates from Districts 1, 3, and 5 who are running against opponents have been invited to participate in the forum:
District 1 – Rob Kramer, Jr. (R) and Jay Leonard Newcomb (D)
District 3 – John Edward James, Jr (R) and Ricky C Travers (D)
District 5 – Mike Detmer (R), Zia Ashraf (D) and David Beverly (I)
Debate topics will cover issues that are important to residents of the county, including: budget priorities; law enforcement and crime in the county; transparency of council deliberations; and the relationship between the county manager, the council and county staff.
After a welcome by the moderator, candidates will make opening statements and respond to questions posed by the moderator and members of the public. The latter will be collected on notecards and read by the moderator.
For questions about the forum contact Glenna Heckathorn at 571-217-3874 or Kathi Bangert at 443-646-3338 or email to [email protected].
The League of Women Voters does not endorse candidates for this or any other election.
The League of Women Voters of the Mid-Shore is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to all citizens of voting age.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
The Spy continues its informal series on profiling candidates running for office in 2022. Over the next eight months, we will be offering long-form interviews with those running for Maryland’s Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, MD Congressional District 1, State Delegate and Senate, as well as several local elections in Dorchester, Kent, and Talbot Counties.
As per our educational, nonpartisan mission concerning all public affairs on the Mid-Shore, we believe these in-depth conversations offer a unique alternative to the traditional three-minute sound bite or quick quote. We will be talking to each candidate about their background, qualifications, and policy priorities as well as how they differentiate themselves from others running for the same office.
We continue with current Republican incumbent Andy Harris and Democratic candidate, Heather Mizeur, who previously served as the Maryland House of Delegates from the 20th district.
Both interviews are approximately twenty minutes in length. For more information about the Andy Harris campaign please go here. For Heather Mizeur please go here.
Andy Harris
Heather Mizeur
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.
