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August 5, 2021

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

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Biden Wins Talbot County in Final Unofficial Count; First Dem Victory Here Since 1964

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Joe Biden has eked out a narrow victory in Talbot County, according to the final unofficial results, becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate to win here since 1964, when Lyndon Johnson took the county during his landslide over Republican Barry Goldwater.

Election officials conducted the final canvassing on Friday, when mail-in ballots could be received until 10 a.m.

Biden has 11,062 votes (49%) to 10,946 (48.5%) for President Donald Trump, the Republican incumbent, as of the final unofficial count.

The shift in results over time mirrors similar trends seen nationwide — Trump supporters voted in person (whether on Election Day or during early voting); the majority of Biden voters opted to vote by mail. Nearly 77% of Talbot’s votes for Trump were in person; about 57% of Biden’s votes were by mail.

In Talbot County, early voting was the most popular choice with more than 10,000 voters casting ballots in the days before Election Day. More than 8,500 county residents cast mail-in ballots, an option urged by the Biden campaign due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 2,900 voters went to the polls on Election Day.

Biden outperformed Hillary Clinton by about 7 percentage points. Clinton got 42.1% of Talbot’s vote in 2016; Trump had 52.2%.

In 2012 and 2008, Barack Obama had similar margins of defeat in the county as Clinton. He lost Talbot by more than 12 percentage points against Mitt Romney in 2012; by about 10 percentage points against John McCain in 2008.

Republican George W. Bush won Talbot by nearly 20 percentage points against Democrats John Kerry in 2004 and Al Gore in 2000.

Talbot Voters Back Tax Cap Changes, Keep Residency Requirement for Top Appointees

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A campaign focused on supporting police officers, emergency medical services personnel, and other first responders was successful in getting Talbot County voters to adopt three changes to the county’s property tax revenue cap.

Unofficial results with votes from early voting, election day, and absentee ballots shows passage of Ballot Questions B, C, and D.

Question D, which would allow the county council to temporarily increase the property tax rate above the revenue cap by up to one cent per $100 of assessed value for five years only, was approved 59% to 41% against, based on unofficial results.

Question B, which corrects inaccurate language in the tax cap approved by voters in 1996, had the largest margin of support with 72% voting for the charter amendment and 29% voting against.

Question C, to eliminate a reference to CPI-U, had 68% support. The existing property tax revenue cap limits the annual increase in property tax revenues to 2% or CPI-U, whichever is less.

However, Talbot County voters rejected a proposed charter change that would have allowed a super-majority of the county council to waive a residency requirement for the county attorney, engineer, and planning officer.

Question A was rejected 57% to 43%, according to unofficial results.

The unofficial results posted late Tuesday night after ballots cast on election day were counted largely mirrored the percentages seen in early and absentee voting.

A large number of Talbot County voters opted to cast ballots during early voting or by absentee ballot, with a smaller percentage voting Tuesday on the traditional Election Day.

Early, Absentee Talbot Voters Back Tax Cap Changes

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Talbot County residents who voted by absentee ballot or during early voting supported three changes to the county’s property tax revenue cap, but rejected a measure to allow the county council to waive the residency requirement for county attorney, engineer, and planning officer.

Question A to waive the residency requirement was opposed by nearly 57 percent of early and absentee voters.

Question B corrects inaccurate language in the tax cap, approved by voters in 1996.

About 73 percent of early and absentee voters supported the charter amendment.

Question C would amend the tax cap by eliminating a reference to the Consumer Price Index-Urban (CPI-U). The existing property tax revenue cap limits the annual increase in property tax revenues to 2% or CPI-U, whichever is less.

Question C would eliminate CPI-U, which in some years has been less than 2%, further restricting the county’s ability to increase revenues to fund needed services and capital projects.

Early and absentee voters favored the amendment by 69% to 31%.

Question D would allow the county council to temporarily increase the property tax rate above the revenue cap by up to one cent per $100 of assessed value for five years only.

A one cent increase in the property tax rate would cost the owner of a home assessed at $250,000 an additional $25 annually; an additional $50 annually for the owner of a home assessed at $500,000.

Officials have pitched the one cent increase as a way for the county to catch up on lost revenue from the years when CPI-U limited the increase in revenue below 2% and as a way to help fund much-needed capital projects.

About 60% of early and absentee voters backed the temporary tax increase.


Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble and Emergency Services Director Clay Stamp had been leading the charge in seeking voter approval for Questions B, C, and D.

The public safety officials said the existing cap has limited the county’s ability to attract and retain deputies, paramedics, and other first responders.

Salaries and benefits for first responders are lower than in surrounding counties, the two have said, making it difficult to find new hires for open positions and leading to trained staffers leaving for better compensation packages elsewhere.

The county also needs to build a new office for the sheriff’s office and the county health department, as well as provide an additional substation for paramedics, officials have noted.

Maryland Breaks State Record for Single-Day Early Voting Turnout

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More than 161,000 Marylanders cast their ballots during the first day of early voting, according to the State Board of Elections, setting what is believed to be a single-day record for early voting in the state.

The total surpassed the previous unofficial single-day early voting record of 143,494 set on the final day of early voting in the 2016 general election.

“We’re extremely pleased that Marylanders are turning out in record numbers to exercise their right to vote,” said Maryland State Board of Elections Administrator Linda Lamone. “Today’s record-setting total is in addition to the more than 1.6 million voters who requested a mail-in ballot and the roughly 830,000 who have already submitted them. We are equally pleased that nearly 1,000 people took advantage of same-day registration today in order to cast their ballots.”

By comparison, the 2016 election saw 123,623 voters on the first day of early voting, according to data from the State Board of Elections.

After Day 1 of Early Voting, More Than 1.1 Million Marylanders Have Cast Ballots

With Monday’s 161,000-plus votes combined with the 947,941 mail-in ballots returned so far, more than 1.1 million Marylanders already have voted in the presidential general election.

Voters waited for hours in lines at early voting centers across the state, with many lining up well before the state’s 81 early voting centers opened at 7 a.m. Monday morning. Some told Maryland Matters that worries over Postal Service delays and national rhetoric about mail-in ballots led them to vote in person.

The 2016 General Election saw a total turnout of just over 2.8 million voters. That figure includes Election Day, early voting, mail-in and provisional ballots. Advocates expect longer lines and even more voters at early voting centers going forward.

“We should expect even longer lines as we get closer to Election Day,” Common Cause Maryland Executive Director Joanne Antoine said on Monday.

Early voting will continue until Nov. 2. Voters can head to any early voting center in their jurisdiction. Those centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and will remain open as regular in-person voting centers on Election Day.

During the eight days of early voting, eligible voters may cast their ballots at any authorized early voting center in their jurisdiction of residence. A complete list of early voting centers is available here. Voters may also search here for early voting centers, Election Day voting centers and ballot drop box locations in their area simply by including their zip code.

For voters who missed the advance voter registration deadline, same-day registration will be available at early voting and Election Day vote centers. To prove their place of residence, Marylanders registering in person during early voting or on Election Day will need to bring their Motor Vehicle Administration-issued driver’s license, identification card or change of address card, or a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill or other government document that includes the voter’s name and new address.

“We encourage Marylanders who would like to vote in person to continue to take advantage of early voting,” Lamone said. “While many Marylanders have, and continue to, cast their votes using mail-in ballots, voting early is one way to reduce lines and limit wait times at vote centers. The best time to vote in person is on a weekday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.”

Voters who have already requested a ballot should vote the ballot they receive in the mail. Voters simply complete the ballot, sign the oath on the postage-paid return envelope that accompanies the ballot, seal the envelope and submit it by mail or at an approved ballot drop box location.

Voters may not “trade in” their mail-in ballot during early voting or on Election Day, nor can they scan their mail-in ballot at an in-person vote center. If a voter has already requested or received a mail-in ballot and wants to vote early, the voter will have to cast a provisional ballot. This ballot will be held until election officials confirm the voter did not also return a mail-in ballot. This process ensures only one ballot per voter is counted.

Voters may drop off a mail-in ballot at an early voting center, but the ballot must be properly sealed in the return envelope that accompanied the mail-in ballot. Voters must sign the oath on the return envelope in order for the ballot to be counted.

By Bennett Leckrone

Maryland In-Person Early Voting Begins Monday

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The Maryland State Board of Elections reminds voters seeking to cast their ballots in person that early voting begins Monday, Oct. 26, and runs for eight consecutive days, including Saturday and Sunday. Early voting in Maryland concludes on Monday, Nov. 2, the day prior to Election Day.

Eligible voters may cast their ballots at any authorized early voting center in their jurisdiction of residence. A complete list of early voting centers is available here. Voters may also search here for early voting centers, Election Day voting centers and ballot drop box locations in their area simply by including their zip code.

For voters who missed the advance voter registration deadline, same-day registration will be available at early voting and Election Day vote centers. To prove their place of residence, Marylanders registering in person during early voting or on Election Day will need to bring their Motor Vehicle Administration-issued driver’s license, identification card or change of address card, or a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill or other government document that includes the voter’s name and new address.

“We encourage Marylanders who would like to vote in person to take advantage of early voting,” said Maryland State Board of Elections Administrator Linda Lamone. “While many Marylanders have, and continue to, cast their votes using mail-in ballots, voting early is one way to reduce lines and limit wait times at vote centers. The best time to vote in person is on a weekday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.”

Voters who have already requested a ballot should vote the ballot they receive in the mail. Voters simply complete the ballot, sign the oath on the postage-paid return envelope that accompanies the ballot, seal the envelope and submit it by mail or at an approved ballot drop box location.

Voters may not “trade in” their mail-in ballot during early voting or on Election Day, nor can they scan their mail-in ballot at an in-person vote center. If a voter has already requested or received a mail-in ballot and wants to vote early, the voter will have to cast a provisional ballot. This ballot will be held until election officials confirm the voter did not also return a mail-in ballot. This process ensures only one ballot per voter is counted.

Voters may drop off a mail-in ballot at an early voting center, but the ballot must be properly sealed in the return envelope that accompanied the mail-in ballot. Voters must sign the oath on the return envelope in order for the ballot to be counted.

As a reminder, early voting centers and Election Day vote centers will be following approved health guidelines. Voters must wear a mask and maintain a distance of at least six feet between other individuals.

Important Dates and Deadlines for 2020 Presidential General Election

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The deadline for voter registration before the general election is 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 13.

The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 20.

Early voting is from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily Monday, Oct. 26, through Monday, Nov. 2. There will be one early voting center — the Easton Fire House Bingo Hall, at 315 Leonard Rieck Drive (315 Aurora Park Drive), in Easton.

There will be four voting centers open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 (election day).

Those centers are:

• Easton Fire House Bingo Hall, 315 Aurora Park Drive (315 Leonard Rieck Drive), Easton

• Easton High School Cafeteria, 723 Mecklenburg Ave., Easton

• St. Michaels Middle-High School Gymnasium, 200 Seymour Ave., St. Michaels

• Tilghman Fire House, 5979 Tilghman Island Road, Tilghman

Voters may vote in person at the early voting center, at any vote center on Nov. 3, or deposit a mail-in ballot at either of the following drop-off locations by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3:

• Talbot County Board of Elections, 215 Bay St., Easton

• Easton Fire House, 315 Aurora Park Drive, Easton

Mail-in ballots may also be deposited inside any of the vote centers by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

For results, candidates, ballot questions, election calendar, judicial elections and offices that will appear on the ballot go to www.elections.state.md.us/index.html

Voter registration look-up: www.elections.state.md.us/voter_registration/index.html