Maryland
Early mail-in ballot counting helped call some Maryland primary races sooner
Early mail-in ballot canvassing became an official mainstay in Maryland in 2024, helping elections officials to produce quick results in tight races on the night of the primary in contests for Baltimore mayor and U.S. Senate.
By Tuesday — the day of the primary — 146,840 mail-in ballots had already been counted across the state, data from the Maryland State Board of Elections showed.
That counting was made possible by legislation passed by state officials in 2023 to help local boards of elections more quickly process the increasing number of mail-in ballots.
For some races, that speed paid dividends.
On the night of the primary, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks defeated U.S. Rep. David Trone, a multimillionaire who injected more than $60 million of his own money into his campaign to replace retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin.
Her victory came after polls earlier in the campaign, including one conducted for The Baltimore Sun, University of Maryland and FOX45, showed Trone with an advantage. Instead, Alsobrooks took a 10% lead over Trone as returns came in Tuesday.
Primary night vote counts included returns from the state’s eight-day early voting period, primary day itself and mail-in ballots canvassed ahead of Tuesday. About 463,000 of the now 576,896 Democratic ballots tallied in the Senate race were processed by primary night, state data shows.
In Baltimore, a call in the mayoral race this year came considerably faster than it did in 2020 when Brandon Scott did not become the clear winner until a full week after the Democratic primary. Chief rival Sheila Dixon further extended the race that year, waiting an additional five days to concede.
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic forced the state to hold its first election mostly by mail. Just 3,913 voters cast ballots in person, leaving the city with 156,164 mail-in ballots to count — a process that took many days.
This year, more than 32,500 voters cast mail-in ballots in Baltimore, about 95% of them from Democratic voters. Canvassing began in April and the Baltimore Board of Elections had 11,781 mail-in ballots counted by primary day.
Scott opened up a sizable gap between himself and challenger Sheila Dixon on primary night — about 6,500 votes more than the former mayor. It was enough for The Associated Press to call the race at 11:24 p.m. Tuesday, and Scott declared victory minutes later.
Scott’s lead held Thursday as elections staff got to work counting many of the remaining mail-in ballots. With more than 14,800 new ballots tallied, Scott’s margin expanded to almost 8,900. Of the 79,159 votes counted in the race so far, about 80% were counted by primary night. At least 3,000 mail-in ballots have yet to be counted, and about 6,300 provisional ballots must still be considered.
Dixon conceded the mayoral race Friday.
Roger Hartley, dean of the University of Baltimore’s College of Public Affairs, said the early jump election officials got on ballot counting and the unexpectedly large margins for some candidates contributed to earlier results this cycle.
“It was always going to be a learning curve,” he said of Maryland’s implementation of widespread mail-in voting. “It feels like they’re getting better at it, and they’re going to get better at it each time.”
Hartley said most election watchers did not anticipate the U.S. Senate or mayoral race to be called primary night. But Scott opened a gap that Dixon was unlikely to close. She would have needed to win 60% to 70% of the remaining mail-in ballots, Hartley said.
“With Alsobrooks, it was like, wow, this is really over,” Hartley said. “But if it had been reasonably close, we would still be parked at the Board of Elections waiting for votes to come out.”
Some races, however, will always be too close to call on election night, Hartley cautioned. That was the case with several hotly contested races for the Baltimore City Council. Even after Thursday’s count, several remained undecided. Top candidates for the city’s District 11 in South Baltimore and District 8 in West Baltimore were separated by fewer than 150 votes.
Baltimore’s election board opted to pause ballot counting Friday and through the weekend. The process will resume Monday. Provisional ballots will be considered Wednesday.
The 2024 primary marked the first year that elections officials were able to canvass mail-in votes ahead of Election Day on a nonemergency basis.
In 2020, when mail-in balloting was adopted in large numbers during the pandemic, then-Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order to allow local election boards to count on an emergency basis.
The Maryland General Assembly passed legislation in 2022 to make early canvassing a regular part of the election process beyond the pandemic. Hogan, a Republican, vetoed the bill, but some jurisdictions were able to start counting general election mail-in ballots before Election Day following a court ruling.
The bill was reintroduced and passed in 2023. Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, signed it into law, officially moving the start of the mail-in canvass across the state from two days after an election to up to eight days before the start of early voting.
Several local boards, including those in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Carroll and Harford counties began counting on the earliest possible day allowed under the new law.
As of Friday night, approximately 377,000 mail-in ballots were received of the more than 595,000 sent. Nearly 65% of received ballots have been counted, thus far.
Requests for mail-in ballots during the 2022 election reached over 642,000 — the highest in state history. In an interview with The Sun earlier this month, Jared DeMarinis, Maryland’s elections administrator, said he anticipates requests for the general election in November will break that record.
Maryland
Road condition, traffic congestion in Md. costs drivers thousands, report finds – WTOP News
A new report by the transportation nonprofit TRIPS found the condition of the roads in Maryland’s D.C. suburbs is costing residents over $3,500 annually.
A new report found the condition of the roads in Maryland’s D.C. suburbs is costing residents over $3,500 annually.
This includes increased wear and tear on vehicles as well as depreciation, wasted fuel, wasted time and the cost of traffic accidents.
Rocky Moretti is the director of development and research at TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit. During a news conference Wednesday, he said the average driver in Maryland’s D.C. suburbs is spending an additional 90 hours per year stuck in traffic and wasting an additional 26 gallons of gas.
Statewide, 30% of Maryland roads are in “poor” condition, which Moretti said is significantly higher than the national average. The D.C. suburbs fare somewhat better, with 27% in poor condition, according to TRIP. Another 24% of Maryland’s roads in D.C. suburbs are rated in “mediocre” condition, compared with 21% statewide, the report found.
“I’m sad to say, you know, a lot of that stuff just rings true with me. For a long time, I was a local commissioner back about 20 years ago, in the early 2000s. And we were constantly wrestling with the need to put more money in our traffic infrastructure and just struggling to find the funding for that, as we saw state and federal dollars continue to drop,” said Jim Kercheval, executive director of the greater Hagerstown committee.
The report said the federal transportation program that was last reauthorized in 2021 was a significant boost to Maryland, increasing federal funding for roadways by 29%. Highway construction inflation since that bill was passed, however, has increased 47%. At the same time, the state is seeing decreasing revenues from gas taxes because of electric and more fuel efficient vehicles.
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Ocean City’s 2026 calendar packed with fun events. Here’s the schedule
Ocean City, Maryland, has announced a big event lineup for 2026. Here’s a closer look at what music festival, car shows and more are to come.
The Delmarva Peninsula is no strange to Irish heritage and history.
Now, ahead of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, 2026, here’s a closer look at just how that rich Irish history has shaped Delmarva and one of its most popular resort towns.
Irish immigrants helped shape Maryland infrastructure
The state of Maryland, in particular, has deep historical ties to Irish immigrants.
According to the Delmarva Irish-American Club, thousands of Irish immigrants arrived through the Port of Baltimore seeking refuge amid the Irish Potato Famine during the 1840s and 1850s. Together, the immigrants built railroads, dug canals, and formed tight-knit communities in areas such as Locust Point and Fell’s Point in Baltimore.
Irish immigrants also played a big part in early American infrastructure in Maryland.
Throughout the 19th century, countless Irish immigrants helped construct portions of the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad, the oldest railroad ever to be built in the United States. Even Delmarva Irish-American Club Vice President John R. O’Brien’s great grandfather was a stone mason on the second half of the Washington Monument.
In what ways does Ocean City celebrate Irish culture?
Ocean City, Maryland’s first ever St. Patrick’s Day Parade took place in 1980. Since then, the parade and accompanying festival have grown into one of the Eastern Shore’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Following the influx of Irish immigration during the 1840s and 1850s, many individuals of Irish descent began to settle throughout Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region. Now, that heritage is reflected in local organizations, churches, music traditions and community-wide events such as Ocean City’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
This year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026. The procession will begin at noon at 57th Street on Coastal Highway, marching south to the 45th Street Shopping Center.
How can people honor their Irish heritage at home?
There are many ways people of all ages can honor their Irish heritage and history alongside friends and family at home.
A few Irish-centered activities include:
- Listening to traditional Irish folk music
- Baking Irish soda bread or stew
- Learning about family genealogy
- Reading Irish literature and mythology
- Sharing Irish stories and folklore with children
- Decorating with Celtic symbols and shamrocks
Fun Irish phrases such as “Sláinte” (meaning cheers or good health), “Céad míle fáilte” (meaning a hundred thousand welcomes), and the Irish blessing “May the road rise to meet you,” can also be incorporated into daily vocabulary.
What is the Delmarva Irish-American Club?
The Delmarva Irish-American Club was founded in 1980 by a small group of friends with the vision of celebrating the Feast Day of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, with a grand parade.
The club’s first membership drive resulted in 75 members. Today, there are nearly 300. The club is open to anyone who is Irish, of Irish descent, or likes all things Irish, Delmarva Now previously reported.
The Delmarva Irish-American Club — a 501(c)(3) social organization — is an all-volunteer, local charity that works year-round to celebrate and preserve Irish history and culture on the Eastern Shore.
“Our goal is to celebrate Irish heritage and share those traditions with the broader community while keeping them alive for the next generation,” Vice President John R. O’Brien shared.
The club is largely responsible for the Ocean City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and also supports Irish music, dance and cultural events throughout the year. To learn more, visit www.delmarvairish.org.
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.
Parents who’ve lost their children to fentanyl overdoses went to Annapolis, Maryland Tuesday in search of accountability.
They want a new law that would hold drug dealers accountable when someone dies from an overdose. Their efforts have met strong opposition in the past, so this year, lawmakers are making changes.
Isis Flores held photos of her 16-year-old son, Yader, who died from a fentanyl overdose.
The Montgomery County mom pleaded with lawmakers to pass legislation that would hold drug dealers accountable when someone dies from an overdose.
“A mother who lost a child in 2022 to this horrible drug,” she said. “This is something horrible and that a child passed through — my son was one of them.”
Scott Broadfoot Sr. spoke through tears about his 21-year-old son, Scottie, who also died from an overdose. While prosecutors say there was a suspect in his son’s death, the person could not be charged under current Maryland law.
“Losing Scottie is a devastation unlike any other,” Broadfoot said. “The pain that follows, his passing, is something our family carries every day.”
These families are supporting a bill that would make distribution of heroin or fentanyl causing serious bodily injury or death a felony in Maryland. Supporters say it’s needed to hold people accountable for overdose deaths.
“We can’t bring these brothers, sisters, moms, dads back,” said Maryland Del. Chris Tomlinson, who represents Carroll and Frederick Counties. “But we can take this small step to keep this poison off the streets and hold drug dealers accountable for selling a lethal product that results in death of those we cherish the most.”
This is the third year in a row this legislation has been introduced, but because of the opposition, supporters have made changes. They’re hoping those changes will make a difference in getting it passed this year.
Among the concerns from opponents is the bill could punish those struggling with addiction who need help and treatment they won’t get through the prison system.
The biggest change supporters made to the bill is that a suspect must have a prior drug manufacturing or distribution conviction in order to face this new felony charge.
Supporters say dozens of other states already have similar laws.
“It is time that House Bill 1386, that this bill be passed so Maryland can join the vast majority of jurisdictions that already see the dangers of fentanyl and already have drug-induced homicide laws” said Stuart Welch with the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office.
In previous years, the bill has not come up for a vote. Supporters say they’ll keep coming back until the bill passes.
“How many lives must we lose?” Broadfoot said.
The maximum sentence for anyone convicted under this new law – if it passes – would be 20 years in prison.
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