Race For Baltimore Mayor: Ballot Issues Cause Vote Counting Delays As City Awaits Results
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Results from Tuesday's election in Maryland could be delayed until next week due to misprinted ballots.
Election officials began the process of transferring votes to new ballots Thursday since the old ones weren't scannable and couldn't be counted.
The issue only affected District 1, but all citywide results will be delayed because of it.
While some are calling for the state's longtime elections administrator, Linda Lamone to resign, Governor Larry Hogan reminded the public, the board is independent and lacks accountability. Hogan called on the state elections board to prepare a report to him and other state officials by July 3.
On Twitter, Comptroller Peter Franchot wrote Baltimore's election-related issues are "voter disenfranchisement through gross administrative incompetence and citywide irregularities."
"It's time for both the state elections chief (Linda Lamone) and Baltimore election director (Armstead Jones) to resign," he added.
In an interview with WJZ, Franchot said the issues were unacceptable in a democracy.
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"This is stuff out of banana republics in third world countries and authoritarian countries where the people ultimately lose confidence in their leaders," he said.
Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen joined seven of the state's eight U.S. House members in calling for the review of Tuesday's primary, which was held mostly by mail due to safety concerns with the coronavirus.
There were a limited number of in-person voting centers that had long lines in some areas. The lawmakers, all Democrats, also noted that the primary took place amid nationwide protests against police brutality and racial inequality.
"The primary election in Maryland on Tuesday was conducted under extraordinary circumstances that required timing changes and significant adjustments to voting methods," the lawmakers said in a statement. "Under this pressure, it is clear there have been a number of breakdowns in the process."
