Harford Ballots Posted for September 14 Primary Election

The Harford County Board of Elections posted the Primary Election ballots for each polling place this week, allowing voters to see what their ballots will look like in advance and hopefully eliminating any voting booth surprises on Election Day.

The ballots are listed alphabetically by polling location and party affiliation (Democratic, Republican, Unaffiliated) on the Harford County Board of Elections web site: http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/Elections/Primary/

The ballots are fairly straightforward, with the average Democratic ballot running 3 pages in length, while the average Republican ballot is 5 pages long. The ballot for unaffiliated voters consists of only one question – the nonpartisan race between for District’s Board of Education representative.

The Republican ballot is so long primarily because of the highly-contested Republican Central Committee race, whicn runs two pages long, features 37 candidates, and comes with the instructions, “Vote For No More Than Twelve.”

The Board of Elections also offers the following Election Day reminders:

REMINDERS FOR ELECTION DAY

– Maryland Election Law allows only registered voters affiliated with the Democratic or Republican political parties to vote in the Gubernatorial Primary Election, which will be held on Tuesday, September 14, 2010.

– All registered voters may vote in the Gubernatorial General Election, which will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, regardless of political affiliation.

– Registered voters are assigned to a polling place, based on their residential address. The name and address of a voter’s polling place can be found on their Voter Registration Card. Call the Election Office if you need to verify your polling place.

– For voters in a wheelchair or voters who prefer to be seated, an alternative touch screen or voting booth is available. Tell the Election Judge if you wish to use this unit.

– For voters who are vision-impaired, an alternative audio or magnified ballot are available on the touch screen or paper ballot. Tell the Election Judge if you wish to use these features.

– Ballot questions and write-in voting are offered in the General Election only.

– Notify the Election Office if your address or name changes or inform the Election Judge when you go to the polling place so your voter registration record may be updated.

– To avoid delays or long lines at the polling place, vote between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. or call the Election Office for an absentee ballot.