Changes announced for fall elections

Changes announced for fall elections

PANDEMIC - A LOT OF PEOPLEPLAN TO VOTE BY MAIL THISYEAR.

BUT ALL SUMMER, THERE'SBEEN*DELAYS IN MAIL DELIVERY,HERE IN OUR AREA AND AROUNDTHE COUNTRY.

THE STATE BOARDOF ELECTIONS WANTS TO MAKESURE YOUR VOTE IS COUNTED,WITH THE ELECTION NOW LESSTHAN THREE MONTHS AWAY -WMAR-2 NEWS ERIN MACPHERSONHAS MORE DETAILS ON HOW THEYPLAN TO DO THAT..

SHE'S LIVEOUTSIDE THE MAIN POST OFFICEIN BALTIMORE CITY..

GOODMORNIN ERIN!THEY PLAN ON ADDING MOREBALLOT DROP BOXES AND THEYPLAN TO START COUNTING THOSEBALLOTS EARLIER - ACTUALLY THEEARLIEST START DATE IN THENATION.

THESE ARE JUST ACOUPLE OF THE MEASURES BEINGTAKEN TO HELP RIGHT NOW -SINCE ABOUT HALF OFMARYLANDERS ARE EXPECTED TOVOTE USING MAIL IN BALLOTS -PEOPLE JUST NOT WANTING TODEAL WITH THE HASSLE GOING OUTOR RISKING EXPOSURE TO THECORONAVIRUS.

150 BALLOT DROPBOXES ARE BEING ADDED ACROSSTHE STATE -- THAT BRINGS THETOTAL OF DROPS OFF BOXES TO270.

THEY'LL DEPLOY HALF THEWEEK OF SEPTEMBER 28-TH ANDTHE REST WILL GO UP AS THEVENDOR IS ABLE TO DELIVERTHEM.

BALLOTS IN MARYLAND WILLSTART BEING COUNTED ON OCTOBERFIRST TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS.*BUT ALL OF THE COUNTING WILLBE EMBARGOED UNTIL ELECTIONNIGHT - NOVEMBER 3 - WHEN THEIN PERSON CENTERS CLOSE AT 8PM.

SO FAR ELECTION OFFICIALSSAY MORE THAN 262 THOUSANDMARYLAND RESIDENTS HAVEREQUESTED MAIL IN BALLOTS.

"noballots have been mailed yet.we know that voters are veryanxious to receive theirballots and we're very anxiousto deliver them but we nee tofollow the very deliberateprocess of preparing andapproving the ballots."[:16]THEY'RE ON TRACK TO STARTINGPRINTING THE MAIL IN BALLOTSON SEPTMEBER THIRD AND MAILTHEM OUT IN MID TO LATESEPTEMBER.

IF YOU CHOOSE NOTTO VOTE BY MAIL - AND WANT TOVOTE IN PERSON - YOU'REENCOURAGED TO USE EARLY VOTING- WHICH HAS BEEN EXTENDED FROMOCTOBER 26 UNTIL NOVEMBERSECOND, THE DAY BEFOREELECTION DAY.

LIVE - EMAC.SO IT WILL BE UP TO THE BOARDOF ELECTIONS IN EACH COU