Baltimore City Council
File #: 22-0121R    Version: 0 Name: Informational Hearing - 2022 Primary Election Irregularities
Type: City Council Resolution Status: Failed - End of Term
File created: 7/25/2022 In control: Rules and Legislative Oversight
On agenda: Final action: 12/4/2024
Enactment #:
Title: Informational Hearing - 2022 Primary Election Irregularities For the purpose of inviting the Director of the Baltimore City Board of Elections and the Director of the State Board of Elections to come before the Council to detail the cause of voting irregularities during the 2022 primary election, potential impacts these irregularities had on election results, and solutions to ensure that such errors do not happen again.
Sponsors: Odette Ramos, Kristerfer Burnett, Zeke Cohen, Phylicia Porter
Indexes: Informational Hearing, Irregularities, Primary Election
Attachments: 1. 22-0121R~1st Reader, 2. 22-0121R- Law, 3. Patricia Rubacky - 22-0121R, 4. Joseline Martin - 22-0121R, 5. Laurie Feinberg Testimony - 22-0121R, 6. Elections 22-0121R, 7. Baltimore City_Ramos_Redistricting Process 09132022, 8. SBE Letter on Election Hearing, 9. BC BOE letter on Election Hearing, 10. 22-0121R Elections hearing Ramos testimony 10.22

* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.

The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.

                     

                     Introductory*

 

                     City of Baltimore

                     Council Bill                R

                     (Resolution)

                                                                                                                                                           

Introduced by: Councilmember Ramos

                                                                                                                                                           

 

 

                     A Resolution Entitled

 

A Council Resolution concerning

title

Informational Hearing - 2022 Primary Election Irregularities

For the purpose of inviting the Director of the Baltimore City Board of Elections and the Director of the State Board of Elections to come before the Council to detail the cause of voting irregularities during the 2022 primary election, potential impacts these irregularities had on election results, and solutions to ensure that such errors do not happen again.                      

body

 

Recitals

 

Voting is the pinnacle of our democracy. Voting during the 2022 primary election yielded the next Governor of Maryland, Comptroller, Attorney General, Baltimore City State’s Attorney, and numerous delegates and senators who represent our communities.

 

Early voting and voting by mail have been very popular options that have substantially increased voter turnout in Baltimore City and allowed for voting to be much easier for residents with diverse schedules and circumstances.

 

During the 2 weeks before election day and on election day, voters experienced errors including:

 

  • Receiving the correct mail-in ballot when they requested it, only to be told it was the incorrect ballot, and then the 2nd ballot being incorrect, causing a 3rd ballot to be mailed;
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  • Receiving new voter cards with incorrect information on them, causing voters to be confused as to which polling place they should attend;
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  • Being provided an incorrect ballot at the polls and then having to vote using a provisional ballot because the voter’s district was incorrect in the pollbooks;
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  • Receiving no sample ballot or the incorrect sample ballot;
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  • Certain voters who received an incorrect mail-in ballot went to polling places to vote, causing the voter to have to vote by provisional ballot as the system indicated the voter had already received a ballot; and
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  • Being turned away at a polling place due to errors in the poll books.

 

Voting should be easy and the voters of Baltimore should be able to trust the City’s election system.

 

 

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That the Baltimore City Council invites the Director of the Baltimore City Board of Elections and the Director of the State Board of Elections to come before the Council to detail the cause of voting irregularities during the 2022 primary election, potential impacts these irregularities had on election results, and solutions to ensure that such errors do not happen again.

 

 

And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Director of the Baltimore City Board of Elections, the Director of the State Board of Elections, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.