City of Baltimore - File #: 16-0305R

• File #: 16-0305R
• Version: 0
• Name: Investigative Hearing - April 2016 Election Problems
• Type: City Council Resolution
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 6/6/2016
• In control: Judiciary and Legislative Investigations
• Final action: 10/24/2016
• Title: Investigative Hearing - April 2016 Election Problems FOR the purpose of reviewing with the Maryland State and Baltimore City Boards of Elections the problems which impeded the Baltimore City Primary Election of April 26, 2016, to identify specific problems and request the City and State to develop a plan of specific steps to ensure a fair and efficient Baltimore City General Election on November 8, 2016.
• Sponsors: Mary Pat Clarke, Robert Curran, Brandon M. Scott, Eric T. Costello, Sharon Green Middleton, Helen L. Holton, Bill Henry, Carl Stokes, Rochelle Spector, President Young, James B. Kraft, Warren Branch, William "Pete" Welch, Edward Reisinger
• Indexes: April 2016 Election Problems, Investigative Hearing

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/24/2016	0	City Council	Adopted
10/24/2016	0	Judiciary and Legislative Investigations	Recommended Favorably
10/19/2016	0	Judiciary and Legislative Investigations	Recommended Favorably	Pass
7/18/2016	0	Judiciary and Legislative Investigations	Scheduled for a Public Hearing
6/9/2016	0	The City Council	Refer to Board of Elections
6/6/2016	0	City Council	Assigned
6/6/2016	0	City Council	Introduced

* 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: Councilmembers Clarke and Curran



A RESOLUTION ENTITLED

A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Investigative Hearing - April 2016 Election Problems
FOR the purpose of reviewing with the Maryland State and Baltimore City Boards of Elections the problems which impeded the Baltimore City Primary Election of April 26, 2016, to identify specific problems and request the City and State to develop a plan of specific steps to ensure a fair and efficient Baltimore City General Election on November 8, 2016.
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Recitals

The right to vote is at the heart of our nation?s democratic system. When voting is compromised, whether through fraud or error, the system itself is at risk and must demonstrate exceptional efforts and document specific remedies and their implementation to restore confidence of future efficient and secure accounting for each and every vote validly cast.


In the Primary election of Tuesday, April 26, 2016 many polls failed to open on time for the lack of election judges. Lines formed before the 7am opening, doors remained closed, many voters had to leave and may never have voted.

When latearriving judges did appear, the day?s experience demonstrated a lack of practical training among many new and even experienced judges, all faced with new paper ballots, new protocols for recording them, and a rash of somehow inaccurate party affiliation records for longtime voters.

To cope, voting precincts defau...