More News

With early voting a success, Prince George's election officials say Tuesday's Election Day should go smoothly.

Donna Duncan, election management director for the Maryland State Board of Elections, said Tuesday she is unaware of any computer glitches or problems.

"I believe all is going well," Duncan said.

As of Monday evening, 5,800 Prince George's County residents had voted early, Duncan said. More than 33,000 people across the state have participated in early voting. Those numbers do not include absentee ballots.

Election Day is Tuesday, but voters were allowed to vote early for the primary election for the first time in Maryland.

Early voting was approved in a referendum in 2008, and except for Sunday, the polling locations were scheduled to be open through today to make the process more convenient for voters.

There are five locations where any registered county voter may vote: College Park Community Center at 5051 Pierce Ave., the Prince George's Sports & Learning Center at 8001 Sheriff Road in Landover; the Bowie Library at 15210 Annapolis Road; the Upper Marlboro Community Center at 5400 Marlboro Race Track Road and the Oxon Hill Library at 6200 Oxon Hill Road.

At the Bowie Library, Jacqueline Dantzler, 46, of Bowie said Friday she decided to vote early because it is convenient.

"I thought the crowds would be a little less — if you have your mind made up, you don't have the pressure of waiting on voting day," Dantzler said.

Bowie resident Jean Cleary, 69, said she decided to vote early because of her recent hip surgery.

"I can't stand in lines, [and] I already decided. It just made sense to do it," Cleary said.

Daneen Banks, deputy elections administrator at the Prince George's County Board of Elections, said the first day of voting was going smoothly and said 659 people had voted in the first hour polls were open. That number increased by tenfold by noon on Tuesday.

Supporters of early voting say it will be easier for people who are unable to devote time on Election Day to stop by the locations between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. this week instead of voting by absentee, which requires requesting a ballot from the local board of elections, filling it out and mailing it back.

Around noon Friday, the Prince George's Sports & Learning Center was buzzing with voters, most of whom were senior citizens and candidates.

Mitchellville resident Dorothy Jackson, 76, said she voted early because she "wanted to get it over with. There is a lesser crowd than on Election Day."

Mary Johnson, 64, of Clinton also voted at the Landover center to avoid congestion.

"I was hoping to avoid some of the mad rush and because I'm retired," Johnson said. "[With early voting] you don't have that rush-rush atmosphere, and you get it over with. You get to meet and greet some of the folk running."

During early voting, residents are able to select whichever polling site they prefer to cast their ballots. During the primary election Sept. 14 and general election Nov. 2, voters are assigned to voting locations.

In Prince George's County, where there are more than 400,000 registered Democrats and few races are contested by members of other political parties, the primary election is likely to decide multiple races, including county executive and County Council.

Campaigners for many candidates provided voters with literature and sample ballots Fridays.

"Hopefully it'll convince some people who are undecided," said Joseph Calabrese, a volunteer for Sheriff Michael A. Jackson, a candidate for county executive.

Having an additional six days of poll work presents unique challenges for candidates this year, who have only had to staff election sites for one day of voting in the past. County executive candidate Rushern L. Baker III sent an e-mail to supporters Sept. 2 asking volunteers to stand outside the five voting locations this week to make "personal contact" with voters.

Gazette reporter Liz Skalski contributed to this report.

dvalentine@gazette.net

eskalski@gazette.net