Early Voting

Long lines that caused voters in Maryland and several other states to wait hours at polling places on Election Day are prompting a push for new laws to speed the process of casting a ballot. Lawmakers in Congress and the Maryland General Assembly say they are considering a broad range of ideas, such as increasing the number of early voting centers available in high-population jurisdictions and offering federal grants to states that find ways to streamline the voting process. Maryland election officials are investigating complaints about wait times in the Nov. 6 election, including reports that some people waited for hours despite lower-than-expected turnout.

Anyone driving north on Honeygo Boulevard in White Marsh one week ago Friday in midafternoon might have been surprised at the slow crawl of traffic. So many vehicles were turning into Honeygo Run Regional Park that the right lane was set aside for them, and in the parking lot cars filled every no-parking zone and every patch of grass that could be occupied. More patient souls simply circled, waiting for a regular space to open. It wasn't the boy's high school soccer playoff game that caused such a mess (although Perry Hall's overtime victory over Dulaney turned out to be a thriller)

It has become obvious that early voting has become a hit in Maryland. Over 430,000 residents - 11.7 percent of eligible voters - chose to exercise their right to participate is this very important component of the American election process ("Voting resumes at record pace," Nov. 1). Hopefully, more Marylanders will be encouraged to participate as the kinks in the system are worked out, particularly the need for more early voting centers. I also found it somewhat irksome that The Sun waited until early voting was completed to publish its presidential endorsement.

With a highly charged presidential election and several closely fought questions on the ballot, nearly twice as many Marylanders voted early this year than in 2010. And with long lines and waits at several early voting centers, lawmakers are talking about opening more in 2014. At the close of the polls Friday night, 430,573 Marylanders - 11.65 percent of eligible voters - had cast ballots through five days of early voting. That was nearly double the six-day standard of 219,601 set in the gubernatorial election of 2010, the state's first experience with early voting.

Turnout remained strong Friday during the final day of early voting, with more long lines and waits at several centers. By 10 p.m., 425,565 Marylanders - more than 12 percent of eligible voters - had cast their ballots during early voting. That far exceeded the six-day standard of 219,601 set during the gubernatorial election of 2010, the state's first experience with early voting. Turnout Thursday was the strongest yet, with 97,750 casting their ballots.  Eying the lines, at least one state lawmaker said he would file legislation to expand the number of early voting centers for future elections.

Hurricane Sandy notwithstanding, it took Marylanders less than three days to establish a new record for early voting turnout. Somewhere in Maryland on Wednesday evening, the state's 219,802nd voter cast his or her ballot to push turnout past the mark set over six days in 2010, according to figures released Thursday by the State Board of Elections. By the time the polls closed at 9 p.m. Wednesday, 225,618 voters had cast ballots at one of the state's 46 early voting centers.

While some Marylanders cope with flooding and others wait for the lights to come back on, elections officials said polls everywhere should be ready in time for Election Day. In Somerset County, where 85 percent of homes lost power, dozens of roads were shut down and hundreds of residents were displaced by Sandy, election director Joanna Emely said "we're on schedule" for the vote Tuesday. Poll workers reopened the Eastern Shore county's early-voting center in Princess Anne on Wednesday morning, and officials planned to deliver voting machines to Somerset's 15 Election Day polling places Friday "We had two days out of the office, but we're fine now," Emely said.

During recent election cycles, the turnout of early voters at Carroll County's only early-voting polling place, the Westminster Senior Activities Center on Stoner Avenue, was at times so light that the campaign volunteers and poll workers easily outnumbered voters. Not so this time around. At around 11 a.m., on Oct. 31, the parking lot at the center was nearly full, and spaces were at such a premium that motorists entering often had to wait for someone else to leave to get a space.

The opportunity to vote in a highly charged presidential election and on several closely contested ballot questions drew Marylanders back to the polls Wednesday, keeping the state's early voting turnout on a record pace. After a two-day break for Hurricane Sandy, polling places reopened to crowds that in some locations approached weekend levels, with waits of up to an hour and a half. "I want to give the president another vote," Beatrice Greene said as she stood in a 45-minute line at the Public Safety Training Facility on Northern Parkway in Northwest Baltimore.

Early voting will resume Wednesday, Oct. 31 in Howard County for three days with extended hours. Gov. Martin O'Malley canceled early voting Monday and Tuesday because of Hurricane Sandy, but added another day on Friday. The three Howard County locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., adding three hours each day from the original schedule. The Howard County locations are: The Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia; Ellicott City Senior Center, 9401 Frederick Road, Ellicott City; Ridgely's Run Community Center, 8400 Mission Road, Jessup.