Early Voting Begins
For Maryland voters itching to fulfill their civic duty, early voting runs from Oct. 24 through Oct. 31.
Voters can place early ballots until next Thursday by visiting any early voting sites in their county, with a list provided at elections.maryland.gov from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vote by mail ballots, which were sent out weeks ago, can be returned to dropboxes or mailed directly to the Board of Elections.
In addition to the close presidential election, Maryland’s marquee race is between Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and former Gov. Larry Hogan (R), both vying for a Senate seat that could determine which political party has control of Congress’ upper chamber in 2025.
The Maryland Senate race has received eyes and headlines from across the nation, and Alsobrooks has maintained double-digit leads in polls conducted since early September.
Ads are now running on primetime TV calling Alsobrooks a “tax cheat” for improperly claiming a senior tax credit on her grandparents’ former home, while prior reporting on Hogan’s troubling real estate conflicts of interest have also garnered additional attention as the race nears its end.
“Gov. Hogan adhered to a legally-binding Trust Agreement, approved by the independent State Ethics Commission, that prohibited his participation in any matters related to his business,” said Hogan spokesman Michael Ricci.
Alsobrooks has publicly apologized and during the debate between the two candidates, she said she is planning to soon pay off the remainder she owes.
There are several other races to be decided, including Board of Education races, statewide ballot questions, and the close election in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District between former Department of Commerce appointee April Delaney and former Del. Neil Parrott (R). The majority of Maryland’s eight congressional races are fairly non-competitive in the general election.
This is the first election that the Maryland Democratic Party has openly supported Board of Education candidates in voter outreach efforts, aiming to defeat candidates supported by organizations such as Moms of Liberty in at least eight different counties.
“I think this is something new for Maryland. We haven’t had extremist school board candidates like this in the past,” said Maryland Democratic Party First Vice Chair Charlene Dukes, who was also the first woman to serve as president of Prince George’s Community College. “Individuals now, who are really articulating far right rhetoric and wanting to control the curriculum in schools, they promote dangerous policies like book bans and targeting marginalized students.”
The Prince George’s Early Vote locations are below.
- Bowie Gymnasium, 4100 Northview Drive Bowie 20716
- College Park Community Center, 5051 Pierce Avenue College Park 20740
- Kentland Community Center, 2413 Pinebrook Avenue Hyattsville 20785
- Laurel – Beltsville Senior Activity Center, 7120 Contee Road Laurel 20707
- Life Covenant Christian Ministries 15522 Livingston Road Accokeek 20607
- Rollingcrest-Chillum Community Center 6120 Sargent Road Chillum 20782
- Southern Area Aquatic and Recreation Complex 13601 Missouri Avenue Brandywine 20613
- Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex 7007 Bock Road Fort Washington 20744
- Suitland Community Park School Center 5600 Regency Lane Forestville 20747
- Upper Marlboro Community Center 5400 Marlboro Race Track Road Upper Marlboro 20772
- Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Complex 8001 Sheriff Road Landover 20785
A list of Early Voting locations across the state is available here.
County Council Advances Minimum Wage, Considers Consequences for Loose Shopping Carts
The Prince George’s County Council heard several bills last week, with some advancing and future hearings planned, and others stuck in committee.
The council advanced a bill introduced by Councilmember Tom Dernoga (D- District 1) to keep the County’s minimum wage tied to the cost of living, raising the hourly wage by roughly $.50. Another bill introduced by Dernoga to limit noise pollution in residential areas advanced and will be heard by the full Council later this session.
Councilmembers Wanika Fisher (D- District 2) and Krystal Oriadha (D- District 7) introduced a bill, first heard on Oct. 15, that would require businesses that are open between midnight and 4 a.m. to make a safety plan that they send to the Prince George’s County Police Department for approval. This is not the first of its kind in Maryland, as businesses in Montgomery County that are open from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. are currently required to make a safety plan.
Fisher also introduced a bill to corral shopping carts across the county after she noticed a shopping cart in her yard and several constituents also complained about carts far outside of shopping areas. The Shopping Cart Control Bill would require anti-theft measures and labeling of carts for businesses with more than 20 carts. This bill was advanced out of committee and will be heard by the full council later this session.
The two bills to alter the special election timeline were both heard and held in committee. It t is unlikely that either bill will pass as emergency legislation requires eight votes and both Councilmembers Calvin Hawkins (D-At-Large) and Jolene Ivey (D-District 5) recused themselves during the committee vote as they are contemplating candidacy for the county executive position if it becomes vacant.
Senators Cardin, Van Hollen, Congressman Ivey Deliver Funds for Laurel Programs
On Oct. 8 Maryland Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) delivered over $1.1 million for Laurel residents.
The funding includes $300,000 to renovate the Boys and Girls Club of Laurel’s clubhouse and $850,000 to stabilize, protect, and restore the Dam Ruins at Laurel’s Riverfront Park, revamping the observation deck, improving drainage to control erosion, and repairing signage around the dam.
“Investing in our communities begins with raising the quality of life for residents,” said Ivey.
Laurel Mayor Keith Sydnor, who was on hand for the ceremony at City Hall, was thrilled at the work of the congressional delegation and offered thanks on behalf of Laurel residents, who will greatly benefit from the projects.
“Creating a beautiful, safe and environmentally friendly park space in the ruins of a dam along the Patuxent River gives people of Laurel and beyond a look into its storied history as a mill town and its future with the walkable Riverfront Park,” Ivey explained about the project to restore the Dam Ruins at Laurel’s Riverfront Park.
He also weighed in on the importance of restoring the Boys and Girls Club to sow into youth and the future of Laurel and the nation.
“Keeping kids safe and promoting their wellbeing is a down payment on our leaders of tomorrow. Keeping one of the oldest boys and girls clubs in the region thriving gives a glimpse of that future,” Ivey said. “With the leadership of Maryland’s federal delegation bringing these grant monies, Laurel’s future is as bright as ever.”
Adrian Rousseau, president of the Laurel Boys and Girls Club, explained how the funding will help the young people who come in and out of the center.
“This federal funding will enable us to make some of the critical renovations to our center and continue providing the care and services that impact the lives of our community’s children every day,” said Rousseau. “We are so thankful for the continued support and leadership by Senator Van Hollen, Senator Cardin, and Congressman Ivey.”