New Voting System for 2016 Elections

County Executive Jan Gardner will introduce Frederick County’s new voting system for 2016 at her weekly public information briefing at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 14, in the first floor hearing room of Winchester Hall, 12 East Church Street, Frederick, Maryland. The briefing will be broadcast live on FCG-TV (cable channel 19) and webcast at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/video.

The new statewide system was mandated by the General Assembly in legislation passed in 2007. Maryland’s new voting system produces a voter-verifiable paper record – a “paper trail” – of each voter’s selections.

During Early Voting, all voters will use an ExpressVote ballot marking device similar to the touchscreen machines Marylanders have used to vote for a decade. The paper ballot that is produced is cast on a precinct scanner.

On Election Day, most Maryland voters will mark pre-printed paper ballots by hand, while some voters, including those with disabilities, may use an ExpressVote ballot marking device to mark and print their ballot. The number of ExpressVote ballot marking devices available at each polling place on Election Day will be limited. All paper ballots are cast on a precinct scanner.

Public demonstrations of the new voting system will occur at a number of Frederick County Public Libraries, where voters can get a “hands-on” experience. These include:

• C. Burr Artz Public Library Community Room, January 15, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
• Brunswick Public Library, January 26, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
• Urbana Regional Public Library Community Room, February 19, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Thurmont Regional Public Library Small Meeting Room, February 24, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Registered voters in Frederick County will again be allowed to vote early before the 2016 Primary. This year, Early Voting occurs from April 14 through April 21, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. each day. There are three Early Voting locations in Frederick County, and voters can use any of the three centers to cast their vote.

The first Early Voting Center will be set up in the Frederick County Department of Aging/Senior Center, located at 1440 Taney Avenue, Frederick, Maryland. (Early voting operations will not disrupt regularly scheduled events at the Senior Center, but seniors will be encouraged to sign up in advance for certain activities.)

The second Early Voting Center will be set up at the Thurmont Regional Library, located at 76 East Moser Road, Thurmont, Maryland.

The third Early Voting Center will be set up at the Urbana Regional Library, located at 9020
Amelung Street, Frederick, Maryland.

The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, April 26, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Early Voters cannot cast an absentee ballot or vote on Election Day.

Registered voters who arrive at any Early Voting Center will check in and vote their ballot on the ExpressVote ballot marking device. The Early Voting Centers will not be open for voting on the Primary Election Day. On those days, voters must vote at the polling place for the address where they live.

For more information, call the Board of Elections at 301-600-VOTE (8683) or visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/elections and click on the “New Voting System” link.