In-person early voting wraps up with lower turnout, as more Marylanders request mail-in ballots

RANDALLSTOWN, Md. --  More than 160,000 Marylanders cast their Primary Election vote during the in-person early voting period, but turnout is lower compared to 2018.

Thursday was the last day for early in-person voting for the primary.

"What's very unusual in this election is we have over 500,000 people who have asked for mail-in ballots," said Nikki Charlson, deputy administrator of the Maryland State Board of Elections.

Charlson said 222,000 people went to the polls during the in-person early voting period four years ago.

"We'll just have to wait and see if we're seeing a new trend," she said.

On Thursday, campaign signs littered parking lots at early voting sites in Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties.

"I didn't want to wait in the long lines that I knew would be coming, so I said, 'Let's do it today and get it done," said Glen Burnie resident Judy Jedrzejewski.

In Randallstown, Nettie Christian made her selection in person, giving peace of mind.

"I just want it to be in my hand, through the machine and done," she said.

Roger Hartley, dean of the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore, said the high number of mail-in ballots could pose a major problem come election night, since state law prevents officials from counting mail-in ballots until two days after the election.

"We really wont' know full totals at all on election night," he said.

Election officials said it usually takes them about 10 days to finish counting ballots, but this year because of the volume of mail-in ballots, it's possible it could take them even longer. 

Maryland's Primary Election is scheduled for July 19.