Oppose HB 153, HB 274; HB 57
House Ways and Means list is below. If they don’t hear from us, they don’t think we care or are watching.
As your constituent, I am requesting that you OPPOSE all three of these bills, which do nothing to further election integrity, but rather do more to make voters question whether their vote really counts in the state of Maryland. As you know, everyone of you swore to uphold your oath of office, which includes Article 1, Section 7 of the Maryland State Constitution which provides: “(T)hat the General Assembly shall pass Laws necessary for the preservation of the purity of Elections.’ I hope that you are mindful of that oath as you consider these election bills.
HB 153 and HB 274 would require that every registered voter automatically receive a ballot by mail. Can you say with assurance that voter lists are maintained and accurate as is required by Section 8 of the “Motor Voter” law? Just over a year and a half ago, Judicial Watch filed suit against the state of Maryland for the Maryland Voter list in Montgomery County, which noted, that there ‘was an impossibly high registration rate – over 100 percent of its age-eligible citizenry.’ That was just one county. As a constituent, I would like to know what legislation you are introducing or requiring to ensure the accuracy of the voting rolls? What safeguards are you putting in place?
To that end, the mass mailing of ballots lends itself to the very real possibility of ‘harvesting ballots.” As recently as October 1st , just before the general election, the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections released a statement reporting unlawful ballot harvesting taking place in the state of Maryland. This is not the only time concerns have been raised. This does more to undermine AND disenfranchise the voters.
HB 57, allows mail-in ballots to be postmarked the day after the election. Election results posted the following morning would allow a candidate to know exactly how many votes they need to change the result of the election and have time to get them postmarked and counted, after the close of the polls. We have early voting; register to vote the day of voting; election day. There is absolutely not need for this legislation. This legislation does nothing but undermines the election process. Why is this okay?
I would hope that the committee would be concerned enough about election integrity to oppose all three of these bills.