Annapolis, MD- On June 22, 2018, the State Board of Elections (SBE) learned that some address changes and party changes were not submitted to SBE for processing. Based on information from the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), approximately 18,700 individuals who were impacted updated their voter registration through MVA's website or self-service kiosks between April 22, 2017 and June 5, 2018. The only customers impacted are those that changed their address but did not purchase a driver's license, ID card, vehicle registration or title, or other item. Due to a computer programming error, these transactions were not transferred to SBE.
With the primary election just three days away, the new addresses and party affiliations cannot be added to the lists of voters at each voting location. The provisional voting process, however, is a simple way for an impacted voter to update his or her information, vote in the primary election, and have his or her ballot counted. This process - in use since 2002 - has allowed thousands of voters to update an address, vote the correct ballot, and have that ballot count. Our dedicated poll workers have been thoroughly trained on this process and will be ready to help any affected voter on election day. No eligible voter will be denied the right to vote.
We will send an email to all impacted voters who have an email address on file with MVA (over 17,600 voters), and I encourage any voters who have been impacted to verify their voter registration information using SBE's voter look-up website1. If the website does not show the voter's current address, a voter can use SBE's polling place locator2 to find the correct voting location for the voter's new address. The address shown in the polling place locator is where the voter should vote on election day. The voter will then use the provisional voting process and vote for the correct candidates for federal, State, and local offices.
SBE and MVA worked together to identify the impacted voters and will provide this information to the local election officials. Local election officials will use this information during their review of the provisional ballots and ensure that the provisional ballots cast by these voters are counted. SBE will verify that the address and party changes are processed and monitor the processing of these provisional ballots. SBE and MVA are also working closing together to correct the issue and ensure it does not happen again.
Any affected voters with questions about their registration and what to expect on election day should call the State Board of Elections at 1-800-222-8683 on Monday, June 25th from 8 am to 5 pm and Tuesday, June 26th from 7 am to 8 pm.
1
https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch
2
https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/PollingPlaceSearch
Statement from MDOT MVA Administrator Christine Nizer:
The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) is committed to delivering the highest level of customer service, and we regret that a programming error resulted in updated information not being sent to the State Board of Elections in time for the June 26 primary election. The issue impacted individuals completing a change of address transaction between April 22, 2017, until June 5, 2018, through MDOT MVA’s website or self- service kiosk without purchasing a driver’s license, identification card, vehicle registration, title or other item. Individuals who may be impacted should go the State Board of Elections website, elections.maryland.gov, to verify their voter registration information and, if necessary, determine their correct voting location. MDOT MVA and the State Board of Elections are working closely together to correct this issue and ensure it does not happen again.
