Attention Maryland voters: the Maryland Constitution currently does not allow voting before election day. It also only permits absentee voting only for "qualified voters ... who are absent at the time of any election ... and for voting by other qualified voters who are unable to vote personally ..." So even if the state legislature wanted to authorize early voting or allow absentee voting just because it's more convenient, the Constitution prohibits it.
Question 1 will amend the Maryland Constitution to allow the state legislature to pass such legislation.
Please vote "Yes" on Question 1 to make it easier for you and your fellow Marylanders to vote in the future!
Here's a link to the Maryland State Board of Elections' website about the 2008 ballot questions.
Here are some excerpts from the non-technical summary of the ballot question provided by the Board of Elections:
The Maryland Constitution currently authorizes the enactment of legislation to
provide for absentee voting only by "qualified voters ... who are absent at the time of any
election ... and for voting by other qualified voters who are unable to vote personally
...." (Art. I, § 3). This constitutional amendment would expressly authorize the enactment
of legislation to allow a qualified voter who chooses - for whatever reason - to vote by
absentee ballot.
The Maryland Constitution also currently designates the Tuesday after the first
Monday in November as the calendar date for general elections (See, e.g., Art. II, § 2;
Art. XV, § 7; Art. XVII, § 2; et al) and specifies that a qualified voter is entitled to vote
" ... in the ward or election district in which ... [the voter] resides ...." (Art. I, § 1).
This constitutional amendment would expressly authorize the enactment of new
legislation to allow qualified voters: (1) to vote early on no more than 10 other days
during the two weeks immediately preceding an election; and (2) to vote at polling places
in or outside voters’ election districts or wards.