SUN: Maryland early voting up 58% over 2022 midterm elections

MARYLAND (WBFF) — More than 600,000 Marylanders voted early in this year’s midterm elections — about 58% more than during the state’s last midterms in 2022, according to a Baltimore Sun analysis of Maryland State Board of Elections data.

The strong early turnout comes as voters decide races that will shape how Maryland addresses affordability concerns and a projected $2.5 billion budget shortfall. Political analysts agreed economic anxiety has fueled voter engagement, though they offered different explanations for why turnout surged compared with 2022.

“People just wanted to make sure they got their votes in, and because they were having doubts about the validity of the system,” Matthew Crenson, professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins University, said, arguing that concerns about election interference may have encouraged some voters to cast ballots early.

Thursday was the busiest of the eight-day voting period, with about 124,100 voters casting ballots. Prince George’s County recorded the highest turnout on the last day of early voting, with nearly 22,000 voters, while Somerset County had the lowest, with just 292.

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