Maryland Election Protection Releases Report and Calls for Reform

by Jonah Goldman

As members of the Maryland General Assembly and the new administration of Gov. Martin O'Malley prepare to consider changes to the state's election system, the Maryland Election Protection Coalition is releasing a report on the problems experienced by Maryland voters during the November 2006 statewide election cycle. The Coalition's goal is to further dialogue with elected leaders to ensure that our voting system benefits from important reforms before the next election cycle.

The report is based on hundreds of complaints from Maryland voters received by Election Protection, the nation' largest non-partisan voter protection coalition, which operates a national hotline on and before Election Day to guide voters through the voting process.

"The obstacles encountered last year by Maryland voters ­ from long lines to deceptive practices highlight the critical need for immediate election reform," said Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

The report was drafted by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, with valued assistance from the NAACP, People for the American Way Foundation, ACLU of Maryland, the Maryland Disability Law Center, the League of Women Voters of Maryland, and the many other members of the Maryland Election Protection Coalition.

Read the report here.