Baltimore primary results decertified

The Maryland Board of Elections has ordered Baltimore City’s board to rescind its certification of the primary election results.

There have been reports about problems with the election since it happened more than two weeks ago.  But the final results were certified on Monday.  Then this week officials found 80 more provisional ballots; they wouldn't say where.

“It has been brought to our attention that there have been some uncanvassed votes, of provisional ballots that have been found,” said Eleanor Wang, the president of the Board of Elections of Baltimore City.

When the city’s board told the state’s board what they'd found, the order came back -- de-certify the results, go back, and try to figure it out.

“The state board of elections had directed is to de-certify. And we fully agree,” Wang said.

In addition to the newly-discovered votes, state officials -- including state elections administrator Linda Lamone -- want to know why at many polling places in the city, there were more ballots cast than the number of people who checked in.

“If you look at what Linda Lamone said and the state board said is that we have way too many voters that checked in or way too many voters that actually voted. They don't match up,” said Hassan Giordano, part of the group Voters Organized for the Integrity of City Elections.

Members of the group say that shows -- at least -- negligence by election judges.

“What's important is that they're looking into it. Because we're going to have more elections in Baltimore City. And if these problems are not dealt with, if they're not addressed they're going to re-occur,” said another member, local attorney J. Wyndal Gordon.

Elections officials will only be comparing their voting lists with the ballots they received.
At this point, no votes will be re-counted.

“We started that process this morning, and it continues through tomorrow. And we are confident that once it's done, once all the paperwork is put on the table that we will be fine,” said Armstead Jones, the city’s elections director

The advocates who met outside the Board of Elections say they have many other concerns -- including that some people may have been turned away, and didn't get a chance to vote.

They're calling for a City Council hearing where Jones could be questioned about the primary in public by council members.

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