Â鶹´«Ã½

The breakdown by party was 62 Democratic judges, 50 Republican judges and 11 unaffiliated judges in September, according to Election Director Tammy Stafford. Local officials have indicated at meetings that the number of judges for each party may now be closer to equal, but this has not been confirmed by the Board of Elections.

Election officials have said the makeup is “fluid� and will change up until Election Day. During Wednesday’s meeting, Stafford said “judges are always needed� and that her office “continuously� accepts interest forms.

According to Sept. 18 meeting minutes read aloud Wednesday, staffing for the election began in June of 2023. Training for those who filled out interest forms began in early 2024.

In the last month, concerns have circulated regarding a party imbalance of election judges, or those who staff polling places on Election Day.

Local officials, including Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble and Talbot County Council Member Dave Stepp, have cited that the board is not in compliance with state law.

Maryland election code states “each polling place shall have an equal number of election judges� from “the majority party� and “the principal minority party.�

State election law permits judges not affiliated with either party for precincts with six or more judges, as well as “one or more election judges who are minors.� The number of unaffiliated judges “may not exceed the lesser of� the majority or minority party, law states.

These concerns led to a flurry of responses from state agencies emphasizing the security of the electoral process. In an Oct. 2 statement responding to a letter sent by Gamble to the Talbot Board of Elections, State Board of Elections Administrator Jared DeMarinis said voters should feel “confident� in the state’s election security and “compliance with the law.�

Attorney General Anthony Brown weighed in as well, writing a letter to Gamble on Oct. 7.

“Even at the individual polling place level, while all local boards make best efforts to achieve exact party balance, this is not always possible for reasons outside the local board’s control, including the number of judges from each party who volunteer,� Brown wrote.

Stafford stated at the Sept. 18 meeting that the training for election judges can no longer be done after Oct. 8 since the room used for training is also used for canvassing.

During Wednesday’s public comment, Gary Judy, a member of the Talbot County Republican Central Committee, said he’s heard from Republicans who applied to be an election judge but were not told there are no vacancies for this year’s general election. He said the fact that the board did not achieve exact party balance is “extremely alarming to Talbot County voters.�

“We decided to keep close track on it this year,� Judy said, “and can confirm that there were more than enough Republicans who signed up to be election judges to fill the available Republican positions of the equal representation required by Maryland election law.�

On Wednesday, Judy provided board members with copies of a letter written by the Maryland Republican Party addressing election judge concerns in Talbot County. Adam Wood, executive director of the Maryland Republican Party, later told the Star Democrat that the letter was a “draft� letter and had not been sent to the state board.

Shari Wilcoxon, also a member of the Republican central committee, spoke during public comment, asking the board to ensure “parity� of election judges.

“I think that it is an actual embarrassment that this board is allowing the executive director free rein to break the law,� Wilcoxon said. “It is your duty to hold her feet to the fire, and that she does what is Maryland law.�

Wilcoxon questioned why election judge applications were denied in February and March.

“February and March had to do with the primary,� Stafford responded. “Let’s be specific here. That was the primary. Those were the first people who were contacted for the general (election).�

This led to tense back-and-forth between Wilcoxon and Stafford.

Board President Susan MacKinnon stepped in, asking Wilcoxon to stop speaking.

“You have had the opportunity to speak, you are now being disruptive,� MacKinnon said to Wilcoxon. “You are being disruptive, and if you continue being disruptive, I will call a recess and have you removed.�

Wednesday’s meeting was the board’s last regularly scheduled meeting before the election Nov. 5. During Stafford’s report to the board, she said “logic and accuracy testing on the electronic equipment was completed� on Sept. 16. The Board of Elections will have its logic and accuracy testing documentation available for public inspection Friday at 10 a.m. at 215 Bay Street in Easton.