Ehrlich pushing paper absentee ballots

Governor says it’s a safer alternative, but his suggestion gets mixed reviews from elections officials, lawmakers

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006

by Alan Brody

Staff Writer

Seeking to restore confidence in an election system beset by problems, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is suggesting that voters cast paper absentee ballots in November — a recommendation that was met with mixed reviews from local elections officials and lawmakers.

‘‘I just think it would put an additional strain on local elections officials,” said Frederick County Board of Elections Director Stuart Harvey. ‘‘If we change things again this close to the November election, what I’m concerned about ... is I don’t want anything to confuse the voters at this point.”

Critics said an influx of absentee ballots would be costly and delay results in close races. Additional staffers might need to be hired, and more optical scan machines, which tally absentee votes, might be needed, they said.

But aides to the governor said absentee ballots are the most sensible way of allaying fears over the problems with the electronic voting system that plagued the Sept. 12 primary.

‘‘When you consider the long lines at the polls, the malfunctioning electronic poll books and the questionable performance of the voting machines itself, the governor is receptive to the idea of absentee ballots as an option,” said Henry P. Fawell, an Ehrlich aide.

Absentee ballots are tabulated the Thursday following an election, meaning close races may be undecided for days.

‘‘The governor is more interested in an accurate election than a quick one,” Fawell said, adding that Ehrlich is prepared to offer additional money to avoid a repeat of primary election snafus.

In Montgomery County, where polls opened hours late because elections officials forgot to deliver voter access cards needed to operate the touch-screen voting machines, officials seemed open to Ehrlich’s recommendation.

‘‘Of the three suggestions that I’ve heard in the last couple of days, this would be the easiest to implement, simply because it’s a process that’s already in place,” said Marjorie Roher, the board’s spokeswoman.

At least one Democratic lawmaker said encouraging more absentee ballots is a sound policy.

‘‘We know we can get it done, and we know we can get it done right,” said Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Dist. 16) of Bethesda.

But Frosh, one of Ehrlich’s strongest critics, said the governor is trying to capitalize politically on the Sept. 12 polling failures. ‘‘He has mouthed every conceivable half-truth about the electoral process to date, and this is the only proposal he has made that is in any way constructive,” he said.

Frosh pointed out that Ehrlich vetoed a bill in 2005 that would have made it easier for voters to cast absentee ballots. ‘‘This is a 180-degree reversal for him.”

Political observers said Ehrlich’s move is a political ploy.

‘‘I think he’s preying upon the fears of people that when you vote electronically, maybe your vote isn’t counted,” said Zach Messitte, director of the Center for the Study of Democracy at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

The problems with the primary election demand a review of the entire elections process, Messitte said ‘‘Whoever is the next governor, if they’re serious about election reform, they’re going to have to pony up some cash,” he said.

But there is not enough time to change the system before Nov. 7. ‘‘It’s too late to try to rejigger the system again in this time period,” Messitte said.