The Caroline County Board of Elections voted Friday to accept the county's 2026 election plan and directed staff to submit the plan and supporting documentation to the Maryland State Board of Elections for approval.

The plan, presented by Allison (Election Director), keeps the county's polling-place network unchanged from 2022 and 2024 and lists each precinct's polling location and suitability for voting, including ADA compliance. It designates two early voting centers'the meeting room at the Health and Public Services Building and the General James S. Frederick Community Center at 107 South Fourth Street in Denton'and identifies three ballot drop-box sites: Goldsboro Fire Hall (north), the Health and Public Services Building (central), and the Federalsburg municipal parking lot (south).

Board members said the locations mirror those used in prior statewide cycles and that the county is deploying additional drop boxes to northern and southern ends of the county rather than relying solely on a central location. Allison told the board that the maps provided by the State Board of Elections, which show voter density, minority-population concentrations and turnout patterns, supported the decisions on drop boxes and early voting center siting.

The plan also outlines outreach and voter information steps: mailing a specimen (sample) ballot to eligible voters that lists the voter's assigned polling place and sample ballot, placing election information and tri-folds in public libraries and town offices, using social media, and training voter registration distributors who can staff registration drives. Allison said the office coordinated voter registration drives at Colonel Richardson High School and North Carolina High School during National Voter Education Week and worked with school guidance counselors to schedule the events.

The board voted to accept the plan by voice vote. Suzanne (Board member) moved to accept the plan and Angel (Board member) seconded; members responded in the affirmative to indicate approval. Allison said she will submit the full repository of required documentation to the State Board of Elections, as required by recent state legislation.

Why it matters: State law now requires counties to submit an election plan for approval at least seven months before each statewide primary; the plan is intended to document polling-place choice, drop-box placement and early voting arrangements and to show how the county will work to maximize participation. The board's vote moves Caroline County's plan to the state review stage rather than making final state-level determinations locally.

Less critical details: The plan references statutory requirements and shows comparisons back to 2022 as the baseline year for polling-place continuity. Allison said the county will continue to post polling-place information on outdoor signs where available and to share information with towns and libraries. There were no public comments at the meeting.