City of Glenarden to proceed with May 5 election after two election-board resignations; council debates notice and mail ballots

The City of Glenarden will proceed with its municipal election on May 5 and make candidate packets available the next business day, City Attorney Karpinski told the council at an emergency meeting called to discuss the election timetable.

The council convened the emergency session after two members of the Board of Supervisors of Elections resigned. City officials instructed staff to publish candidate materials and coordinate with the board and county election officials so ballots and absentee voting can be prepared on an accelerated schedule.

Karpinski, the city attorney, said the governor's earlier executive order that had allowed municipalities flexibility on election dates has expired and “the charter sets the date of the election,” so the city’s “best plan moving forward is to proceed as if the election will ... occur on May 5,” with packets available “tomorrow, first thing in the morning.” He outlined a proposed schedule: packets available immediately, packets due April 7 by 5:00 p.m., and absentee ballots to be available…