State elections officials brief Ways and Means on 2024 turnout, provisional ballots and procurement plans

State elections officials gave the Ways and Means Committee a post‑election briefing on turnout trends, operational challenges and preparations for the 2026 gubernatorial election. State Administrator Jared Damaris and other State Board of Elections staff spoke about higher mail‑in use since the pandemic, an increase in provisional ballots, ongoing procurements and pilot programs for language access and cybersecurity.

Damaris said that while mail‑in voting remains significantly higher than before the pandemic, it has not replaced in‑person voting. "The vast majority of Marylanders continue to prefer in person voting," Damaris told the committee, noting that roughly 75% of voters cast ballots in person in the 2024 general election and that early voting returned to roughly pre‑pandemic levels in 2024.

The briefing explained why canvass and certification took longer in some counties. "Two factors really help push it beyond the 10th day, which is provisional voting and ballot duplication efforts because those are manual processes," Damaris said. He and other staff described web‑delivered ballots (ballots voters print at home after receiving them electronically) as a secure option that creates manual work for local boards when duplication or partial processing is required.

The…