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Baltimore County elections staff set ballot-box and early-voting sites for 2026; board approves Victory Villa box
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Summary
The Baltimore County Board of Elections approved a revised ballot-box plan that restores a box at Victory Villa and adopted 11 early-voting centers for the 2026 primary. The board also directed staff to request a state waiver for polling-place deadlines while redistricting is finalized.
Baltimore County’s elections staff presented a revised plan for ballot boxes and early-voting sites and the board approved the changes during a Dec. special meeting.
Director Lavoie told the board the county would expand its ballot-box network from 35 locations in 2024 to 38 in 2026, and that a proposed Middle River site would be replaced with a box at Victory Villa. "We are still above 93% for our county" in the five-mile reach buffers, Lavoie said, and staff had prepared buffer maps to show voter coverage.
The changes were approved after a brief motion and second; one board member, Al, said, "I'm voting no," while the remainder voted in favor and the motion passed.
Why it matters: the board must balance voter access, site logistics and equipment constraints as redistricting alters district lines and increases the number of ballot styles. Lavoie said staff expect to finish prework this week and to complete data entry into the statewide voter registration system by mid-December, with voter-notification mailings to follow in January.
On early voting, Lavoie recommended using 11 centers—the minimum required by Maryland law—rather than adding a 12th site this cycle because the county lacks enough voting-system equipment. "We can't add that 12th center ... it is a plan for 2028," he said. The 11 recommended centers include Towson University, Reisterstown Senior Center, Maryland State Fairgrounds and Victory Villa Community Center; staff also recommended alternates (Owings Mills Library on the west side and Stenbridge Community Center on the east) to satisfy the state’s alternate-site requirement.
Board members moved and passed the motion to accept the 11 early-voting centers and the alternates by voice/hand raise.
Lavoie also asked the board to formally direct staff to request a waiver from the state’s seven-month polling-place deadline because redistricting has delayed the county’s ability to finalize election-day polling places. The board moved, seconded and approved directing staff to request the waiver; Lavoie said he expects to present a polling-place plan for public comment at the January meeting.
The meeting concluded with the board voting to enter closed session at 12:45 to discuss personnel matters including Lavoie’s evaluation; Lavoie requested to remain for part of that closed session.
Votes at a glance: the transcript records three formal motions the board approved in open session during the special meeting: (1) accept the ballot-box list with Victory Villa replacing Middle River (motion passed; Al recorded as voting no); (2) accept 11 early-voting centers and the named alternates (motion passed); (3) direct staff to request a state waiver for the polling-place deadline (motion passed). The transcript does not provide a complete roll-call tally for every board member on each vote beyond the specific votes noted above.
What’s next: staff will finish data entry into the voter-registration system, mail voter notifications after redistricting is entered, and return to the board with a polling-place proposal and public-comment opportunity in January.
