This article was republished with permission from 海角社区app’s news partners at .聽Sign up for today.
This content was republished with permission from 海角社区app鈥檚 news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for聽听迟辞诲补测.
Kelley Howells, a Republican member of the State Board of Elections, is resigning effective on Jan. 1, officials announced Friday.
Board Chair Michael C. Cogan (R) announced Howells鈥� resignation on Friday at a Board of Elections meeting. Howells, a Prince George鈥檚 County resident, was not present during the meeting. She had been on the board since 2015.
Cogan read a statement from Howells, in which she commended other board members and election staff for their work, but did not give a reason for her resignation.
鈥淧lease know that I鈥檓 fine,鈥� Howells鈥� statement read. 鈥淚鈥檓 a lucky person who has all the important blessings in life.鈥�
鈥淚 am sorry to see her leave the board,鈥� Cogan said. 鈥淚 have valued her as a colleague.鈥�
Howells鈥� term was set to expire in 2023. It will be up to Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) to pick her replacement.
Board members lauded election staff for what they described as a successful and well-run November election during the meeting. More than 3 million Marylanders voted in the election, totaling a roughly 74.5% turnout, according to a report by Deputy Election Administrator Nikki Charlson.
About half of those voters used mail-in ballots, with a majority turning them in at drop-off boxes around the state.
Board Vice Chairman Patrick J. Hogan called the election an 鈥渦nmitigated success鈥� 鈥� possibly referencing an August letter Gov. Hogan sent election officials that described the June primary as an 鈥渦nmitigated disaster.鈥�
The two Hogans are not related.
Charlson said a massive campaign to convince voters to use mail-in ballots and to vote early seemed to be a success, with more voters turning out during early voting than on Election Day.
鈥淚t does seem as if our messaging changed voters鈥� behavior,鈥� Charlson said.
While some advocates have said that the unprecedented use of mail-in ballots could lead to permanent changes in the state, Cogan said he thinks the high turnout for early and Election Day voting shows that Marylanders are still keen to vote in-person.
