At this year’s MACo Winter Conference, county election officials will focus on the growing strain facing local election systems as Maryland heads into the 2026 cycle.
Counties run Maryland’s elections. Local boards of elections recruit, train, and manage election judges. They secure ballot storage. They operate early voting sites and polling places. They carry out the day-to-day work that keeps the process credible and accessible for residents.
That work grows harder every year.
Local directors face tight hiring pools, new procedural requirements, longer ballots, and more public scrutiny. Technology demands continue to climb as counties manage new voting equipment, cybersecurity expectations, and system upgrades. Recruitment challenges linger as jurisdictions work to build reliable teams for both early voting and Election Day.
Election officials also face a sharp rise in misinformation and increased pressure on front-line staff. These dynamics create more operational risk and force counties to rethink training, communication, and workflow management.
At this year’s MACo Winter Conference, an expert panel will discuss these pressures and outline what counties need to prepare for the 2026 cycle.
Panelists will share updates on judge recruitment, ballot administration, cybersecurity expectations, and cooperative work across State and local partners. The discussion will highlight modern election operations, emerging threats, and practical steps to maintain confidence and stability amid growing workloads. Attendees will leave with a clearer picture of the challenges ahead and the support systems needed to manage them.
MACo Winter Conference Session: Elections at Work — Local Leadership, Modern Challenges
County election offices continue to adapt to new demands, new tools, and new expectations from the public. This session examines the operational realities facing local election administrators and the cooperative efforts needed to run safe, secure, and efficient elections in 2026. Panelists will walk through current trends, workload pressures, and the practical planning that supports Maryland’s election system.
Speakers:
- Jared DeMarinis, State Administrator, Maryland State Board of Elections
- Ruie Lavoie, Election Director, Baltimore County Board of Elections (inv)
- Alysoun McLaughlin, Director, Election Resilience Lab, Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement, University of Maryland
Moderator: The Honorable Cheryl Kagan, Maryland State Senate
Date/Time: Wednesday, December 10, 2025; 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
MACo’s Winter Conference, “Local Leadership, Lasting Impact: Shaping What’s Next,” will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Hotel in Cambridge, MD, on December 10–12, 2025.
Learn more about MACo’s Winter Conference:
- Attendee Registration Guide – PLEASE READ! (new registration system)
- Attendee Brochure (with full schedule)
- Exhibitor Registration Guide – PLEASE READ! (new registration system)
- 2024 Winter Conference Photos (see what it’s like!)
- Questions? Contact Virginia White
