An Anne Arundel County Circuit Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit from a group of unaffiliated voters who argued that Maryland’s closed primary elections violate their voting rights. The ruling relies on long-standing case law that gives political parties the authority to decide who may vote in their primaries. According to Maryland Matters, Judge Pamela Alban issued the decision last week. She wrote that Maryland’s Constitution protects the right to vote in state elections, but…

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…