Washington County Commissioners to Decide Fate of Fourth Early Voting Site

The Washington County Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the approval of a fourth early voting site for the upcoming election cycle during their November 18th meeting. This decision comes after the county’s Board of Elections selected the Election Center on Virginia Avenue as an optional fourth location, a move that requires the Commissioners’ endorsement. The vote was previously tabled at the Commissioners’ November 4th meeting, with a request for the Board of Elections to either reconsider its initial three site selections or provide further justification for their choices.

For counties with registered voter populations between 100,000 and 200,000, state election law mandates a minimum of three early voting centers. Washington County falls into this category and has identified the Fletcher Branch of the Washington County Free Library in Hagerstown, the Boonsboro American Legion, and the Clear Spring American Legion as its three required locations. The selection of an additional, optional fourth site, the Washington County Election Center, is now before the County Commissioners. The Washington County Election Center is only three miles away from the Washington County Free Library.

This particular site selection has drawn attention due to broader disputes over early voting site locations that led to legal challenges in the state for the 2024 election cycle, where advocates clashed over a Hancock early voting site versus the Library in Hagerstown, creating two voting sites in Hagerstown but none in the western part of the county. During that election, 3,799 voters during the primary, and 25,012 voters during the general election used early voting. Voters could choose the Washington County Election Center, Smithsburg Library, or Boonsboro American Legion. Most voters used the Washington County Election Center for early voting, and statistics for voter usage of those sites is available on the Washington County Board of Elections.

The potential fiscal impact of this fourth early voting site has been addressed, as the estimated total cost of $50,000 was already incorporated into the approved fiscal year 2026 budget. The ultimate decision by the County Commissioners is expected on November 18th.

The establishment of early voting sites in Maryland is governed by state law and regulations that emphasize factors such as accessibility for historically disenfranchised communities, proximity to dense voter concentrations, public transportation access, equitable geographic distribution, and the utilization of community gathering places. These guidelines aim to maximize voter participation and ensure convenient access to voting options.

Article by Ken Buckler, based upon information from the Washington County Commissioners Agenda Report Form.

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