State of Maryland Will Deliver Absentee Ballots to Voters by Internet
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Beginning with the upcoming gubernatorial primary election in September, voters in Maryland will have a new convenient method of voting available to them.
(Media-Newswire.com) - COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Beginning with the upcoming gubernatorial primary election in September, voters in Maryland will have a new convenient method of voting available to them.
The On Demand Ballot System, developed by the Center for American Politics and Citizenship( CAPC ) in partnership with the Maryland State Board of Elections, is a revolutionary system that will allow voters to print their official absentee ballot and mailing label from the internet.
The On Demand Ballot Project has the potential to drastically lower the costs that some voters face in casting their ballot, including college students away from home, members of the armed forces, and overseas voters. These voters cannot vote in person, may not know what address they will be at on election day, and until now have had to wait for the postal system to deliver their absentee ballot, which can pose problems for overseas voters. By getting their ballot from the internet, voters no longer have to worry where their ballot should be mailed to or how long it will take to arrive.
"Voting is the most important form of participation available to citizens in a democracy," said CAPC Director Paul Herrnson. "I'm glad that we were able to develop the On-Demand Ballot System. It has the potential to increase voter turnout and satisfaction among those citizens that face the biggest hurdles when trying to cast a vote."
To better inform Maryland voters serving our country in the military or living overseas, CAPC has also partnered with the Overseas Vote Foundation ( OVF ) to promote the availability of the new technology for the upcoming 2010 elections.
The On Demand Ballot System is part of the Maryland Elections Center, a website run by CAPC that provides Marylanders with their voter registration information, directions to their polling place, a database of Maryland campaign finance information, and in-depth reports on campaign finance. Voters who have applied for electronic delivery of their absentee ballot will be notified by the State Board of Elections, beginning in August, that they can download their ballot online.
CAPC, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research institution at the University of Maryland, provides research and expertise on campaign finance, elections, and voting. Visit www.capc.umd.edu for more information on CAPC and some of its other projects.
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