‘Today’s Been An Astronomical Day,’ Elections Chief Says Of Voters Still Lined Up In Calvert County

Maryland’s election results have been delayed as some voters were still waiting in line as of 9:30 p.m., well over an hour since the state’s in-person voting centers closed.

In Calvert County in particular, voters were faced with hours-long wait times after the county’s in-person voting centers closed at 8 p.m. Voters who were in line by the time the voting centers closed are allowed to cast their ballot, per state law.

Gail Hatfield, the longtime election administrator for Calvert County, said she expected voting in the county would wrap up within an hour or so from 9:30 p.m. Hatfield said she’s never seen such a massive turnout in her 34 years with the Calvert County Board of Elections.

“Today’s been an astronomical day for our county,” Hatfield said.

She estimated that turnout in the county could be as high as 85%. Even in a “crazy” past election, voter turnout usually topped out at 72% in Calvert County, Hatfield said.

State election officials don’t plan to post any statewide results until the last voters have cast their ballots and polling centers fully close their doors, according to the State Board of Elections. Hatfield said the lines at most of the county’s voting centers are “winding down.”

Local results are now coming in for local jurisdictions that have completed the voting process. Some voters are still standing in line in other counties, and results will come in for those counties once they’re finished. Thank you! #MDvotes #UnofficialResults #TrustedInfo2020 pic.twitter.com/Gz96ftRcnp

— Maryland Elections (@md_sbe) November 4, 2020

Even once the results are posted, they won’t be final. Local boards of elections will receive mail-in ballots until the morning of Nov. 13, although those ballots needed to be postmarked by Tuesday.

Although the results are delayed, The Associated Press has already declared Democratic candidate Joe Biden as the winner of the state’s presidential election.

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