County?s absentee, provisional voters follow trends of total results

Absentee and provisional voters tend to follow the trend of the general voting population, experts said, and the primary election results in Howard County bear that out in many races.

“They almost precisely mirror the rest of the votes,” said Michael Ertel, the supervisor of elections for Seminole County, Fla., adding that this trend tends to be nationwide.

“In general, there isn?t too much variation” between the primary voters and those casting absentee and provisional ballots, said Joseph Marbach, professor of political science at Seton Hall University in New Jersey.

For example, Council Member Ken Ulman, D-District 4, took 77.65 percent, 72.46 percent and 74.32 percent of the absentee 1 and 2 and provisional voters, respectively, in the Democratic race for county executive.

In the primary, more than 78 percent voted for Ulman, according to the Howard County Board of Election.

Absentee ballots are counted in two groups, with the first group representing those with county addresses and the second group those in the military or living overseas.

Some contested county races saw differences in absentee and provisional votes, but the races weren?t close enough for the numbers to tip the scales.

For example, in the U.S. Senate race, Democratic candidate Ben Cardin took 68.38 percent, 63.86 percent and 44.63 percent of the absentee 1 and 2 and provisional voters, respectively.

On primary day, 58.24 percent of voters chose Cardin.

Absentee voters tend to be in the military or business community who are traveling, Marbach said.

Provisional voters are those who were unable to cast a vote at the polls, usually because of an incorrect address or the wrong polling place, Ertel said.

More politicians are beginning to push for more absentee ballots, since it tends to be a guaranteed vote, experts said. If a person requests a ballot, he or she is more likely to vote and mail it in.

“You can just put it in the mailbox, as opposed to going to the polls where other factors come into play,” Marbach said.

HOWARD COUNTY RESULTS

The figures, based on a count of the absentee and provisional ballots, include only the highest vote-getters in the main contested and controversial races in the primary election.

Absentee 1

» State Senator

Total Republican ballots: 72

Schrader, S. : 72

ABSENTEE 2

» State Senator 13

Total Republican ballots: 31

Schrader, S.: 31

» County Executive

Total Democrat ballots: 69

Ulman, K.: 50

County Council

» District 2

Total Democrat ballots: 11

Ball, C.: 6

Total Republican ballots: 14

Ellrich, G.: 8

» District 4

Total Democrat ballots: 24

Sigaty, M.: 18

PROVISIONAL

» State Senator 13

Total Republican ballots: 52

Schrader, S.: 52

County Council

» District 2

Total Democrat ballots: 120

Ball, C.: 88

Total Republican ballots: 33

Ellrich, G.: 22

» District 4

Total Democrat ballots: 86

Sigaty, M.: 53

Source: Howard County Board of Elections

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