Early voting begins in Maryland
The gist
Maryland opened early voting Oct. 22 for its governor's race; turnout ran 67% above 2022.
The split, Democrats up 81% and Republicans 33%, shows each side's motivation.
How it unfolded
- Oct 22, 2026Early voting began in Maryland, with centers open Oct. 22 through Oct. 29, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., including the weekend. Dozens of faith leaders and residents marched to a poll that morning to kick off voting.
- Oct 22, 2026By 4:30 p.m., about 63,000 people had cast a ballot on the first day, based on unofficial numbers.
- Oct 27, 2026Maryland State Board of Elections data showed 309,190 voters had cast ballots through Monday, versus 185,121 after the first five days in 2022 — 67% higher. Democrats' early voting was up 81% over four years ago and Republicans' up 33%, per Jim Burton's analysis.