A sheriff in Maryland has told a county election board that it might not be complying with the state's law because of when it comes to election judges. Writing to the Talbot County Board of Elections, Sheriff Joseph J. Gamble said residents had complained about the number of Democratic judges (62) compared to (50).
"Complaints received highlight a clear disparity among one party over another and in this current instance, registered Republican voters are not being equally represented," Sheriff Gamble wrote. He said that this violated Maryland election laws, but local and state officials have denied these claims. "Our election judges check politics at the door, and that the no-electioneering zone around a polling place applies to everyone inside it," State Elections Administrator Jared DeMarinis said in an emailed statement to .
"It is imperative for the integrity of the electoral process and important to stress, election judges operate and are trained to conduct the election in a nonpartisan manner and fashion." also reached out to the Talbot County Board of Elections for comment via email Friday afternoon. Election judges are responsible for administering the voting process in each precinct, with duties including making sure voters are registered and can cast their ballot in a trouble-free environment.
Maryland has often struggled to recruit election judges, who have to undergo training before starting work early on election day, working through polls closing. In Talbot Count.