By Aria Brent
AFRO Staff Writer
abrent@afro.com
With Election Day quickly approaching, hundreds of thousands of Marylanders took time to vote ahead of Nov. 5.
Early voting took place between Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, with 994,663 people submitting their ballots, according to information released Nov. 2 by the Maryland State Board of Elections. That number represented roughly 23 percent of the 4.2 million residents actively registered to vote.
The AFRO caught up with members of the community who voted before Election Day to discuss the importance of voting, why they voted early and what’s most important to them during this election.
“I work a lot of jobs and I didn’t want to miss this. I wanted to get it out of the way. That’s important for me and for the country,” said Aparitio Warner, standing outside of Mt. Pleasant Ministries, an East Baltimore church that acted as a voting center for the general election.
In Maryland, early voting has been a part of the election process since 2010, offering an alternative to the chaos of traditional Election Day voting.
One major advantage of early voting is accessibility. For Maryland residents who work irregular hours, have caretaking responsibilities or other obligations, early voting provides the opportunity to participate without worrying about scheduling conflicts.
While some people voted early out of convenience, others came out with a deep understanding of all that is on the line during this election. Noting that their vote is bigger than them and it can affect generations to come.
“It’s very important [to vote] because I want my great grandkids to have the same values that I had coming up: a right to their own bodies, a right to do what they have to do in order to grow,” said Orretta West, a retired cook from East Baltimore.
West was extremely transparent about who she’s supporting in this year’s election, sharing that she believes Kamala Harris and women in general will lead this country to success.
“Yes, I am voting for Kamala Harris because she’s a woman and women are going to save this country. That’s what it’s all about– trust and believe me. It’s about women.”
Gov. Wes Moore’s chief of staff, Fagan Harris, also spoke with the AFRO while early voting at the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Southeast Anchor Branch. Harris expressed how happy he was to see people take part in the election.
“I’m excited to see such a long line here for early voting. I’m excited that Marylanders are getting out their vote making sure their voice is heard,” he said. “The stakes couldn’t be higher in this election, they couldn’t be more important.
Harris was joined at the early voting center in Southeast Baltimore by the two leading ladies in his life, his daughter and his wife, Meryam Bouadjemi.
“I’m voting today with my newborn daughter,” he said. “We’re excited for her to be here as we elect the first woman president of the United States.”
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