Washington, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, issued the following statement calling on the Maryland Board of Elections to immediately implement rules allowing election observers from both parties to observe drop box ballots as they are being transported to election headquarters.
Chairman Harris issued this statement in response to recent news reports showing that in Carroll County a restraining order was filed against a Republican election observer as she followed the Carroll County election director and watched the official empty a ballot drop box and then transport those ballots, unaccompanied, in a private vehicle, to the county board of elections headquarters for later counting. .
Statement from Chairman Harris:
“Whenever a ballot is cast, counted, or transported, it is important that election observers from both parties are present to observe the entire process, beginning to end, and report any irregularities. In light of a recent report that in Carroll County, a restraining order was actually filed against a Republican election observer who attempted to watch ballots being transported to the election headquarters, I am calling on the Maryland State Board of elections to immediately implement rules and safeguards to allow observers from both parties to either accompany drop box ballots, or to observe those ballots as they are delivered to the county election headquarters. If the Democrat-controlled State Board of Elections is unable or unwilling to agree to this reasonable request, it will be necessary for Congress to take action to preserve and protect the integrity of drop box ballots in Maryland during federal elections.”