By Ally Lanasa, Staff Writer

(June 11, 2020) Mayor Gee Williams and the Town Council amended the ordinance for absentee voting in Berlin on Monday, to allow for voters who may be reluctant to venture out in public because of the still-present coronavirus.

Previously, absentee voting was permitted for “any qualified voter who may be unavoidably absent from the town or who is otherwise prevented from being physically present to vote in person at the polls on the day of any municipal election may vote by absentee ballot.”

Under the amendment, however, voters will not have to provide a reason for their absentee ballot requests, said Deputy Town Administrator Mary Bohlen.

Mary Bohlen

“We have not required a reason on our application for the last several election cycles, but we just need to get the town code to accurately reflect the state law and our practice,” Bohlen said.

By removing part of the language from the statement to now read “any qualified voter may vote by absentee ballot,” the town is promoting a more accessible practice for all voters, especially in the aftermath of covid-19.

“I think that’s a trend that’s happening everywhere, and we certainly want to encourage people to vote by any means that is most convenient for them,” said the mayor.

The following provisions for absentee voting remain unchanged:

The Board of Supervisors of Elections provides the printed application forms for the request of absentee ballots.

Applications for absentee ballots may be submitted not more than 30 days and not after the closure of business on the Friday before a regular or special election.

For the Oct. 6 Berlin Municipal Election, the last day to apply for an absentee ballot is Oct. 2.

The chairperson of the Board of Supervisors of Elections or the chairperson’s authorized designee will approve the applications.

After an application has been approved, an absentee ballot will be mailed to the Berlin voter.

If there are less than five days before the election, the voter will have to receive the ballot in person at the town office, up to and including one hour prior to the polls closing on election day.

An authorized agent may receive an absentee ballot for a voter who is unable to pick up the ballot in person if the agent presents a valid application and a written authorization signed by the voter.

Voters must pay the postage to return the absentee ballot.

Only those absentee ballots that are returned to the Board of Supervisors of Elections or the town office before the polls close will be counted in the election.

In addition, if an absentee ballot includes a vote for a person who is not a valid candidate in the election, it will not be counted for that candidate. However, such vote will not invalidate the rest of the ballot.

For more information, visit berlinmd.gov.