More than 45,000 ballots have been returned in the Prince George’s Special Primary, and many may not count because two Democratic candidates listed on the ballot are no longer running.
A special election is underway to replace now-U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks, who vacated the seat with more than a year left in the term.
7News’ Brad Bell broke the story that Prince George’s County Council Chair Jolene Ivey was dropping out of the race for County Executive on Feb. 12, 2025. Ivey’s absence leaves the crowded field of candidates at eight Democrats and three Republicans.
On Friday, days before early voting in Prince George’s County began, County Executive candidate Moisette Tonya Sweat held a news conference calling for the county’s Board of Elections to recall the mail-in ballots cast for Jolene Ivey. Sweat called it voter disenfranchisement.
Tonya Sweat calls for ballot recalls in Prince George’s County Special Primary after Jolene Ivey withdraws candidacy.
On Tuesday, 7News received a response from Prince George’s County Elections Administrator Wendy N. Honesty-Bey, which siad, “No voter or citizen of Prince George’s County will be disenfranchised.”
Honesty-Bey told 7News:
There is no ballot recall procedure, nor can a voter cast another ballot once the Board of Elections has already received their ballot. [Our] office has received numerous inquiries regarding the status of submitted ballots casting votes for a candidate who has suspended their campaign prior to the March 4, 2025, Primary Election Day. Please know that the Maryland Law allows for a voter to only cast one ballot. With reference to this Special Primary Election, once the mail in ballot was completed, duly signed, sealed, mailed in, returned to a ballot box, or delivered in person to our office, the ballot has been considered to have been cast. If your ballot has been submitted, please do not request a second ballot as your request will be denied. Additionally, if you already submitted a mail-in ballot but choose to visit a voting center to cast a provisional ballot, it will be reviewed by the board of canvassers to determine if your first ballot was received and canvassed already, and if so, the ballot will not be counted.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Princess Harrell over at WJLA News Channel 7
