Postal Delays Shake Up Mail-In Voting, Annapolis Issues Guidance Before Primary

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Less than a week before the Annapolis primary election, city officials announced that postal delays added an extra wrinkle to mail-in voting.

The city recommended a few changes for certain mail-in voters due to “issues with the U.S. Postal Service.”

Voters who received a requested mail-in ballot are advised to return it to a drop box outside any polling location by the end of Tuesday’s primary. They may also take their completed ballot to their assigned polling location.

If a voter must return their ballot by mail, it is still safe to do so, but dropbox voting ensures the quickest turnaround.

Voters who don’t receive their requested mail-in ballot should vote in person at their assigned polling place on primary election day. These voters may have to vote on a provisional ballot. If election officials don’t receive a voter’s mail-in ballot by the Sept. 23 canvass, the provisional ballot will be counted. If a mail-in ballot is received by then, the provisional ballot will not count.

According to the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections, the USPS has had trouble receiving some, but not all, mail-in ballot request forms. Some completed forms were returned to voters rather than sent to election officials. There were “extreme delays” in sending some completed mail-in ballot request forms from voters to election officials.

There were also delays in sending mail-in ballots to some voters.

“The Anne Arundel County Board of Elections is working closely with postal authorities to resolve these issues,” the city of Annapolis said in a Wednesday press release announcing the news.

Anne Arundel County Elections Director David Garreis told WJZ about 700 to 800 voters were affected.

Garreis told WJZ the Board of Elections didn’t receive any mail-in ballot requests until Sept. 8, and many were held with the USPS for about a month.

"That's a pretty big delay. It's caused us to have to scramble a little to get everything processed," Garreis told WJZ.

Related: Meet The Candidates In Patch's Profiles

Other Election Details

For in-person voting, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at eight polling locations citywide (drop boxes for mail-in ballots are available at each polling location. Mail-in ballots must be placed in the box before 8 p.m. on Primary Election Day):

• Ward 1 – City Hall, 160 Duke of Gloucester St.
• Ward 2 – Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library, 1410 West Street
• Ward 3 – Mt. Olive Community Life Center, 2 Hicks Avenue
• Ward 4 – American Legion Post #141, 1707 Forest Drive
• Ward 5 – Roger “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center, 273 Hilltop Lane
• Ward 6 – Eastport Community Center, 1014 President Street
• Ward 7 – Eastport-Annapolis Neck Library, 269 Hillsmere Drive
• Ward 8 – Eastport Volunteer Fire Hall, 914 Bay Ridge Avenue

Voters Must Go to Their Assigned Polling Place. Voters cannot vote in-person at a polling place outside their ward, except through a Provisional Ballot. (If returning a mail-in ballot, drop it at any secure drop box, but not at another ward’s polling place. It will not be accepted). Due to redistricting, some wards have shifted. Please allow enough time to get to the correct polling location. Not sure? Look it up at the online Ward Map.

Republicans, Independent Voters Don't Have Anybody On Their Ballots

In the 2025 Annapolis Primary Election, only candidates with intraparty contests are included on the Primary Election ballot. All other candidates are considered to have “won” their primary by virtue of not having a competitor.

• There are no Republican candidates who face an intraparty challenger. Republican voters do not need to participate in the Primary Election this year.
• There are no independent or unaffiliated candidates who face challengers. Independent and unaffiliated voters do not need to participate in the Primary Election this year.
• All Democratic voters should vote in the Primary Election due to a contested mayoral race.
  • Democratic candidates in Wards 1, 3, 4, and 6 have contested aldermanic primaries and those names will appear on your ward-specific ballot.
  • Democratic aldermanic candidates in Wards 2, 5, 7, and 8 advance directly to the General Election due to not having an intraparty challenger (but voters in these wards should still vote due to the contested race for mayor).

Election Night Reporting Of Vote Totals

On Primary Election Night, only in-person votes cast on Sept. 16 will be reported. Unofficial results of these votes will be counted at City Hall after polls close at 8 p.m. Poll watchers are welcome to attend and watch the process as election judges report out unofficial Primary Election Day (only) figures.

Canvass And Certification

Beginning on Tuesday, September 23, the Board of Supervisors of Elections will convene to begin the official canvass. These results will include:

• The certification of in-person Primary Election Day votes
• The counting and certification of ballots from secure drop boxes
• The counting and certification of verified provisional ballots
• The counting and certification of mail-in ballots received to date

By law, mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days (including ballots from military and overseas voters) will be counted as part of the official vote total.

The official canvass will conclude with the certification of results at the conclusion of the count. This is expected to take approximately one to two days. Certified results will determine party nominees who advance to the General Election, which will take place on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

Elections Hotline: Voters who have trouble on Primary Election Day can call the Elections Hotline at 410-263-7929.

For additional information about the election, including voter registration deadlines and polling locations, please visit https://www.annapolis.gov/2125/2025-Elections-Information.