Saturday, March 31, 2012

CD6: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Goes Nuclear // LISTEN: 911 Emergency Calls from Sen. David Brinkley & His Ex-Wife

UPDATE #2: This is just getting bizarre. Maryland Juice just received the following email message from a reader and confirmed that the 911 videos have in fact been re-posted at a new link. Below, we have replaced the YouTube links with functioning copies.
I just went to go watch the videos and it said they were removed by user. So I searched google to see if anyone else had uploaded them and found them re-uploaded with this message attached:

****THIS ACCOUNT WAS HACKED AND WE HAD TO RE-UPLOAD THE VIDEOS! NICE TRY SEN. BRINKLEY! YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED IN PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM SEEING WHO YOU ARE. HACKING OUR ACCOUNT AND SALLIE TAYLOR'S IS JUST SHOWING PEOPLE WHO AND WHAT YOU ARE! ****

UPDATE: The YouTube videos containing the Brinkley 911 calls have been removed! The video links below no longer function. Instead the image below appears:


ROSCOE BARTLETT FANS DROP NUKES ON SEN. BRINKLEY: Maryland Juice just received the following nuclear bombs in the race for the CD6 Republican nomination on April 3rd. Earlier today we reported that challenger State Senator David Brinkley had released internal poll numbers showing him locked in a dead heat with the incumbent Rep. Roscoe Bartlett. Now Bartlett supporters have released three attacks on Sen. Brinkley. The videos come with the following message:
Please Visit: www.bartlettforcongress.org

More about Brinkley here: http://behindthebluewall.blogspot.com/2008/06/md-senator-brinkly-no-arrest-no-charges.html

Remember who Brinkley REALLY is on April 3, 2012!

Vote for Roscoe Bartlett!

The first two clips below are actual 911 audio tapes from calls made by David Brinkley and his former wife. Previous news coverage of the event indicates that a physical altercation occurred and police were called to the scene. The dust-up arose as Sen. Brinkley was caught in an affair with his staffer. The two 911 clips in the pro-Bartlett effort are rounded out with what sounds like a 60-second radio spot attacking Sen. Brinkley's record.


911 Call from Sen. David Brinkley's Ex-Wife



CD6: State Sen. David Brinkley Releases Internal Poll Showing Dead Heat with Rep. Roscoe Bartlett for Republican Primary

UPDATE: At least one rival GOP campaign in CD6 is alleging that Brinkley's poll was a head-to-head poll between Roscoe Bartlett and David Brinkley. They claim that one of their supporters was polled and states that the poll didn't ask voters about the other candidates in the race.

Maryland Juice just received a press release touting internal poll numbers from State Senator David Brinkley's campaign for the 6th Congressional District. Sen. Brinkley is running for the Republican nomination against incumbent Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, and his survey results show him in a dead-heat with only a few days left in the race.

CD6 DIRECT MAIL: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Calls State Sen. David Brinkley Obama's "New Best Friend" // SIGN OF WEAKNESS?

Maryland Juice just received a copy of a new direct mail piece that Rep. Roscoe Bartlett is sending voters in the 6th Congressional District. The attack ad calls GOP State Senator David Brinkley "Obama's new best friend in Maryland" and claims he is a Republican in name-only. The mail piece also criticizes Senator Brinkley for voting for Democrat Mike Miller as the Maryland Senate President.

A SIGN OF WEAKNESS FROM ROSCOE BARTLETT? - This piece seems very defensive coming out only days before the April 3rd Republican Primary. Thus far, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett did not seem to have a single candidate to take on, rather a gang of GOP challengers has been attacking him throughout the primary. In the closing days of the race, this makes it seem like the Bartlett camp is most concerned about Sen. David Brinkley.

See Roscoe Bartlett's attack ad below, along with a response from the Brinkley campaign:

CD6: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Sends Direct Mail Attacking State Sen. David Brinkley


Read the following press release response to the attack ad from Sen. David Brinkley's campaign. Brinkley suggests that Roscoe Bartlett might be better off working at Burger King with rival candidate Del. Kathy Afzali.

CD6: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Launches Robocall Featuring Endorsement from Controversial Congressman Paul Ryan

Incumbent Rep. Roscoe Bartlett is now launching a robocall in Maryland's 6th Congressional District featuring controversial Congressman Paul Ryan. A Wisconsin Republican, Rep. Ryan is famous for his efforts to privatize Medicare and eliminate Medicaid and food stamps. His taped message encourages CD6 Republicans to support Rep. Bartlett for re-election.

The robocall comes with the following message from Roscoe Bartlett's campaign:
I'm honored to have received Rep. Paul Ryan's endorsement for Maryland's 6th Congressional District. Paul Ryan knows that we need proven conservatives in Congress to fight Obama's failed policies, which is why he has supported my campaign.

Friday, March 30, 2012

CD6 RADIO & DIRECT MAIL // SEIU Launches Independent Expenditure Campaign for State Senator Rob Garagiola

Maryland Juice has received word that SEIU is launching independent expenditures into Maryland's 6th Congressional District race. Below we print their direct mail piece and provide copies of their radio ads. The labor organization is one of the larger and more politically active unions in the region, and they are backing State Senator Rob Garagiola in the CD6 race. The Huffington Post noted that they have spent at least $15,799 on the following effort:


SEIU Radio Ad #1: English 60-Second Spot



Republican Vacancy on Montgomery County Planning Board // Applications Due April 25th

Hat tip to Gaithersburg's Town Courier:
Montgomery Council Seeks Planning Board Applicants

The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants to fill a vacancy on the Montgomery County Planning Board. The term of Amy Presley (Republican) will expire on June 14. Presley has indicated her intent to apply for reappointment to a second term.

Letters expressing interest, including a resume listing professional and civic experience, political party affiliation, home and office telephone numbers and an e-mail address, must be received no later than 5 p.m. on April 25 and should be addressed to: Council President Roger Berliner, County Council Office, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Md., 20850, or can be e-mailed to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov.

No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and all members must be residents and registered voters of Montgomery County when appointed. Members serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. Since three Democrats are currently serving on the Board, this position can only be filled by a Republican, or by a voter who declines to affiliate with a party; or by a member of another party officially recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Elections. In addition to Presley, the current board members are Chairman Francoise Carrier (D); Casey Anderson (D) Norman Dreyfuss (R) and Mary Wells-Harley (D).

Annual compensation for board members is currently $30,000.

For more information contact Linda Lauer at 240.777.7979 or linda.lauer@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Democratic Leaders Campaign with Senator Ben Cardin // Ike Leggett & Donna Edwards to Appear in Closing Days of Primary

Maryland Juice today received a media advisory announcing U.S. Senator Ben Cardin's campaign schedule for the final few days before the Democratic Primary on Tuesday, April 3rd. It appears as though Democratic officials from across the state are hitting the trail in support of Senator Cardin in the closing days of the campaign.

Officials ranging from Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett to Rep. Donna Edwards will be campaigning with Senator Cardin. See a few examples from his campaign schedule below.
WHAT: PRECINCT LITERATURE DISTRIBUTION WITH IKE LEGGETT AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (MCEA).

WHAT: NEIGHBORHOOD CANVASS WITH U.S. REP. STENY HOYER AND VOLUNTEERS

WHAT: SENATOR CARDIN AND U.S. REP. DONNA EDWARDS GREET COMMUTERS AT NEW CARROLLTON METRO STATION

More on the 2012 U.S. Senate race soon!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Democratic Women Dominate Maryland Early Vote Turnout // My 2-Second Analysis of 2012 & 2010 Primary Election Turnout

UPDATE: The full and complete early voting figures are in, and just as we predicted, turnout among eligible voters was 2.4% statewide. In 2012, 48,907 Democrats (2.49%) and 26,353 Republicans (2.82%) cast early vote ballots for the April Primary Elections. In CD6, only 7,632 voters cast early voting ballots (1.94%).

Maryland Juice also just noticed a perhaps obvious fact from the first five days of early voting, but Democratic Women dominate the turnout rankings. By the end of early voting, there were nearly 2 women voting for every 1 male voter in the Democratic Primary (ie: a factor of 1.75 to 1). The single largest group of voters in the state is Democratic Women age 45-65.  Turnout among men and women in the Republican Primary, however, is almost 50-50. See our quick analysis below.
2012 Early Vote Turnout Rankings - Gender & Party
  1. Democratic Women (all ages) 24,479
  2. Democratic Men (all ages) 14,237
  3. Republican Women (all ages) 10,159
  4. Republican Men (all ages) 10,138
2012 Early Vote Turnout Rankings - Gender, Party & Age (Top 9)
  1. Democratic Women Age 45-65 - 12,485
  2. Democratic Women Age 65+ - 8,688
  3. Democratic Men Age 45-65 - 6,543
  4. Democratic Men Age 65+ - 5,878
  5. Republican Women Age 45-65 - 5,090
  6. Republican Men Age 45-65 - 4,935
  7. Republican Women Age 65+ - 3,681
  8. Republican Men Age 65+ - 3,614
  9. Democratic Women Age 25-44 - 2,690
2010 Early Vote Turnout Rankings - Gender & Party
  1. Democratic Women (all ages) 33,651
  2. Democratic Men (all ages) 21,066
  3. Republican Women (all ages) 10,930
  4. Republican Men (all ages) 10,705
For all of you data junkies out there, Maryland Juice is printing the turnout numbers thus far for early voting. Today is the last day to vote early before the April 3rd primary, but the turnout figures so far should provide a useful window into the mind of the electorate. To allow for a comparison, we also print the 2010 Primary Election early vote turnout numbers (at the end of this post).

Maryland Juice's 2-Second Analysis

Turnout Higher Among GOP: In 2010, the early voting numbers for the Primary Elections were 54,770 Democrats (2.82% turnout) and 21,656 Republicans (2.37% turnout). Thus far in the 2012 cycle, throughout Maryland 38,723 Democrats (1.97% turnout) and 20,304 Republicans (2.17% turnout) have voted early. Today is the last of the six days in the early voting period, so we do not yet have the total figures. But there is enough data available to make a useful comparison to the 2010 numbers. In a reversal from two years ago, Republicans are turning out in slightly higher numbers. But this makes sense given that the GOP Presidential Primary in Maryland is in play. Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney have all made stops in the Free State this week.

Total Early Vote Turnout Similar to 2010?: As mentioned above, we are still waiting for one day of turnout numbers before we can make a final conclusion. But note that the last day of early voting tends to get the heaviest turnout, as was the case in 2010, when roughly .57% of voters participated on the final day of early voting. Right now, the current early vote turnout percentage for 2012 is 1.88%. If we assume a similar .57% bump in turnout will happen today, the total 2012 early voting turnout might hover near 2.4% or 2.5%. Total early vote turnout in 2010 was 2.44%.

CD6 Early Vote Turnout is 2nd Lowest in Maryland: Thus far in the 2012 early voting period, 5,996 CD6 voters have cast ballots (ie: 1.52% of eligible voters). That is the 2nd lowest turnout in the state, behind only Rep. Chris Van Hollen's CD8 which has only 1.32% turnout during early voting this year. Granted, the low CD6 turnout is still an increase from 2010, when only 6,261 ballots were cast during all of early vote (ie: 1.51% of eligible voters). Since today's early vote ballots have not yet been counted in the 2012 totals, CD6 will surpass its 2010 turnout. But these are still underwhelming numbers, given that the CD6 race is a top race in the nation and is occurring simultaneous to a contested Republican Presidential race.


Maryland 2012 Primary Early Vote Turnout 3/24-3/28

Maryland 2010 Primary Early Vote Turnout

Baltimore Jewish Council Questions Sen. Anthony Muse's Controversial Campaign Flyer // News Coverage Snowballing

FLYERGATE NEWS COVERAGE SNOWBALLS: A few days ago Maryland Juice posted a copy of controversial campaign literature from U.S. Senate candidate Anthony Muse. The State Senator from Prince George's was distributing a sample ballot that urged voters to support an Obama-Muse ticket. Notably, President Obama has endorsed Sen. Ben Cardin for re-election. But more importantly, Muse's literature is generating heated criticism for highlighting the number of Jewish members of the U.S. Senate. Apparently this is not the first time he has employed this tactic.

The Washington Post today picked up the story and noted a non-response from Senator Muse:
Obama may be backing Cardin but that has not stopped Muse from seeking to link himself to the president. His campaign has distributed a “sample ballot” — a copy of which was posted online by the blog Maryland Juice — that says “Obama Muse Making History Together,” with pictures of the two men side by side. The same sample ballot includes a chart showing the composition of the U.S. Senate, noting that the chamber it has no African Americans. The chart also shows that there are 12 Jewish members of the Senate, even though Jews make up roughly 2 percent of the U.S. population. Cardin is Jewish, though the ballot does not mention that fact.

The flier drew criticism this week from the liberal group People for the American Way, which suggested on its blog that the chart “seems to go out of its way to imply there are too many Jews in the Senate. What legitimate reason is there to include a count of Jews in this tally, when there is no count of any other religious group?” Asked about the chart Wednesday, Muse dismissed the criticism.said, “This is nothing more than an attempt to be negative.”

MUSE KEEPS RAISING JEWISH REPRESENTATION, JEWS OFFENDED - The Baltimore Sun's John Fritze today noted that the head of the Baltimore Jewish Council is now questioning Sen. Muse's campaign literature:
The head of the Baltimore Jewish Council raised questions Wednesday about a campaign flyer from Democratic Senate candidate C. Anthony Muse that notes that there are no African-Americans serving in the U.S. Senate but that there are 12 Jews.

Muse, a state senator from Prince George's County is black. He is running against incumbent Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, who is Jewish. The primary takes place Tuesday.

"I'm not happy with it," said Arthur C. Abramson, the council's executive director. "I would ask the candidate why the only religion he identified is Jewish...."

It's a contrast the campaign has drawn previously. Earlier this year Muse used his Twitter account to highlight a link to an article that discussed the number of Jews in the Senate. The campaign later deleted the tweet after it was noted by reporters.

Asked about the flyer, Muse campaign spokeswoman Brandi Calhoun said in an e-mail that it is "misleading and inaccurate, therefore we will have a response to that at the appropriate time."

The campaign did not respond when asked to clarify whether the Muse campaign had actually distributed the flyer or whether a third party was involved.

NO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS FROM MUSE? - The Baltimore Sun article also notes that Muse's campaign has not filed any campaign finance reports with the FEC:
Muse's campaign, meanwhile, has never filed a campaign finance report with the Federal Election Commission as other candidates did last week. Calhoun said that Muse was not required to do so because he established his candidacy in February, late in the cycle. 

It's not clear why Muse's February entrance would exempt him from filing the pre-primary report, which was due March 22. The campaign did not respond to a follow up question seeking clarification.

Maryland Juice would point out that according to Anthony Muse's own campaign website, he became a candidate for the U.S. Senate on January 5th, 2011 and was in exploratory mode prior to that:



OY VEY!

CD6: Governor Martin O'Malley Releases Statement Endorsing State Senator Rob Garagiola for Congress

A Maryland Juice reader forwarded us the following email blast from Gov. Martin O'Malley's campaign. His statement announces an endorsement for State Senator Rob Garagiola in the 6th Congressional District race. After O'Malley's email, we print a press release from the Garagiola campaign.

Dear Juice,

I'm endorsing Rob Garagiola for Congress in Maryland's 6th Congressional District and I wanted to encourage you to vote for my good friend. You can vote early for Rob until 8PM today or on Election Day, Tuesday, April 3rd.

Click here to find your polling place to support Rob.

I’ve known Rob for a long time and know that he is the right candidate to move our State and Maryland's 6th Congressional District forward.  His work ethic coupled with his genuine desire to make our nation a better place makes him the best choice in this election.

In the State Senate, Rob has been a leader in creating green jobs and developing a renewable energy industry in Maryland. He’s been a courageous leader in our efforts to expand healthcare coverage to more Maryland families and to build Maryland’s #1 ranked schools, and he was one of the key figures in helping pass marriage equality in Maryland.  He has never shied away from casting the difficult and tough votes necessary to move our State forward.

Rob has been a hardworking and effective State Senator, and I know that he’d represent Maryland well in Congress. Rob is supported by a broad-based coalition including the AFL-CIO, SEIU, our teachers, firefighters, police officers and over 25 other organizations who care about the future of our State.

I hope you'll join me in supporting Rob Garagiola in Maryland's 6th Congressional District. You have until 8pm tonight to vote early and polls will be open on Tuesday, April 3.

Please join me in supporting Rob Garagiola for Congress.

Thank you,

Governor Martin O'Malley

CD6: Businessman John Delaney Releases Internal Poll Showing 26% Lead Over Sen. Rob Garagiola // 16% of Voters Undecided

Maryland Juice just received the following polling results from the 6th Congressional District race. These are the internal polls from John Delaney's campaign, but note that his polling firm is a respected Democratic group that has major clients in the state. Their survey shows that the number of undecided voters is shrinking rapidly as we head closer to the April 3rd Primary. Notably, this poll would have us believe that this group of undecided voters seems to be breaking fairly evenly between Milad Pooran and John Delaney.

PRESS RELEASE

Delaney Has Big Lead Going Into Final Week

Internal Poll Has Race at 49 to 23 with 16% undecided

A new poll by the Delaney campaign shows progressive businessman John Delaney with a significant lead going into the final weekend. The poll, conducted by Fred Yang of Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group between March 26-27, shows on the first ballot test:


John Delaney
49%
Rob Garagiola
23%
Milad Pooran
10%
Ron Little
2%
Not Sure
16%


In addition, Delaney's positives outweigh his negatives 53/18 while Garagiola's are at 35% positive and 25% negative.

These results are similar to a poll conducted last week by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group. The results of the first ballot test on the poll conducted last week between March 19-20, were:

John Delaney
41%
Rob Garagiola
24%
Milad Pooran
4%
Ron Little
3%
Not Sure
28%


"Voters have a clear choice in this election and they are supporting John Delaney, the job creator who has been endorsed by President Bill Clinton, Congresswoman Donna Edwards, and the Washington Post," said campaign manager Justin Schall.

The margin of error on both polls was +/- 5%. Each poll was conducted with approximately 400 likely Democratic Primary voters over two nights.


###

BREAKING: Politico Says Gov. Martin O'Malley Will Endorse State Senator Rob Garagiola for 6th Congressional District

UPDATE: Sources say Gov. O'Malley will appear at a press conference with State Senator Garagiola at Lawyer's Mall in Annapolis at 4:30 pm.

Capitol Hill-based newspaper Politico reports that Governor Martin O'Malley will endorse Sen.  Rob Garagiola in the Democratic Primary for Maryland's 6th Congressional District:
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is providing a last minute boost to Rob Garagiola....

O'Malley will formally endorse Garagiola on Thursday, several Democratic sources tell POLITICO.
Maryland Juice sources also indicate we may start seeing some significant labor expenditures on behalf of the Garagiola campaign.

Maryland Juice is poking around for details. More on CD6 soon!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

CD6 JuiceBlender: News Roundup of Democratic & Republican Primary Coverage // Plus, Watch Full Candidate Debate VIDEOS

There is less than one week left in the heated 6th Congressional District Primary Elections, so all the candidates are making their final appeals this week. Below Maryland Juice prints a quick-hit list of the latest news coverage in the CD6 race:

JUICE #1 - ROLL CALL: "Delaney Closes In on Garagiola"

CD1: Former Congressman Wayne Gilchrest Endorses Democrat John LaFerla for Congress

For Immediate Release

Former Congressman Wayne Gilchrest
Endorses John LaFerla for Congress


Chestertown, MD — Today, former Congressman Wayne Gilchrest announced he has endorsed John LaFerla for Congress in Maryland’s 1st District.

“It is vital that we elect a leader who puts our District ahead of political extremism. That is why I am endorsing John LaFerla for Congress. He is our best chance of defeating Andy Harris this Fall, “ said Gilchrest.

John LaFerla said, “I am proud to have the endorsement of our former Congressman. He always put the needs of our district ahead of politics. When I’m elected to Congress, I hope to continue his legacy of protecting the Bay and working with people throughout our community to promote common sense values in Washington.”

John LaFerla is a Democratic candidate for Congress in Maryland’s 1st District. He is a resident of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where he has practiced Obstetrics and Gynecology for more than a decade. His home is in Kent County and his private office is in Queen Anne’s County. He also sees patients at clinics in Caroline County and practices Public Health in Talbot.

###

Gov. Martin O'Malley Convenes School Principals To Tackle Child Hunger // P.S. Sweetlife Festival Returns to Merriweather

BACKGROUND: Every once in awhile, Maryland Juice is prodded into ranting about food policy issues. Granted these are not the sexiest stories, but let's be honest -- our growing hunger and nutrition problems are a collective tragedy of the commons. Moreover, these problems are solvable. Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit that is trying to end childhood hunger in America today highlighted progress in Maryland.

Last year, they note that Maryland missed out on over $8.5 million in federal assistance, due to low participation in the national School Breakfast Program. Their research suggests that large numbers of hungry students are not being connected with the breakfasts they are eligible to receive. But before you start pointing fingers, Share the Strength notes that the causes for this may be complicated:
When Share Our Strength polled U.S. middle school teachers in 2011, two-thirds said they taught children who regularly came to school hungry. Despite the availability of breakfast in school, there are several barriers to participation, including late school buses or incompatible transportation, tight morning schedules, a fear of being stigmatized for receiving a breakfast at school, and a preference to socialize instead of eat in the cafeteria.
Gov. Martin O'Malley has pledged to END CHILDHOOD HUNGER in Maryland by 2015.

These explanations for why students are continuing to underutilize available assistance suggest that solutions need to be implemented at the micro-level. That's why it is great to see Gov. Martin O'Malley getting into the nitty-gritty by convening principals to focus on the issue of child hunger. In fact, he's also trying to facilitate solutions to the problem through targeted funding:
SHARE OUR STRENGTH: Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley hosted school principals and a diverse group of partners including the Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in Maryland, Share Our Strength, Maryland Hunger Solutions, the Maryland State Department of Education, corporate leaders,  and others at a breakfast today at the Maryland State House to encourage principals to improve their school breakfast programs as part of the First Class Breakfast Initiative and announce new resources and tools available to make breakfast more accessible to students.
GOVERNOR O'MALLEY: “I am pleased to announce that in its second year, the First Class Breakfast Initiative has significantly expanded outreach efforts to help schools improve breakfast programs by increasing the number of targeted schools from 21 to 150,” Governor O’Malley said. “Each school will receive up to $5,000 to implement new methods of serving school breakfast, such as Breakfast in the Classroom and Grab N’ Go, which make breakfast a part of students’ instructional time and have been shown to increase participation.”
Share Our Strength notes that Governor O’Malley was the first governor to commit to ending childhood hunger in his state by 2015. As a result of his leadership on this issue, he is being featured prominently in the upcoming Food Network documentary, “Hunger Hits Home,” which airs on April 14.

POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE - WTF CON AGRA: Maryland Juice would like to point out one irritating detail in the midst of this discussion. One of the contributors to Share Our Strength’s national No Kid Hungry effort is the ConAgra Foods Foundation. According to the New York Times, ConAgra is one of the entities that blocked efforts to make school meals more nutritious:
NEW YORK TIMES: In a victory for the makers of frozen pizzas, tomato paste and French fries, Congress on Monday blocked rules proposed by the Agriculture Department that would have overhauled the nation’s school lunch program.

The proposed changes — the first in 15 years to the $11 billion school lunch program — were meant to reduce childhood obesity by adding more fruits and green vegetables to lunch menus, Agriculture Department officials said....
Food companies including ConAgra ... argued that the proposed rules would raise the cost of meals and require food that many children would throw away....

Nutrition experts called the action by Congress a setback for improving the nutritional standards in school lunches and addressing childhood obesity.
Kudos to Share Our Strength and Governor Martin O'Malley for working to eliminate childhood hunger in Maryland by 2015. And let's also hope they can give ConAgra a big smack upside the head for their efforts to undermine nutritious meals for public school students!

P.S. Speaking of nutritious foods, the now annual Sweetlife Festival is returning to the Merriweather Post Pavilion on April 28th, and one of my favorite bands is one of the headliners. Check out Explosions in the Sky and other acts (see line-up below), plus sample tasty concoctions from top chefs and food experts:
“Sweetlife is a celebration of living your best life and food is a big part of that,” said sweetgreen and Sweetlife Festival co-founder Nicolas Jammet. “Being healthy shouldn't have to stop at a music festival. We want to reinvent the idea of festival food by bringing together our favorite chefs, farmers and food brands to build local and organic food concessions.”

Participants Include: Sweetgreen  | Serious Eats  | José Andrés’ Pepe Truck  |   FreshFarm  |  Taim Mobile  |  Bev Eggleston  | Smucker Farms  |  Jim Lahey  |   Keany Produce | Momofuku Milk Bar |  Pleasant Pops  | The Big Cheese  |  Sweetflow Mobile  |  Roberta’s Pizza  |  Luke’s Lobster  |  Shake Shack  |  DC Central Kitchen  |  Toki Underground |    Baked + Wired  |  Honest Tea |  Applegate |  Stonyfield  |  KIND Snacks  |  Bakery de France  |  Gordy’s Pickle Jar  |   Snikkidy Snacks  |  Sir Kensington Ketchup  | TaDah! Foods | Peak Organic Brewery

 

CD1: Democrats Divided on Choice to Fight Rep. Andy Harris // Rep. Ruppersberger, NARAL, Sun Split Endorsements

UPDATE: Former Congressman Wayne Gilchrest is endorsing John LaFerla in the CD1 race.

The 1st Congressional District Democratic Primary in Maryland's Eastern Shore (and beyond), is finally beginning to take shape. Three Democrats are vying for the right to take on Tea Party Rep. Andy Harris (click on their names to visit their websites):
It appears that endorsing entities are dividing on the race and supporting different candidates. See examples of the various statement of support below:

JOHN LAFERLA ENDORSEMENTS: 

CD6: Democratic Candidate Milad Pooran's Direct Mail Pieces // Air Force Doctor Highlights Womens Health & Howard Dean

Maryland Juice has received copies of four direct mail pieces from Air Force Doctor Milad Pooran. He is a candidate in the 6th Congressional District Democratic Primary.

CD6: Milad Pooran Direct Mail - Howard Dean

CD6: Tea Party Dischord? 18-Year-Veteran Staffer for Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Quits to Work for Rival Joe Krysztoforski

A Maryland Juice reader sent us an unusual note this week. They reported that Myra Kidd a longtime aide to Rep. Roscoe Bartlett recently quit her job and is working for his opponent, Tea Party candidate Joe Krysztoforski. Notably, Krysztoforski has won the support of Tea Party groups and came in first place in Maryland Juice's grassroots intensity straw poll. See the email message below:
SOURCE: At Saturday's CD6 forum at Allegany College I overheard two Krysztoforski staffers dicussing a Meet and Greet held in Oakland on Tuesday, organized by a recent addition to the campaign staff. I was surprised when in the next sentence she named Myra Kidd as the organizer of the event. I didn't believe what I had heard.

I know Myra Kidd, she manages Bartlett's district office in Washington County and has worked for him for over 18 years. After the forum I checked into it further and found out that Myra resigned as Bartlett's District Office Manager four weeks back and she is now working on the Krysztoforski campaign. I wonder what she knows that we don't?
A brief check of the Congressional staff salary database confirms Ms. Kidd's recent employment in Rep. Bartlett's office. After some prodding around, Maryland Juice also received the flyer below announcing a Krysztoforski event hosted by Myra Kidd. A top staff defection this close to an election is a bit unusual. Does this represent true Tea Party and ideological dissatisfaction with Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, or is something else going on?

Former Aide to Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Myra Kidd Hosts Event for Rival Tea Party Candidate

Liberal Group Condemns Sen. Anthony Muse's Divisive Campaign Flyer // Marriage Equality Foes Admit Division is Goal

UPDATE: The national progressive blog Daily Kos has picked up the story of State Senator Anthony Muse's divisive flyer.

This week, Maryland Juice posted campaign flyers from State Senator Anthony Muse, who is currently trying to replace U.S. Senator Ben Cardin in the April Democratic Primary. We noted that Mr. Muse's literature may mislead voters into thinking that President Barack Obama had endorsed Muse, when in fact he had endorsed Senator Cardin for re-election. We also noted that Mr. Muse voted against the Dream Act and was a leading opponent of marriage equality in Maryland.

A number of readers, however, have also pointed out that Mr. Muse's literature seems to pit voters against Maryland's Jewish community. They point to the following portion of his literature:


One Maryland Juice reader commented:
...the anti-Semitism of that palm card just leaps off the page. Let's not forget that Ben Cardin is (ahem) Jewish. 
I particularly like the "subtle as a sledgehammer" use of "Jewish" alongside white, black, Hispanic and Asian, and the doubly insulting insinuation that Jews are something other than white. You stay classy, Anthony Muse. 
The overall thrust of this palm card, again beyond the lie, is Muse's completely transparent attempt to empower the African-American community by appealing to blatant bias against Jews. "Hey, look, THOSE people are overrepresented. That should be OUR Senate seat." Disgusting.
PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY CONDEMNS MUSE LIT: The liberal advocacy group People for the American Way (PFAW) picked up on the story and is condemning Sen. Anthony Muse's literature. Trivia: PFAW's former head was Ralph Neas - the 1998 Democratic nominee for the 8th Congressional District.
Disturbing Campaign Literature in Maryland

...Muse, an African American minister in the Washington suburbs, is challenging Sen. Ben Cardin in a Democratic primary election next week. Cardin is Jewish. Maryland Juice has posted a copy of a Muse sample ballot reportedly being distributed at some early voting centers that seems to indirectly make Cardin's religion an issue. The second page notes the underrepresentation of African Americans and other people of color, but also seems to go out of its way to imply there are too many Jews in the Senate.

What legitimate reason is there to include a count of Jews in this tally, when there is no count of any other religious group? Noting that Jews are 12% of the Senate but only 1.8% of the population seems designed to stoke unwarranted and dangerous resentment among voters who are justifiably frustrated that there are no African Americans in the U.S. Senate today.

MARRIAGE EQUALITY OPPONENTS ADMIT GOAL IS TO TURN COMMUNITIES AGAINST EACH OTHER: Notably, PFAW's piece recent post about Muse also notes that the anti-LGBT group, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), has also admitted that its goal is to stoke divisions between African American and Latino voters and other Democratic constituencies. Does this sound familiar to you? (Ahem  *cough* - Archbishop O'Brien & Anthony Muse).

PFAW commented:
The anti-gay National Organization for Marriage is being widely condemned as Americans learn from previously secret organizational documents the lengths it is willing to go in order to turn one community of Americans against another. This week, campaign literature from one of NOM's allies in the fight against equality, Maryland state senator Anthony Muse, is raising questions as to whether he is using similar methods himself.

HRC EXPOSES DIVISIVE TACTICS: If you haven't been following the new revelations about the disgusting, divisive tactics that are being employed by anti-LGBT activists, check out this recent article from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). They obtained copies of strategy documents, where the anti-marriage organizers detail the very strategies we are watching unfold in Maryland:
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF MARRIAGE: “The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks—two key Democratic constituencies. Find, equip, energize and connect African American spokespeople for marriage, develop a media campaign around their objections to gay marriage as a civil right; provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots…” 
Another passage: 
"The Latino vote in America is a key swing vote, and will be so even more so in the future, both because of demographic growth and inherent uncertainty: Will the process of assimilation to the dominant Anglo culture lead Hispanics to abandon traditional family values? We must interrupt this process of assimilation by making support for marriage a key badge of Latino identity - a symbol of resistance to inappropriate assimilation." 
On PDF page 12, it talks about “sideswiping Obama,” painting him as a “social radical” and talking about “side issues” like pornography.

MARYLAND JUICE CONCLUSION: Wow. So Sen. Anthony Muse -- who has appeared at Tea Party rallies to fire up the anti-LGBT base -- is playing directly into rightwing divide-and-conquer activist tactics (see their playbook here). NICE!

This is what happens when one part of the Democratic base tries to capitalize on hatred towards another part of the Democratic base. That's why we all need to hang together, and its why Sen. Anthony Muse has no future as a statewide candidate in Maryland or in national Democratic politics.

Sorry, but its the truth!

Montgomery County Lawmakers Approve Bill Granting Full Voting Rights to Student Member of Board of Education

UPDATE: A reader clarifies that the bill must now be approved by the full Maryland Senate (so far, it has been approved by the Montgomery County delegation in Annapolis). But this is usually a pro-forma vote (ie: it will be unusual for the bill not to pass).

A few days ago, Maryland Juice received the following email message from Tim Hwang, the former student member of Montgomery County's Board of Education. He announces that after years of persistent student-led efforts, the State House and Senate officials who represent Montgomery County have voted to approve full voting rights for the student member of the Board of Education (aka SMOB). Montgomery County public school students all vote in a countywide election to select a fellow student to represent their voices on the school board, and now their deputy is one step closer to voting on budget, labor and other policy matters -- just like the adult members.  The legislation was sponsored by Delegates Anne Kaiser and Tom Hucker:
Juice,

I thought you'd like to know that I was just in Annapolis and the bill MC 9-12 passed unanimously in the Montgomery County House Delegation and 5-2 in the Senate Delegation.

The Student Member on the Montgomery County school board now has full voting rights (ie: they are now a completely equal member of the school board and can vote on everything including the budget, legislative proposals, collective bargaining, etc). This changes the dynamic of the discussion with public unions (MCEA, SEIU, etc) and the County Council and shifts the power dynamic on the school board to respect student opinion more.

This is a bill I introduced back when I was on the school board (http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/12092009/montnew175705_32555.php) and the delegation finally took the initiative to pass it out - making MoCo the second county in the state to allow a completely equal student member of the board.
Tim Hwang

Last November, Maryland Juice wrote a little bit about the history of the student voting rights struggle on the Montgomery County Board of Education. We quoted an informative entry from Mr. Hwang on the My High School Journalism website from October 2009:
TIM HWANG: The Student Member of the Board is a 31-year-old appeasement for students. In 1977, the Maryland General Assembly created a nonvoting seat on the Board of Education, and a year later, David Naimon was elected as the first student member of the Montgomery County Board of Education.... 
In 1989, Maryland’s General Assembly gave the student member a limited vote within the board..... When the General Assembly gave “limited voting rights,” they meant it. The Student Member may not vote on “budget items, negative personnel matters, school closings/openings, and boundary changes,” according to the Montgomery County Public Schools website....
Last November, the fate of the student voting rights effort was uncertain, as the bill seemed stalled in the Senate. But the movement forward is now encouraging. Either way, it seems like across the county, students are becoming very savvy in building political alliances and advocacy strategies -- and politicians are noticing! First the anti-curfew organizers stopped MoCo's curfew plan, then competing candidate slates revitalized the MoCo Young Democrats, then the Young Dems helped change the conversation on marriage equality, then #JSA succeeds in getting their friend released, and now this (fingers crossed).

What will the young people do next?

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

JPG: State Senator Anthony Muse's Misleading Party Flyer // Is Obama Supporting Muse Over Ben Cardin for U.S. Senate?

A Maryland Juice reader forwards us the following event poster for a party promoting State Senator Anthony Muse's campaign for U.S. Senate. We noted yesterday that Mr. Muse was handing out "Obama-Muse" sample ballots, even though President Obama has endorsed incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin in the race. Today, it appears as if Mr. Muse is doubling down on this misleading strategy. Is it just me or does the flyer below create confusion about Obama's role in the event ?


The poster comes with the following text:
It's Time to Rock the City! Rock the Party! Rock the Vote! Tues 3/27 6-9p at the Palladium The Biggest FREE Party hosted by ur fav promoter & DJ

Rock the City

Please Join Baltimore's Business Leaders, Community Activists, and Entertainment Producers for This Biggest Pre- Election Event in Maryland. Tuesday, March 27, 2012 The Marriott Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Md D 21201 6p-9p Featuring Baltimore Top DJs Cash Bar Admission: Free Attire: Festive

Rock the City Rock the Party Rock the Vote

Come Party for a Purpose and Protect Our House!!!

It's time to Vote! Early Primary Voting Saturday, March 24-Thursday, March 29 Vote April 3, 2012 C. Anthony Muse & President Barack Obama

Important links for Voter information.

http://www.muse-for-maryland.com/Background for Senator C. Anthony Muse Baltimore Native from Park Heights who is state senator for PG County http://www.barackobama.com http://registertovote.org/forms/register/registration/maryland.html http://www.elections.state.md.us/

Debate for US Senate race Thursday, 3/22, 8-10a on WOLB 1010 AM or www.WOLB.com featuring MD Senator Muse and US MD Senator Cardin

CD6 DIRECT MAIL: Sen. David Brinkley Attacks Rep. Roscoe Bartlett's Age // Plus, Del. Kathy Afzali to Challenge Brinkley?

SEN. DAVID BRINKLEY CALLS OUT REP. ROSCOE BARTLETT'S AGE: Maryland Juice recently stumbled upon two direct mail pieces that GOP State Senator David Brinkley is sending CD6 voters. In one piece, he assaults incumbent Rep. Roscoe Bartlett's voting record as "too liberal" and raises a thinly veiled criticism aimed at highlighting Bartlett's age. The piece notes that the long-serving member of Congress is 85-years-old, but suggests that age is NOT an issue. Cute.

Sen. Brinkley's mail piece also points readers to a website of citations for his attacks (including a mention of the STACHE Act). The caption for his list of links about Rep. Bartlett's voting record states:
IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE...

I am running against Roscoe Bartlett, not because he's 85 years old, but because he votes liberal.

After 20 years in Washington, the liberal seduction of Roscoe Bartlett is complete. His views, his votes and his passions are all liberal. Sadly, there is not much left to differentiate Bartlett from Nancy Pelosi.
WILL DEL. KATHY AFZALI CHALLENGE SEN. DAVID BRINKLEY IN 2014? - See Brinkley's two mail pieces below, followed by a brief video clip of rival candidate Robin Ficker at a CD6 GOP candidates debate from last Sunday. Ficker takes a strong anti-war position against the conflicts with Iran and Afghanistan, but also takes time to throw zingers at Delegate Kathy Afzali and Senator David Brinkley. Ficker points out that both Annapolis lawmakers actually live in Rep. Chris Van Hollen's 8th Congressional District and are carpetbaggers.

THEORY: Ficker also commented that Del. Afzali and Sen. Brinkley sound like they are fighting for the 2014 GOP nomination to the District 4 State Senate seat. At first I thought he was joking, but then I started to realize they have been bitterly attacking each other during the course of this race. I think that seems like a plausible scenario, and I think Del. Kathy Afzali would be a formidable opponent in a Republican Primary against Sen. Brinkley. His now high-profile "issues" with women and his lackluster fundraising will likely dovetail nicely with a poor performance in next week's GOP Primary. I suspect this will broadcast his political vulnerability to potential 2014 challengers, thus proving that there is a downside to running for Congress while serving in Annapolis. Note: many lawmakers see it as a "free shot," since they don't have to resign from their seats in order to run for Congress.

Maryland State Senator David Brinkley's Direct Mail Piece Attacking Rep. Roscoe Bartlett

Maryland State Senator David Brinkley's Direct Mail Piece Highlighting Endorsements


Watch Robin Ficker's comments about Afzali and Brinkley below:

Monday, March 26, 2012

CD6: CASA in Action and Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez Endorse Rob Garagiola for Congress

Press Release

CASA in Action and Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez 
Endorse Rob Garagiola for Congress

GERMANTOWN, MD – Today, citing his work with the Latino community and his bold leadership on Maryland’s version of the DREAM Act, Casa in Action, the political arm of Casa de Maryland, and Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez endorsed Rob Garagiola for Congress in Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District.

“Senator Garagiola has worked with the Latino community to make sure our voices are heard in the halls of the State House. Rob Garagiola’s display of leadership on Maryland’s version of the DREAM Act proves that he is the type of effective legislator and bold visionary we need in Congress,” said Gustavo Torres, President of Casa in Action. “Latinos all across Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District know that when we elect Rob Garagiola to Congress, he’ll be an effective advocate and get results for our families and communities,” concluded Torres.

“I’m excited to have the endorsements of Casa in Action and Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez.  During my time in the Maryland State Senate, I’ve been a staunch supporter of  working families who yearn for the American Dream, whether they are families with deep roots who are looking for a renewal of the American Dream or those families who are pursuing it for the first time. When I become a Congressman, I’ll work to institute a path to citizenship for the millions of children of undocumented workers that work hard in school, get good grades, and want a fair chance to make their American Dream come true. We all deserve a chance at a better life for ourselves and our families,” Senator Garagiola said.

In 2011, Senator Garagiola was a sponsor of Maryland’s version of the DREAM Act, a bill that gives every student in Maryland an opportunity to pursue higher education at a fair rate. Casa in Action is the leading advocacy organization for the Latino community in Maryland. Just last week, Rob Garagiola was endorsed by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Montgomery County.

Rob Garagiola is the only candidate in the Primary Election to be endorsed by a Democratic organization or a union.

###

BREAKING: Potomac Resident Files Ethics Complaint Against State Senator Rob Garagiola // VIEW DOCS ONLINE

UPDATE: In comments reported in The Baltimore Sun, the Garagiola campaign responds to the ethics complaint:
BALTIMORE SUN: Sean Rankin, campaign manager for Garagiola, said the filing is an indication that Republicans are looking at Garagiola as the likley Democratic nominee. The district is currently held by Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, a 10-term Republican who is seeking another term.

"Randa Hudome and her husband, Mike, who are certainly part of the Who's Who in Washington...Republican circles, just fired the first shot of the general election campaign, which I think confirms that Republicans and Roscoe Bartlett know that they are running against Rob Garagiola in the fall," Rankin said in a statement. The move, Rankin said, "would seem to tip the hand of Roscoe Bartlett and his polling as to our Democratic primary, but as polling and turnout are two different things, we are going to continue focusing exclusively on our field operation and turning out our ID'ed voters for early voting and Election Day next week."       

A Maryland Juice reader has forwarded us news that an ethics complaint has been filed against State Senator Rob Garagiola today. The complaint was emailed to members of the Maryland Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics by Randa Hudome, a 48-year-old Republican from Potomac, Maryland. The nature of the allegations relate to Mr. Garagiola's failure to disclose several years of lobbying income on Maryland ethics forms.

The complaint (copied below) came with the following email message:
From: Randa Hudome
To: norman.stone@senate.state.md.us, brian.mchale@senate.state.md.us, roy.dyson@senate.state.md.us, joseph.getty@senate.state.md.us, nancy.jacobs@senate.state.md.us, nathaniel.mcfadden@senate.state.md.us, jamie.raskin@senate.state.md.us, susan.aumann@house.state.md.us, rudolph.cane@house.state.md.us, adrienne.jones@house.state.md.us, a.wade.kach@house.state.md.us, maryann.love@house.state.md.us, william.somerville@mlis.state.md.us, stacy.goodman@mlis.state.md.us

Cc: davisa@washpost.com, wagnerj@washpost.com, ben.pershing@wpost.com, john.fritze@baltsun.com
Subject: Compliant to the Maryland Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics
Dear Members of the Maryland Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics:
Pursuant to Maryland State Code Section 15-515, I hereby file this complaint against the Honorable Rob Garagiola, State Senator for Maryland’s 15th District. As detailed in the attached statement and affidavit, Sen. Garagiola has violated provisions of the ethics laws governing the conduct of Members of the Maryland General Assembly. The citizens of Maryland deserve more transparency and accountability from our elected officials and it is your fiduciary responsibility to uphold the trust of those citizens who elected you. This complaint is transmitted by both electronic mail and certified registered mail (USPS).

JPG: State Sen. Anthony Muse's Misleading Sample Ballot for U.S. Senate Democratic Primary // An Obama-Muse Ticket?

AN OBAMA-MUSE TICKET? - A Maryland Juice reader forwarded photos of a sample ballot that State Senator Anthony Muse's campaign volunteers are handing out at early voting polls. In his quest for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate, Anthony Muse's lit piece encourages voters to vote an Obama-Muse ticket, noting that there are zero African Americans in the United States Senate. Notably, Barack Obama has endorsed U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (Muse's opponent) for re-election. See Anthony Muse's sample ballot below.

ANTHONY MUSE OPPOSES THE DREAM ACT: Maryland Juice would also point out that Muse's lit piece is misleading, not just because Obama endorsed Ben Cardin, but also because the two men do not have the same values. President Obama campaigns as a big-tent Democrat, while State Senator Anthony Muse has been a leading opponent of marriage equality and voted against the Dream Act. In fact, this weekend, students from the #JSA movement reported that Anthony Muse confirmed his speaking role at their town hall meeting on Saturday, but then stood them up without explanation. Seeing as how one of their priorities is defending the Maryland Dream Act, I suspect this may be why Mr. Muse got cold feet.

BARACK OBAMA SUPPORTS THE DREAM ACT: Perhaps Anthony Muse is realizing that he is out of the Democratic Party mainstream in his opposition to the Dream Act and other issues. Read President Barack Obama's statement about the federal Dream Act, written when U.S. Senate Republicans killed the bill in 2010:
BARACK OBAMA: In an incredibly disappointing vote today, a minority of Senators prevented the Senate from doing what most Americans understand is best for the country. As I said last week, when the House passed the DREAM Act, it is not only the right thing to do for talented young people who seek to serve a country they know as their own, it is the right thing for the United States of America. Our nation is enriched by their talents and would benefit from the success of their efforts. The DREAM Act is important to our economic competitiveness, military readiness, and law enforcement efforts. And as the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office reported, the DREAM Act would cut the deficit by $2.2 billion over the next 10 years. There was simply no reason not to pass this important legislation.

KWEISI MFUME ENDORSES BEN CARDIN: These critical policy differences between Anthony Muse and Barack Obama create a stark contrast in how the two men view Democratic coalition-building. In fact, not even former U.S. Senate candidate Kweisi Mfume would endorse Anthony Muse's issue-set and has announced support for his former opponent Ben Cardin. In 2006, while running for the U.S. Senate, Mr. Mfume appeared at an Equality Maryland rally to condemn efforts to ban same-sex marriage in Maryland:
KWEISI MFUME: "I know that gay bashing and immigrant bashing and union bashing at the end of the day rob us of our moral authority," Mfume told the crowd.

ANTHONY MUSE'S ELECTION DAY SAMPLE BALLOT: None of this has stopped State Senator Anthony Muse from putting out the following misleading palm card:


VIDEO TRIBUTE: One Month of #JSA Student Organizing // Plus, Anthony Muse No-Show at Town Hall with Sen. Ben Cardin

BACKGROUND: Maryland Juice has produced a special video chronicling what one short month of organizing by the #JSA activists looks like. What started as a campaign to stop the deportation of Jorge Steven Acuna, an area student, has morphed into a vigorous youth-driven campaign to defend the Dream Act and draw attention to the problem of Secure Communities deportations. But more importantly, we are witnessing the political coming-of-age of the children of immigrants around the region. Many thanks to the Tea Party and the Maryland GOP for the assist -- they get a large chunk of the credit here!

BEN CARDIN & ANTHONY MUSE TOWN HALL: The video below takes you through a 2-minute summary of #JSA's recent efforts, including rallies, civic association meetings, candlelight vigils, marches, town hall meetings, voter registration drives, and more. The piece also includes shots from #JSA's town hall meet & greet with U.S. Senator Ben Cardin this weekend. #JSA organizers tell Maryland Juice that State Senator Anthony Muse had confirmed attendance at the event but stood them up without explanation. I guess he didn't want to explain to them why he voted against the Dream Act:


Sunday, March 25, 2012

VOTING INFORMATION: Montgomery County Sample Ballots for CD3, CD6 & CD8 // Plus, Early Voting & Polling Location Info

Below, Maryland Juice provides the sample ballots for Montgomery County voters in the 3rd, 6th and 8th Congressional Districts. We also link to a polling location search tool, as well as information on early voting, which is open today through Thursday of this coming week.

EARLY VOTING: Early voting centers will be open from 10 am until 8 pm Monday - Thursday.
Today (Sunday) early voting centers will be open 12 pm to 6 pm.

You can vote in at any early voting center but only in the county where you are registered to vote. Below is a list of Montgomery County's early voting centers. To see the full list from other Maryland Counties, visit the MD Board of Elections website.
Germantown Community Recreation Center
18905 Kingsview Road
Germantown, MD 20874

Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center

14625 Bauer Drive
Rockville, MD 20853
   
Marilyn Praisner Community Center
14906 Old Columbia Pike
Burtonsville, MD 20866
   
Executive Office Building
101 Monroe Street
Rockville, MD 20850
   
Silver Spring Civic Building
8525 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Find your polling location for the regularly scheduled election day: Tuesday, April 3. Visit: https://www.mdelections.umd.edu. Polls will be open on 4/3 from 7 am to 8 pm.

SAMPLE BALLOTS
Presidential Primary Sample Ballot for MD 6th Congressional District - April 3, 2012

Presidential Primary Sample Ballot for MD 8th Congressional District - April 3, 2012

Presidential Primary Sample Ballot for MD 3rd Congressional District - April 3, 2012