Though Statewide Ballot Passed, Support Varied by County...

This post originally appeared on the new Maryland Nonprofits blog. Henry Bogdan, Managing Director of Public Policy and Public Affairs for Maryland Nonprofits, is the author.


Everyone has probably heard by now that the three seriously contested statewide ballot questions all passed last Tuesday.

These include:

1. Question 4 - the “Dream Act”
2. Question 6 - the Civil Marriage Protection Act
3. Question 7 - the Constitutional Amendment permitting expanded gaming
   

Although they  passed on a  statewide basis, the support for each of these varied by county.  Nonprofit advocates or others attempting to work with members of the General Assembly should review how those legislators’ constituents (or at least the voters in their counties) dealt with these questions.  Delegates and Senators will certainly be aware of the results  when they are called on to vote for progressive or controversial legislation between now and the 2014 state elections.   The results are summarized below with links to the county-by-county votes reported for each question on the State Board of Elections’ website.

Question 4 – Dream Act
Passed statewide by 58.3 to 41.7% - but had a majority in only eight jurisdictions: Baltimore City and Baltimore, Charles, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Somerset and Wicomico Counties.
   
Question 6 – Civil Marriage Protection
Passed by a 51.9 to 48.1% margin, with a majority in only six jurisdictions: Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Frederick, Howard, and Montgomery Counties.

Question 7 – Expanded Gaming Constitutional Amendment
Passed by 52 to 48% statewide, and in 12 of the state’s 24 jurisdictions: Baltimore City and Allegany, Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, Somerset, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester Counties.  
The ‘closest’ vote either way in a county was Question 7’s loss in Dorchester county, by 61 votes (6,901 to 6,962)

The entire set of ballot question results is available on the State Board of Elections' website.