From South Baltimore:
Ken Weaver stood with a stop watch at Francis Scott Key Elementary/Middle School Tuesday morning checking to see how long it took voters to cast their votes. Weaver, an election day observer, was keeping track of wait times at voter precincts as part of a project with the University of Baltimore Schaefer Center for Public Policy for the Maryland State Board of Elections.

He kept his eye on a man in a plaid shirt and a lady behind him in a peach-colored top, marking the time it took until they scanned their ballots.

“Ten minutes max, which is pretty great,” he said outside one of the city’s busier precincts.

But Weaver said lines tend to be longer first thing in the morning — before people go to work — and then at the end of the day — when they get off.

“It will be much busier tonight,” he said. Weaver expected a decent turnout given the many challengers in the mayor’s race, and the presidential and congressional races.

He said he has been impressed with the mayoral candidates who have been very engaged. He said he’s seen many out speaking to voters during early voting events.

“I’ve seen [mayoral candidate David] Warnock everywhere,” he said.

Weaver said he previously observed training for election workers, and there was some confusion over the scanners and paper ballots this year. But Tuesday morning, Weaver said he had not heard of any problems. He took note of one passing voter who said “I can’t believe we are going back to Scantron.”

It’s important to smooth out any kinks now, he said, given that he predicted many voters will come out in November for the presidential election, when crowds would be “very energetic.”

He planned to head out to several other locations in the city and Baltimore County.

“As long as the polling place is well-staffed,” he said he predicted a smooth day.

“So far, this looks good,” Weaver said. — Jessica Anderson