Early voting in Carroll County falls 20% from 2022 primary
BALTIMORE - In-person early voting turnout in Carroll County declined in the 2026 primary, but the drop was uneven across the county's three polling sites, with the most dramatic decrease at the relocated northern voting center.
Countywide, 5,097 voters cast ballots during the eight-day early voting period that ended Thursday, down about 20% from the 6,394 who participated in the 2022 gubernatorial primary.
Westminster Senior Activities Center recorded 3,222 voters, a marginal decline from 3,287 in 2022. The South Carroll Senior & Community Center saw 1,593 voters, down 18% from 1,947 in 2022.
The Charles Carroll Community Center, which replaced the former North Carroll site this cycle, recorded just 282 voters, a 76% drop from the 1,160 who voted early at North Carroll in 2022. Daily turnout at the site ranged from a low of 13 voters to a high of 65 voters, according to election data.
The Board of Elections relocated the northern site ahead of this year's election due to accessibility and scheduling issues at the previous facility.
Some poll workers said Monday that while the Charles Carroll facility is spacious and functional, it lacks the central location of previous sites.
"It takes a couple of elections for an early voting center to become known to voters and be regularly used," Carroll County Election Director Erin Perrone said.
Perrone said another factor that may have contributed to lower turnout was the absence of Board of Education candidates on the primary ballot.
Earlier this week, poll workers and officials pointed to a mix of factors influencing lower turnout across the county, including increased use of mail-in ballots and changes to the ballot itself. The county has received 15,985 mail-in ballot requests for the current primary cycle, up from 14,035 in 2022.
Residents may also vote in person at their designated polling place on Tuesday. Polling location information can be found on the Carroll County Board of Elections' website.
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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 7:37 PM.