Early voting kicks off in Maryland

With just 11 days left until Election Day, voters in Maryland began heading to the polls Thursday as early voting centers opened their doors across the state.

LANDOVER, Md. - With just 11 days left until Election Day, voters in Maryland began heading to the polls Thursday as early voting centers opened their doors across the state.

Doors opened up at the Wayne Curry Sports and Learning Center in Landover at 7 a.m. and while there's been no long lines and no waits, there has been a steady stream of people coming to cast their ballots.

There are currently 13 early voting locations throughout Prince George's County. Voters approved the early voting constitutional amendment back in 2008, and in the years since, its popularity has soared with many folks telling FOX 5 that this is now the only way they vote.

Maryland 2022 Primary: Here's how to vote by mail and in-person

The increasing popularity of early voting and mail-in voting has caused some growing pains for election officials. The county's election administrator tells FOX 5 that Prince George's has the highest early voting turnout of any jurisdiction in the state. Add in the work of processing mail-in ballots, and it has put a big strain on election resources.

"When I say resources, I definitely mean additional employees at various levels," said Alisha Alexander, Prince George’s County’s election administrator. "Elections have changed so much over the past 20 years, and we’re in essence operating with the same number of employees, and it’s difficult!"

Early voting begins in Maryland primaries

FOX 5's Nana-Séntuo Bonsu has all the information Maryland voters need to know as early voting gets underway Thursday in the state's primary elections.

Voting by mail, of course, is also an option in Maryland. The last day to request a mail-in ballot is Nov. 1, and it must be postmarked by Nov. 8, or it can be dropped off in ballot boxes located throughout the 24 counties in the state.

Visit our FOX 5 election page for all the information you need to vote in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.