An Anne Arundel County Circuit Court judge has refused to order the Maryland State Board of Elections not to use ballots for the June 26 Democratic primary that list Valerie Ervin as a candidate for lieutenant governor. Judge Laura Sue Kiessling scheduled a hearing for Monday on whether the state must change its ballots to reflect that Ervin has replaced her former running mate, the late Baltimore County executive Kevin Kamenetz, at the top of the ticket. Kamenetz died unexpectedly May 10. Ervin, a former member of the Montgomery County council and school board, took his place on the ballot, and tapped former Baltimore County school board member Marisol Johnson as her running mate.
The Ervin-Johnson campaign filed a request for a temporary restraining order on Tuesday. Attorney Mariana Cordier said Thursday that she did not expect the judge to grant the request, but the petition was necessary to expedite a court date. Early voting begins June 14.
In a May 29 letter in response to the legal filing, the elections board said officials would post signs at polling sites and booths and use social and other media to make voters aware of the new Ervin-Johnson ticket.
Full Article: Judge denies Ervin request to order new ballots, sets hearing for Monday – The Washington Post.