Vandalism Meets Optimism At Anne Arundel Polls: Voter Reactions

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD —Anne Arundel County voters headed to the polls Tuesday, ready to elect national and local representatives. Residents were calm and orderly, but division surrounded the presidency.

(This story was last updated Wednesday at 2:05 a.m.)

Divisive reminders greeted locals as they approached Arundel High School on Election Day. Three campaign signs were vandalized outside the poll, attacking both presidential hopefuls.

Vandals spray painted "PEDO" over the biggest billboard supporting former Vice President Joe Biden (D). Two boards endorsing President Donald Trump (R) were also hit. One was defaced with a large "X," and another was traced with red paint.

It is not clear how many people were involved in the sign mutilation, and nobody knows whether the three instances are related. An election official said she reported the damage to police a few days ago, but nobody has been charged.

"It's disappointing when you see graffiti on a political sign," County Executive Steuart Pittman (D) said, adding that he had not heard any reports of voter intimidation. "The people in this county care about our democracy."

Pittman greeted voters at the poll alongside County Council Member Andrew Pruski (D-4). Both officials said they cast their ballot by dropbox and voted for Biden. Pittman showed his support for the Democratic nominee, wearing a Biden pin and sticker.

Along with the presidency, Pruski is also paying close attention to the county's three school board races. He said those elections are critical because the new members will influence teacher salaries and a $1.3 billion budget.

"As a former member of that school board, that vote does matter," said Pruski, who served as Board of Education president in the 2012-2013 academic year. "Even if you don't have kids in school, it does impact our community."

Pruski pointed to school reopenings as another way board members will affect the area. Most students in Anne Arundel County Public Schools have taken online classes since the coronavirus pandemic worsened in March. Now that reopening talks are heating up, Pruski said these new members will be crucial parts of developing a game plan.

This issue touches Pruski personally, as he caught coronavirus in September. He has since made a full recovery.

"I'm really blessed and lucky, to be candid with you," Pruski said. "I know constituents who have died."

The pandemic has affected almost every part of life, including the election. Anne Arundel County's usual 195 voting locations were slashed to 31 this year.

The county also struggled to find willing election judges. Most poll workers are retired, meaning their age puts them most at risk for coronavirus.

"Our staff at the Board of Elections has been resilient," Pittman said, commending their efficiency.

Sairah Butt, the chief judge at the Arundel High site, said she saw long lines during early voting. Election Day was less busy, the Brooklyn Park resident noted.

Butt, 48, said the polls were ready for the crowds. Every voting center was stocked with hand sanitizer, plexiglass dividers and freshly-cleaned pens. Butt's 29 election workers also enforced mask and social distancing policies.

"We are taking each and every precaution that we can take," she said.

Butt believes most people were understanding of these measures. Still, some voters remained on-edge, especially those casting provisional ballots.

These ballots are mainly used by voters who changed homes without updating their registration or requested a mail-in ballot but then showed up to the polls. The Board of Elections cross-checks provisional ballots to assure nobody votes twice, meaning these votes take slightly longer to process.

Butt said provisional voters sometimes worry that their ballot won't count. She assured residents that all votes will be tallied before Maryland releases its official election results.

"Sometimes voters get frustrated with other things and they blame us," Butt said. "They think maybe it's not going to be counted."

Butt kept the optimism high, however. Her crew announced every first-time voter, giving them a round of applause.

Caroline Callaway was one of those voters. The 50-year-old Odenton woman turned out because she is frustrated with the division in America.

Growing up in an Air Force family taught Callaway the importance of respect and honor. She doesn't think Trump embodies either of those values.

"Yes, he is financially savvy, but I don't think he speaks for everybody," Callaway said. "He doesn't know how to be diplomatic."

Though Callaway voted for Biden, plenty of other locals voted for Trump. They believe Trump's business background outweighs his outspoken demeanor.

Mary Woody, 66, thinks Trump is better equipped to lead the nation's post-pandemic economic recovery. The Odenton resident worries that the U.S. would lose more jobs under Biden.

"I'm not necessarily thrilled about Trump and Biden, but those were my choices." Woody said, mentioning that she also voted for Trump in 2016.

As an employee at an accounting firm, Brenda Reid cared most about the candidates' economic priorities. The 64-year-old believes Trump's tax plan is better, explaining her support for the president.

Reid also has her eye on the pandemic, as her sister and brother-in-law were both hospitalized with coronavirus. Though the virus hit close to home, Reid still thinks Trump has handled the situation the best he could. She attributes much of the backlash to unfair reporting.

"The media has done such a disservice to our country," said Reid, who has a degree in journalism. "I'm just appalled."

RELATED:

• Anne Arundel Election Results: County School Board, Questions
• MD Congressional Election Results: Mfume, Hoyer, Harris, Sarbanes
• MD Election: Incumbents To Reclaim Seats, Biden Projected Winner

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