Number of voters sets record for midterm in Md.

More people voted in Maryland’s midterm election this year than ever before. With more than 2.1 million ballots cast, the total number of votes cast this year surpassed 2010’s midterm record of nearly 1.9 million voters. That doesn’t mean it’s a record turnout by percentage of registered voters — only that the state’s growing population and voting base continue to increase. Preliminary turnout numbers from early voting and Election Day indicate 54.6 percent of registered voters cast ballots this election — better than in 2014 or 2010, but not as good as in 2006, when 57.5 percent of registered voters cast ballots. The increased voting base means that both Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and his Democratic challenger, Ben Jealous, posted historically large numbers of votes. With about 1.2 million ballots cast in his favor, Hogan got the most votes ever for any Maryland governor, eclipsing Martin O’Malley’s record from eight years ago. Also impressive: In a losing effort, Jealous garnered more than 900,000 votes — slightly more than Hogan got during his first win and about 100,000 more than the last Democratic nominee for governor, Anthony Brown, got four years ago. another 0.92 inches of rain fell there Tuesday. That brings the annual precipitation gauge there to 60.06 inches. Rain is likely to return Friday, when a low-pressure system is forecast to move through the region. After that, sunny and cold weather is expected for the weekend, with Baltimore’s first widespread hard freeze of the season possible early Sunday morning.