Md. primary election conflicts with Passover

Bill introduced to move election date

The idea of moving the date of Maryland’s 2024 primary to avoid a conflict with Passover is gaining momentum.

Democratic Del. Dalya Attar submitted a bill that would change the primary from April 23, 2024, which is currently both its scheduled date and the first day of the eight-day Jewish holiday, to

April 16, 2024.

Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat, said in a joint statement Monday that they would work with those in charge of scheduling elections to have the primary shifted.

Attar and Democratic Del. Samuel I. “Sandy” Rosenberg, both representatives of the 41st District in Baltimore, noticed the overlap and notified State Administrator of Elections Linda Lamone last week. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., both Democrats, contacted Ferguson and Jones about the issue, as well.

All made the point that the holiday would make it more difficult for Jewish voters in general to cast ballots on the scheduled date and said it would make voting impossible for Orthodox Jews. Jewish law prohibits most forms of work during Passover, including participating in elections.

“It’s a significant burden on people in the Jewish community who observe the holiday,” Rosenberg said. “We do have other options [for voting], but there’s still a significant number of people who vote on Election Day, and clearly you would have a reduction in the turnout, all told, for the primary if the primary date remains on the first day of Passover.”

Ferguson and Jones echoed the concerns.

“We have been intentional in our effort to pass election laws and create policies that remove barriers to voting,” they said. “A primary election date that unintentionally coincides with the Passover holiday would prevent thousands of Marylanders from engaging in their fundamental right to vote. We will work with the State Board of Elections and local election officials to find a more appropriate date.”

Primary dates are specified in Maryland law, which calls for the event to fall on the last Tuesday of April in a presidential election year. It would take an act of the

General Assembly to change the date.

The text of the bill Attar submitted says “the statewide primary election and the primary election for municipal offices in Baltimore City shall be held on the third Tuesday in April” next year.

There is precedent for such an action in Maryland. The General Assembly moved the 1991 primary two days later than the scheduled date because it coincided with the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana.