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Maryland election guide

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON – This Nov. 4, Maryland voters will choose a new governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general among other offices.

Voters will also consider whether to prevent transportation funds from being used for other purposes.

Also on the ballot are local elections and candidates for the state Senate and House of Delegates.

How to Vote

On Election Day, polls in Maryland are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Early voting in Maryland began on Thursday, Oct. 23 and runs through Thursday, Oct. 30. Early voting centers are open across the state from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voters who want to cast an absentee ballot have until Tuesday, Oct. 28 to request a ballot to be received in the mail, or until Friday, Oct. 31 to request a ballot that can be downloaded from the internet.

The ballot must be mailed back with a postmark of Nov. 4 or earlier, or hand delivered by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Click here to learn more about early voting and find links to local county election boards for local voting locations.

Key races

Governor
The first decision for Maryland voters will be to choose the Free State’s next governor and lieutenant governor.

Democrat Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown is facing a tough challenge from Republican Larry Hogan, a former appointments secretary under Republican Gov. Bob Erlich.

Both Brown and Hogan have called in high-powered support with President Barack Obama campaigning for Brown, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie attending several events for Hogan.

Both sides have also fired off bitter attack ads on spending, gun control and other issues. They have also sparred over transportation and taxes.

Brown’s running mate is Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. Hogan is running with Boyd Rutherford, another member of Erlich’s administration.

Libertarian Shawn Quinn is also running for governor with lieutenant governor candidate Lorenzo Gaztanaga.

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Other Statewide Races
Maryland voters are also casting ballots for comptroller and attorney general.

Incumbent Peter Franchot, a Democrat, is running for another term as comptroller against Republican William Campbell and write-in candidate Anjali Reed Phukan.

Democrat Brian Frosh is looking to leave the state Senate to serve as attorney general. He faces Republican Jeffrey Pritzker and Libertarian Leo Wayne Dymowski.

U.S. House of Representatives
Maryland’s delegation to Congress is not likely to change much. The most serious challenge to any of the eight sitting members of Congress may be in the 6th District, which covers Western Maryland and includes large parts of Montgomery County.

Democrat John Delaney is seeking re-election in the sprawling district against Republican Dan Bongino and Green Party candidate George Gluck.

General Assembly
Maryland voters will choose members of the House of Delegates and state Senate.

Find a complete list of candidates running for the state Senate by district here and by House district here.

Find maps of Maryland legislative and congressional district maps here.

Statewide ballot questions
Question 1 would limit the ability of the state to dip into the Transportation Trust Fund to pay for projects that aren’t related to road, bridge or transportation maintenance or improvements.

The constitutional amendment would create a so-called “lockbox” on the fund. Lawmakers could only take money from the fund to pay for something other than transportation if the governor declares a fiscal emergency, and the General Assembly approves the money transfer by a three-fifths majority vote.

Question 2 would amend the Maryland constitution to allow counties to hold special elections for county executive. Currently, the law requires counties to hold elections for county executive only every four years. But special elections are allowed for vacancies on the county council.

Montgomery County
Democratic County Executive Ike Leggett is facing a challenge from Republican Jim Shalleck.

Incumbent Democrats are also the favorites for the four at-large seats on the county council with nine candidates running for the posts.

Montgomery voters will also choose a state’s attorney and members of the board of education.

There is also a charter amendment on the ballot that would clarify that candidates for the county council must live in the district that they represent for their entire term unless the district boundaries change while they are in office, moving their home out of the boundaries.

Prince George’s County
Prince George’s County voters will elect a county executive and members of the county council, although most candidates are running unopposed after winning Democratic primaries.

County Executive Rushern Baker faces four independent challengers on the ballot.

Voters will also choose a sheriff, board of education members and Orphans’ Court judges.

One of the more contentious items on the ballot is Question J, which would change the county’s term limits for the county council and county executive.

Currently, elected officials serving in those roles are limited to two terms. But the proposed charter amendment would increase that to three terms in each role.

Question I would ban the county from discriminating in employment based on disability or sexual orientation.

Howard
Howard County voters will choose a new county executive to replace Ken Ulman.

Democrat Courtney Watson and Republican Allan Kittleman are competing for the post. Watson is a member of the county council, while Kittleman is a state senator.

Howard County voters are also choosing members of the county council, Orphans’ Court judge, sheriff and board of education.

Anne Arundel
Republican Steve Schuh won a tough primary against appointed County Executive Laura Neuman to earn a spot on the general election ballot. She faces Democrat George Johnson.

Neuman was appointed after John Leopold resigned in February.

Voters will also select members of the county council, state’s attorney, register of wills, Orphans’ Court judge and sheriff.

WTOP’s Max Smith contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and on Facebook.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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