Hot! Early Voting Resumes; Turnout Ahead Of 2010 Pace

Early voting centers reopened Wednesday after a two-day hiatus for Hurricane Sandy.

Crowds Wednesday morning were lighter than over the weekend, when voters waited several hours to cast ballots before the storm hit, but turnout was still "brisk," deputy state elections administrator Ross Goldstein said.

Lines at voting centers during the morning ranged from no wait to about half an hour, Goldstein said.

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By noon, nearly 28,000 voters had cast ballots, bringing the three-day total to more than 162,000 so far. That was far ahead of the pace of 2010, the state's first general election with early voting .

Wednesday was the first day of voting after the storm. Gov. Martin O'Malley closed the polls on Monday and Tuesday, but directed elections officials to add another day of early voting on Friday, and to extend hours each remaining day.

Early voting centers now are scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. through 9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Elections officials have said it will not be possible to extend early voting beyond Friday because they need time to transition to regular voting on Election Day next Tuesday.

It remains unclear whether or how the storm might affect the vote in Maryland or nationwide. Marylanders are casting ballots not only for president but also on same-sex marriage, in-state tuition breaks for illegal immigrants, an expansion of casino gambling, a new congressional map and other issues.

Nationally, among the battleground states in the presidential vote, Virginia and Pennsylvania suffered the most damage from Sandy, limiting the amount and type of campaigning the candidates may do there.

Republican nominee Mitt Romney has resumed campaign appearances. President Barack Obama continued to send surrogates such as former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden to campaign appearances; the president is visiting storm-affected areas in New Jersey Wednesday.

matthew.brown@baltsun.com