Governor O’Malley’s Blog
Early Voting in Maryland
Today, I joined my wife, Katie, to vote early in this year’s primary elections. It’s the first time Maryland has ever offered early voting, and this year, we join 31 other states to do so.
For more information on early voting, visit the State Board of Elections website here.
For the primary election, early voting centers will be open starting Friday September 3, 2010 through Thursday, September 9, 2010, except for Sunday, September 5th when early voting centers are closed.
For the general election, early voting centers will be open starting Friday October 22, 2010 through Thursday, October 28, 2010, except for Sunday, October 24th when early voting centers are closed.
Early voting centers will be open from 10 am until 8 pm each day of early voting. Anyone in line at 8 pm will be allowed to vote.
Strategic Goal 4: Reduce Violent Crime in Maryland by 20% by End 2012
For more information, visit: http://www.statestat.maryland.gov/GDUcrime.asp
Declaration of Emergency
This afternoon, I signed an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency, as we continue to monitor Hurricane Earl and its potential impact to Maryland’s shores.
This declaration of a state of emergency (among other things):
- requires the Director of MEMA to coordinate agencies’ activities to alleviate the emergency
- authorizes the deployment and use of resources covered under the State and local emergency plans
- authorizes the use or distribution of supplies, equipment, materials, and facilities that have been stockpiled or arranged to be made available in emergencies
- permits the Governor, if the Governor finds it necessary in order to protect the public health, welfare, or safety, to suspend the effect of statutes and regulations of the State (or localities)
- activates the National Guard to provide assistance if necessary
Please stay tuned to MEMA’s website for updates, and for preparedness tips.
As always, we’re urging all Maryland families to:
1) Make a Kit
2) Develop a Plan
3) Stay informed
Monitoring Hurricane Earl
This afternoon, I met via video conference with officials from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, Department of Transportation, State Police, Natural Resources Police, as well as Ocean City Mayor Meehan and his local emergency response team. Together, we’re monitoring Hurricane Earl, and how it might impact Maryland’s shores, very closely. Please stay tuned to MEMA’s website for updates, and for preparedness tips.
As always, we’re urging all Maryland families to:
1) Make a Kit
Strategic Goal 7: Accelerate Bay Restoration Efforts to Reach the Healthier Bay Tipping Point by End 2020
For more information, visit: http://www.statestat.maryland.gov/GDUbay.asp
Maryland Schools Win “Race to the Top”
Today, we learned that Maryland is among 10 winners in President Obama’s “Race to the Top” grant initiative, bringing $250 million in education investments to Maryland’s public schools.
I want to congratulate the students, teachers, and administrators of Maryland’s public schools for demonstrating that among the 50 states, Maryland does indeed stand at the top. We are honored to have been selected as a winner of this prestigious competition.
While our participation in the federal ‘Race to the Top’ initiative culminated today with the receipt of $250 million in education investments, this process has always been part of a long-term strategic policy initiative aimed at reforming Maryland’s public schools and ensuring every child receives the world-class education they deserve. Maryland remains the nation’s number one public school system and it’s our goal to continue implementing strategic reforms, allowing our students to not only compete with their peers across the nation, but to be globally competitive as well.
We are grateful for the opportunity to advance these reforms with the assistance of federal investments from President Obama and the U.S. Department of Education.
Here’s what some of our partners in Maryland’s Congressional delegation are saying:
Our Growing Space Industry
Yesterday, my son Will and I toured NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. Wallops employs about 700 Marylanders. We enjoyed meeting the staff and learning about the Range Control Center, the NASA and MARS rocket launch pads, and the U.S. Navy Surface Combat Systems Center.
Maryland’s space industry has been an unsung economic hero for our State, and it is an important part of our strategy for growing Maryland’s high-tech sector. NASA alone employs 10,000 including contractors in our State, and thousands of additional Marylanders are employed in space enterprises related to work with NOAA, the US Geological Survey and many of our national security agencies. Marylanders who work in our space industry are playing key roles in things ranging from helping us understand and combat global climate change, to bolstering our country’s national security. We are uniquely positioned to continue to expand our leadership in the space industry.
Strategic Goal 9: Reduce Per Capita Electricity Consumption in Maryland by 15% by 2015
For more information, visit: http://www.statestat.maryland.gov/GDUconservation.asp
Strategic Goal 10: Increase Maryland’s Renewable Energy Portfolio by 20% RPS by 2022
For more information, visit: http://www.statestat.maryland.gov/GDUenergy.asp
Our Military Heroes
Last week, Maryland’s Secretary of Veterans Affairs Ed Chow, and the Adjudant General of the Maryland National Guard, General James Adkins, issues correspondence to active military members, veterans, and military families throughout Maryland regarding our efforts to protect the right to vote – particularly for those who are defending our democracy overseas.
General Adkins issued this web video explaining the opportunities military families who are stationed overseas have to ensure their vote is counted.
Secretary Chow issued this correspondence via email, outlining Maryland’s plan to ensure military and overseas voters have as much time as possible to receive their absentee ballots, vote them, and return them so they are counted.
Sign-up for email alerts
Categories
- Culture (7)
- Disabilities (4)
- Economic Development (30)
- Education Issues (16)
- Energy Issues (10)
- Environment (13)
- General Comments (12)
- Government Transparency and Accountability (1)
- Health Care Issues (8)
- Higher Education (9)
- Legislative Issues (10)
- Public Safety Issues (10)
- Transportation Issues (9)
- Uncategorized (19)
- Veterans Issues (5)
Archives
- September 2010 (3)
- August 2010 (14)
- July 2010 (8)
- June 2010 (7)
- May 2010 (12)
- April 2010 (15)
- March 2010 (10)