Delegate Susan Krebs, District 5
Please forward this email to your family and friends.
PLEASE READ - Important Voting Information
Early Voting

Carroll County has TWO early voting locations.

IMPORTANT - Voters in Carroll County can vote at either location during early voting.

If you vote during early voting, you cannot vote on Election Day or by absentee ballot.

Early voting will be through Monday, November 2 from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. each day, including Saturday and Sunday.

Westminster Senior Activities Center
125 Stoner Avenue
Westminster, MD 21157

South Carroll Swim Club
1900 W. Liberty Road
Westminster, MD 21157

We have had record turnout every day at early voting. The lines move quickly even though they seem long at first glance because of the six feet space requirement between those standing in line.
Ballot Drop Boxes

If you have not yet mailed your mail-in/absentee ballot, to ensure that it gets to the Board of Elections on time, please use one of the drop boxes and NOT the U.S. Postal Service at this late date.

Per the Maryland Board of Elections: “Maryland voters should be aware that, once open, all authorized ballot drop boxes in the state will remain open until Tuesday, November 3 at 8 p.m. Each drop box is equipped with a lock that holds the ballot deposit slot open at all times. It has come to our attention that some voters, upon seeing locks on ballot boxes, have assumed the boxes are closed. This is not the case. Ballots should be inserted in the slot located above the lock as indicated by red arrows. We encourage all eligible voters who would like to utilize ballot drop boxes to review the list of drop box locations and opening dates online,”

Drop boxes for voted mail-in ballots are available through 8pm on Tuesday, November 3 every day, 24 hours a day. They are located at:

  • Board of Elections Office 300 S Center St. Westminster, MD 21157
  • Liberty High School 5855 Bartholow Rd. Sykesville, MD 21784
  • North Carroll Senior Center 2328 Hanover Pike Hampstead, MD 21074
  • Taneytown Police Station 120 E Baltimore St. Taneytown, MD 21787
  • South Carroll Swim Club 1900 W Liberty Rd. Westminster, MD 21157
  • Westminster Senior Center 125 Stoner Ave. Westminster, MD 21157
Election Day

Election Day will be on
Tuesday, November 3 from 7am-8pm.


BEFORE YOU GO - check the list of polling locations available - YOUR NORMAL POLLING PLACE IS PROBABLY NOT THE ONE WHERE YOU WILL VOTE.

A limited number of vote centers will be available. Voters in Carroll County can go to any of these sites to vote on election day.
CONSUMER ALERT - Scammers Posing as MD Board of Election to Obtain Social Security Numbers
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division has been notified that some voters have been called and asked to verify their Social Security Numbers in order to process their ballots. This is a scam. Do not give your Social Security Number (SSN) to anyone over the phone unless you initiated the call and know exactly why you are providing it - for example, if you call your bank and do not have your account number, the bank representative may ask you for your SSN.

The Maryland Board of Elections (or local board of elections) may call you if there is an issue with your ballot or voter registration - for example, if your signature is missing on your mail-in ballot return envelope. If they need to verify your identity, they may ask for the last four digits of your SSN, but they will never ask for your full SSN.

If someone calls you claiming to be from the Board of Elections and asks for your full SSN, they are trying to scam you. They may use this information to steal your money, other personal information, or identity. Hang up immediately and do not call the phone number back that appears on your caller ID. If you have any questions about your ballot, call your local Board of Elections.
Additional $250 million for Small Business
Maryland Strong: Economic Recovery Initiative

Governor Hogan is doubling the state’s commitment to emergency economic relief to $500 million through a combination of new and existing programs.

$50M: Expansion of Maryland Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Fund
This is a third installment of funding to the Maryland Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Fund, which awards grants of up to $10,000 to businesses of 50 or fewer employees. To date, the program has distributed more than 9,600 grants to small businesses across the state. This additional relief will clear the backlog of eligible applications and bring the program’s total funding to $145 million.

$50M: Direct Relief for Restaurants

This will provide direct grant relief to qualifying restaurants across the state. Eligible uses of funds include:
  • Working capital, such as rent and purchase of equipment and services to expand outdoor dining through physical improvements including tents, heaters, warmers, and carts
  • Sanitization services
  • Purchase of PPE
  • Technology to support carryout and delivery
  • Infrastructure improvements, including HVAC system upgrades
The funding will be allocated through local jurisdictions and must be distributed no later than December 31, 2020.

$20M: Direct Relief for Main Street
The governor’s initiative will provide $20 million through the Department of Housing and Community Development to assist hard-hit businesses and local entertainment venues within Main Street Maryland organizations as well as the Baltimore Main Streets program.

$20M: Expansion of COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Fund
Expands total funding to $30 million for the state’s COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Fund, which has helped small businesses with an average of 20 employees stay open and saved nearly 9,000 Maryland jobs. Businesses Can Apply for Up to $50,000 in Flexible and Customizable Funding and will receive approval or denial within 5 business days of applying.

Grantees have used the average award size of $22,738 per business for such things as purchasing remote access equipment and software to promote teleworking, assisting with employee training and education, purchasing cleaning supplies and services to maintain an onsite workforce, and taking advantage of the Maryland Department of Labor’s Work Sharing Unemployment Insurance Program by supplementing employee income.


$5M: Expansion of Small and Minority Business Low-Interest Loans
This doubles funding to $10 million for low-interest loans to small and minority businesses. Administered through the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority (MSBDFA), the program provides financing to businesses owned by economically and socially disadvantaged entrepreneurs. MSBDFA uses include working capital, supplies and materials, machinery and equipment acquisition, land acquisition, or real estate improvements.

$3M: Expansion of Arts Organization Funding
Increases funding to $7 million for the Maryland State Arts Council’s (MSAC) Emergency Grant Program. In response to the COVID-19 State of Emergency, MSAC has created special grant opportunities that provide emergency funding to arts organizations and artists for losses sustained because of programming, operations, and events that have been modified or canceled.

$2M: Hometown Tourism Program
Provides $2 million for local Destination Marketing Organizations to support hometown tourism efforts that promote local restaurants, attractions, and shops.

$100M: Emergency Rapid Response Fund for Small Businesses

Sets aside $100 million that can be immediately deployed to areas where there is the greatest need as the pandemic continues to affect various sectors and as state and local governments wait for the federal government to take action on additional stimulus relief.
Maryland Farmer COVID-19 Relief Program

Governor Hogan announced a new $10 million initiative to provide critical support to thousands of Maryland farmers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Maryland Farmer COVID-19 Relief Program will offer direct assistance to contract poultry growers and a bonus payment to any farm operation that received funding through the first round of the federal Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

"Far too often our farmers don’t get the respect or the appreciation they deserve, but I want our entire agriculture community to know that your commitment to our state and to our agriculture industry does not go unnoticed.” —Governor Hogan
COVID-19 Updates
COVID-19 Update: While the state is closely monitoring COVID-19 spikes across the country, Maryland is currently doing better than 40 other states on key health metrics.

Maryland’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan:
On Tuesday, October 20, Governor Hogan announced the State of Maryland’s initial draft COVID-19 mass vaccination plan, which was submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week.

The state’s vaccination plan focuses on two major phases of vaccine availability and distribution.
Phase 1: Vaccination of Critical Populations. 
Initial COVID-19 vaccination efforts will target those at highest risk of developing complications from COVID-19 and those in critical industries:
  • Frontline first responders and health care workers evaluating and caring for COVID-19 patients;
  • Staff and residents of nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and assisted living facilities; and
  • Essential workers, including public safety, education, and staff in congregate living facilities.


Phase 2: Vaccination of General Public. 
Determination of the beginning of Phase 2 will be influenced by a number of factors:
  • Availability of COVID-19 vaccine;
  • Notification by CDC and state authorities that the general public Phase 2 can begin due to sufficient supply; and/or
  • Achievement of targeted metrics for vaccination of high priority Phase 1 groups.
Carroll County News
Approved! $190,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Carroll County to install four new energy efficient LED light fixtures at a Carroll County Sports Complex soccer field.
Follow me on Facebook!