September 27th, 2022 by WCBC Radio

A judge ruled late Friday afternoon that Maryland boards of elections can start counting mail-in ballots before Election Day. The Maryland State Board of Elections filed an emergency petition to ask a judge to let local boards of election begin canvassing mail-in ballots in October instead of after the Nov. 8 election as mandated by state law. SBE said it's bracing for more than 1 million — possibly 1.3 million — people to cast their vote by mail in the 2022 general election. The judge agreed that if officials can't get a head start on the counting, it could delay the swearing-in of officials and erode public trust in the process. Per the ruling, ballots can be counted as early as Oct. 1, but results would not be released until election night. Maryland Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox took legal action in an attempt to block the emergency petition saying it would compromise election integrity. Delegate Mike Mckay, an Allegany County Republican, said he was satisfied with the judge’s ruling…

This represents a change of heart for Mckay who earlier this year opposed a bill that would have allowed early vote counting…