Maryland’s voter turnout for Tuesday’s primary election remained unusually low, with only about 19 percent of registered voters participating as of the latest official count. If confirmed, this would mark the lowest turnout for a gubernatorial primary in the state since 2014. Experts point to the state’s closed primary system as a significant factor contributing to the decline, which excludes over 1 million unaffiliated voters—nearly matching the size of the registered Republican electorate—from participating in many of the race’s most competitive contests.

Counties with large populations of unaffiliated voters, including Baltimore, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Anne Arundel, all saw turnout figures that trailed significantly behind their 2022 levels. According to the Maryland Board of Elections’ May 2026 Voter Registration Activity Report, each of these counties has more than 110,000 unaffiliated registered voters. Officials in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, along with Baltimore City and Cecil County, reported turnout numbers well below previous cycles.

The broader trend of increasing primary participation seen in 2018 and 2022 — when turnout rose to 24 percent and 27 percent, respectively — reversed sharply this year. Roger Hartley, a political science professor at the University of Baltimore, attributes the drop to a lack of competitive races and the state's closed primary system. Many statewide offices were uncontested, and local races often attract only the most ideologically committed party members, potentially alienating more moderate voters who may not fully align with either party.

Hartley explained that Maryland’s closed primary format narrows candidates’ outreach efforts to registered party voters, leaving unaffiliated and opposing party voters disengaged and excluded. “Candidates and the ads are focused on a certain pocket of that electorate, and the rest... is kind of ignored because they can’t vote anyway,” he said, calling the situation a “major issue for democracy.”

In Howard County, where all county executive candidates were Democrats, Republican and unaffiliated voters were unable to participate in the key race without changing party affiliation. This made the election less engaging for tens of thousands of residents, according to Guy Mickley, Howard County’s elections director, who noted that it was the first time in his over 20 years of service that no unaffiliated ballot was offered.

John Dedie, a political science professor at the Community College of Baltimore County, suggested that even high-profile local contests failed to energize voters, as many do not prioritize local politics or candidates. “The center of the political world oftentimes is around what goes on in Washington... and people assume things just happen at the local level,” he said.

Baltimore City elections director Clifford Tatum emphasized that increasing turnout requires candidate-driven efforts but said the city plans to hire a voter outreach coordinator to implement a more comprehensive voter education program focused on election processes and participation.

The state is expected to certify final vote totals on July 6, allowing time for the completion of mail-in and provisional ballot counts. Maryland law requires election results to be finalized within 10 days of the election, with adjustments made this year due to the July 4 holiday, according to Maryland State Board of Elections Administrator Jared DeMarinis.