By Ethan Williams
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
While Nov. 5 is one of the most important days in U.S. politics, many Americans cast their votes early. In 2024, early voting ran from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31, allowing people to participate ahead of time in deciding the future of the country.
One of Maryland’s major districts, Congressional District 4, is voting for its Congressional representative this year. This district encompasses most of Prince George’s County and parts of Washington, D.C. Because of its size, the voting that takes place there carries significant weight. Major cities in the district include College Park and Hyattsville, along with the lesser-known but rapidly growing city of Bowie.
With a population of 58,000, Bowie is becoming one of the more prominent cities in Maryland. The largest polling location in Bowie is the City of Bowie Gymnasium, where multiple election officers and voters work together to ensure everyone gets the chance to vote. Driving into the gymnasium’s parking lot, you can see flyers and posters of local candidates running for office. Volunteers are on hand to direct cars to parking and guide voters to their designated areas.
Even on Halloween, the line of voters was long, wrapping around the entire gym. About 150 people waited in line to vote. Ms. Marsha Smith said she had been in line for one hour. “I tried to get here as early as possible to avoid the lines, but I will wait as long as I need to in order to vote,” she said.
Another voter, Robin Brown, is a mother of students attending school in Prince George’s County. “I went to school here, and so do my kids. I want to make sure that all the students of Prince George’s County are taken care of,” she said.
As early voting ended on Oct. 31 and people cast their final votes, many looked to the future with hope that the upcoming election will help steer the nation in the right direction.