Elections Chief Ruled On Governor’s Race Fundraising Without Board Approval And With Little Legal Advice

The Maryland State Board of Elections never approved an official ruling that allows Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, running for lieutenant governor with current Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, to raise money during the legislative session even though Attorney General Douglas Gansler and his running Del. Jolene Ivey cannot.

Under state election law, the state board is charged with managing and supervising “the conduct of elections in the state,” including preparing summaries of election law that relate to campaign finance activity.

But in the circumstances surrounding a controversial fundraising election law affecting the governor’s race, Chief Election Administrator Linda Lamone, who is appointed by the five-member board, never asked the board to review a fundraising guidance letter she sent Dec. 19.
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