Baltimore judge extends voting for an hour at four polling locations

A judge extended voting hours at four polling locations in Baltimore on Tuesday night after the Senate campaign of Rep. Donna Edwards sought a court order to keep polling locations opened later, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Baltimore Circuit judge Althea M. Handy extended the voting hours by an hour at the four polling locations where delays exceeded 45 minutes, according to The Washington Post.

The hearing held Tuesday was disrupted briefly after there was a smell of gas and a fire had erupted in the courthouse across the street, resulting in an evacuation. 

Handy then restarted the hearing on the sidewalk outside before moving the hearing to a garage, according to a Baltimore Sun reporter.

Judge Handy restarted the hearing on the public sidewalk. I started filming. She asked me to stop, and moved everyone into court garage

— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) April 26, 2016

Polls in Baltimore were supposed to be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The complaint filed Tuesday had requested polling places remain open until 10 p.m. 

It said voting equipment and disorganization had resulted in 30- to 60-minute delays at multiple locations and said if the hours were not extended, it would “threaten to prevent thousands of eligible residents from effectively exercising their right to vote in violate of federal and state law.”

Edwards is running against Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) for the seat now held by outgoing Sen. Barbara Mikulski. The lawmaker who loses the race will effectively be out of a job, as Maryland law prevented them from running for reelection in the House.