[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6510303,"mediaKeyId","5387738-e94ae33d8bd23170cb8f0387582cdf4a","parentId",5387738,"title","Bowie Board of Elections recommends return to paper ballots, fewer polling places for 2027 election","audioSeconds",2398,"startMs",1162000,"endMs",3560000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5387738-e94ae33d8bd23170cb8f0387582cdf4a&start=1162&end=3560","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5387738-e94ae33d8bd23170cb8f0387582cdf4a/thumbnail_1162000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6510303/Bowie/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Bowie-Board-of-Elections-recommends-return-to-paper-ballots-fewer-polling-places-for-2027-election","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510303-50a79300b0b26b51f8c63b9bb2e79481/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156764&Signature=BcIOno6I9qOf6xzJEnRcI~oy1NcubvjvIKcMehweLQ1Map~LmYXjicxsseuwbfdv~gnvv7VVZ2V1qZndsmDCLBY5V9LNmcfBkTIa19ziwMrR4Zj-sVvhVZlvcNfd4VPhw-gkgDPj6P3SNLOCtBSUQLZeyZEjYL0spllgsXzd~X3tXKDmwfukQU9Oz7cmgNGDDbse3Zf3nDi59hLorCET~F3vOnHJPI1Ip4NFH2cqgB9OFMZFKMvr51HgOMAQR7Oa7wrZlowr-u8FFWUdrD8GmSioB9My6Mvv7STTOwNO9uGJRSviCX5IS8EcH7V35oGRLqDO5vZPaCe-72Ig0HsShQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bowie, MD","date","2025-07-08T01:57:33Z","article","The City of Bowie Board of Elections on July 14 recommended that the city return to paper ballots for all voters in the 2027 election, consolidate polling places, and keep in-person polling rather than adopt a full mail-in model.

The board's chair, Yolanda Jones, told the council the panel's package of recommendations includes preprinted paper ballots scanned into tabulation machines, use of ADA-compliant ballot-marking devices that print a voter's ballot for scanning, continued use of electronic poll books, and a reassessment of current polling locations. \"The board recommends a return to paper ballots for all voters, not just absentee voters,\" Jones said, describing the ballot-marking and scanning workflow the board prefers.

Jones said the board is recommending reducing polling places from eight to four 'provisionally one per council district'pending final site and accessibility assessments. The board also recommended that the candidate filing period open May 1, 2027, and close 60 days before election day; that absentee ballot requests be handled no later than one week before the election; and that campaign finance reports and absentee applications be accepted electronically while candidate filing remain in-person.

Why it matters: Council members said paper ballots would create a clearer paper trail and speed lines at polling sites, and asked staff to tighten code language to avoid ambiguity around filing and reporting deadlines. Councilwoman Donna Rogers said she welcomed the paper-ballot recommendation because it would create an accountability trail for post-election review: \"I'm glad to see the support for the paper ballots. I have been concerned over the many, many years ' depending, many elections ' I've had some concerns with accountability and in the long term, if there are challenges that we didn't have a good, paper trail, if you will.\"

Questions from council and staff exchanges focused on several operational points: Jones confirmed the board recommends that absentee ballots be dropped off in person at City Hall (they can be dropped off through polls-closing time) rather than relying on a postmark rule; she and the clerk said there is currently no local rule accepting ballots postmarked by election day but received later. Jones also said the board unanimously opposes converting Bowie's election to a full mail-in model.

Council members pressed on voter access options tied to consolidation. The board flagged site availability problems at Cornerstone Church and parking and crowding concerns at Huntington Community Center and South Bowie Pool House. Jones said the board had talked with vendors and municipalities such as College Park, Laurel and Greenbelt to review options and vendor offerings and that vendors commonly offer leased equipment (rather than one-time purchase) and vendor training that can be completed quickly onsite.

Staff follow-up and next steps: City Clerk Walter Hernandez and board members said the board will work with staff to draft code amendments to City Code, Chapter 6, to reflect the changes and present them to council with public hearings. Jones said leasing tabulation equipment and ADA machines is an anticipated procurement path and that the board will pursue site assessments. The city manager and economic development staff also offered to compile a timetable for implementation; staff said they could return with a more detailed plan for council review in coming weeks.

What was not decided: The council did not adopt ordinance language tonight. Several operational questions were left for staff, including final polling site selections, precise absentee-ballot handling language for the code, and a final budget estimate for leasing tabulation hardware.

Ending: The board's recommendations will be converted into proposed code language and implementation steps for council review; staff will provide a schedule so the council can consider code changes well in advance of the 2027 filing period.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular City Council Meeting - Monday, July 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The City of Bowie Board of Elections on July 14 recommended returning to paper ballots, consolidating polling places and rejecting a full mail-in election for the 2027 city vote.","taxTitle","Bowie, Prince George's County, Maryland","taxId",4106,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6510289,"Votes at a glance: Bowie council appoints committee members, approves consent agenda, funds youth camp and moves to closed session",4675,365000,5040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5387738-e94ae33d8bd23170cb8f0387582cdf4a&start=365&end=5040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5387738-e94ae33d8bd23170cb8f0387582cdf4a/thumbnail_365000.jpg","/articles/6510289/Bowie/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Votes-at-a-glance-Bowie-council-appoints-committee-members-approves-consent-agenda-funds-youth-camp-and-moves-to-closed-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510289-e5345d152d279c76a3cc62f20c237bf3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156764&Signature=fH1wWGDM3PmSFUhUJ2nl3bdGn~-O5q0aKRgKSfWmy5qtO3jOiIUR8YeWYE60~x06gwstIzy-shRrqSv7CYHpTFsDLMdxo5KJy9YP0zNsrN4lb-ox4BY0FrunpeBWoV3yFVZbjuRBO8~wAOReLZBSSnpNQB6YzaLU-NGsd7KYbGWMGszyKKvjeMyNWTy-XMPHTE8hEM5b8BVnS~9aTv3URtbEUrwxVIWF7DxxW6-P78G~uWKmb7KocZFIU4CZ9CU3T1SgkZbRR3nZ3L6pu-4jixm9S~3wKf8x-sZ4trxKoWADMaDGBiKAFSVd-jjCVVeXxTA2Vuq2Aw98z5YJtcmj~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Key actions taken at the City of Bowie council meeting on July 14, 2025:

- Appointment: Tiffany Townsend Smith was appointed as a regular member of the Community Outreach Committee for a two-year term. The oath of office was administered at the meeting.

- Appointment: Henrietta Osei Anto (listed in the record as Miss Henrietta Awoose Anto/Henrianda Agua Ocanto in earlier remarks) was appointed as a regular member of both the Community Outreach Committee and the Diversity Committee for a two-year term.

- Consent agenda: The council approved the consent agenda without discussion.

- Funding motion: The council moved forward with sponsoring six participants from Bowie to attend the South Bowie Boys & Girls Club Nike basketball camp (motion carried unanimously). Council directed staff to administer scholarships and expedite placements.

- Closed session: The council voted to adjourn the public meeting and convene a closed session under Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Article ER 3-305(b)(1) and (3) (personnel matters and acquisition of real property). The motion to adjourn and convene closed session carried unanimously.

Vote totals: Each recorded motion was approved unanimously; the meeting record shows no recorded nays or abstentions.

Notes: Individual roll-call votes with member-by-member tallies were not recorded in the transcript for most items; the minutes record the council responding in unison with \"Aye\" and the mayor concluding \"Hearing none, motion carries.\" The appointments were administered at the meeting and staff will complete associated onboarding tasks.","At its July 14 meeting the Bowie City Council approved two committee appointments, the consent agenda, sponsorship of six camp participants, and voted to adjourn into closed session. All motions carried unanimously.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6510293,"Bowie council begins sustained economic development discussion, asks staff for roadmap",1327,3600000,4927000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5387738-e94ae33d8bd23170cb8f0387582cdf4a&start=3600&end=4927","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5387738-e94ae33d8bd23170cb8f0387582cdf4a/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","/articles/6510293/Bowie/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Bowie-council-begins-sustained-economic-development-discussion-asks-staff-for-roadmap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510293-99c13aeb1aca8fe920b036973b32ce01/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156764&Signature=O8a0KDHRuzk-tTodPAr2IO17ZXg7Dmjs~iQSD-8x8aJAgj0~RplltQByP8sQFg9pyM5ICq9V8OyzLbrLhPdbINycngdrQz0kbFhh1aStaMqsHcBl98gRtPJR0W1wLtiAI0DNop9q4L6siTsVo6b9EGNLWl4ERY4K1fBjIPZmn4xKx9yspN2PZuMyZTlv4TP~CM4nLlYRJRwmdH3zLg3qCLl2aZT7suiAvdp6gK~LtPl7RAwmMvHygtXw4ia5XpmfQb4gqPcqhmizWf1z5HmCY9bENG9l~bdvavk0eGpSaWJ3gIVJiDp04Cw37Hdc6PvDf89zs1EB399WpBHkLJ7xaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bowie City Council on July 14 opened a multi-month push to develop a formal economic development policy and asked city staff to prepare a roadmap for regular council review.

Councilmember Brady, who introduced the item, said the city lacks a concentrated downtown core and a \"critical mass\" of complementary businesses and proposed a staged approach: invite state and county officials for input, receive a vision document from the economic development committee in September, and hold a business roundtable in the fall. \"I think we need to do it on a monthly basis,\" Brady said, outlining a tentative schedule of stakeholder meetings and committee reports.

Council members generally supported a stepped process and recommended that staff prepare a regular meeting cadence and outreach plan. Several council members suggested the city explore forming an independent economic development corporation to pursue business recruitment and funding; the city manager described one model used in Albany, Georgia, where city and county each contributed to an economic development agency that hired a professional recruiter.

Staff response and next steps: Mayor Adams asked economic development staff to prepare a timetable and suggested John Henry King and the economic development team draft an initial roadmap and schedule. The city manager said staff could prepare a plan for council review as soon as August. \"We'll have Mr. King and his team work on a schedule of monthly discussions,\" the city manager said, adding staff will incorporate council feedback and best-practice examples.

Why it matters: Council members cited a need for proactive recruitment, clearer vision for a town center, improved business retention and more predictable permitting and zoning discussions. Several members emphasized that ultimate zoning authority rests with Prince George's County and that coordination with county officials and the county economic development agency will be necessary.

Ending: Staff will return with a proposed schedule and roadmap for council review; councilmembers signaled support for continuing the conversation and for exploring tools such as an economic development corporation and targeted business outreach.

","Councilmembers agreed to pursue a structured, recurring conversation about economic development, asked staff to prepare a schedule and asked the city's economic development staff to return with a roadmap and options, including the potential for an economic development corporation and outreach to county and state partners.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6510298,"Bowie council approves sponsorship of six children to attend Nike basketball camp",375,782000,1157000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5387738-e94ae33d8bd23170cb8f0387582cdf4a&start=782&end=1157","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5387738-e94ae33d8bd23170cb8f0387582cdf4a/thumbnail_782000.jpg","/articles/6510298/Bowie/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Bowie-council-approves-sponsorship-of-six-children-to-attend-Nike-basketball-camp","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510298-25de432d5184e575be0ea59d0d4a7f0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156764&Signature=jFisizRybQyOwH8~UDMPDTDIE4F6g-i7dgbY1Qnn~c~rVyQuQ70jR8i8NjnbL6Cgq7Q~OYJtmpE1y7XZrA9N93xFyq-CmxrZ1MNs-ZUA-m2CO3D7kN8dgew1wZXvrpH6ECdYaP21qXd3B7qj8XSS3Tzkx~C-oAG~PiqpYKmIG-QpBrDyjm98Bbb4kw8Mat0TOM-SxZE3sUdoiEum0xVtrpsq6gKpfjtPsn8rs49nkHxfaysncFlUYnENJC~NcWVkfuJRM1qbmY4hylPKl7olBCfCzFliEfNGV~rntxxiv6JUmJo0NZ36P3DOum6hKhBGd8skGCeiLrH5edLA~zMQAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bowie City Council on July 14 voted unanimously to sponsor six children from the city to attend a Nike-affiliated basketball camp hosted by the South Bowie Boys & Girls Club in partnership with Chase Your Dreams Academy.

Carrie Bridges, athletic director for the South Bowie Boys & Girls Club and community leader for Chase Your Dreams Academy, told the council the camp has operated in Bowie for more than a decade and that last year the club negotiated reduced costs with Nike and its partners. \"The Nike camp has proudly operated in the city of Bowie for well over a decade,\" Bridges said. She said the club and partner Sonya Chase worked to lower per-student costs so the club could offer more scholarship slots.

Bridges asked the council to support funding specifically for children who live in the city and whose families cannot afford the camp. She described outreach to county council members and a recent example of unmet need: \"To illustrate the need over the weekend, a mother from Devonshire reached out after seeing our post on social media. Unfortunately, we had already exhausted available funds and were unable to help her.\"

Council members expressed unanimous support and directed staff to move forward. Mayor Pro Tem Wilfley and other council members said staff are accustomed to administering scholarships and could manage selection and distribution of funds. A motion to \"move forward with these 6 candidates\" carried without objection.

Clarifying details: At a prior meeting council discussed a funding amount of $2,100 to sponsor six participants; that figure was referenced again in tonight's discussion but was not restated as a formal line-item motion on the record. Bridges said the camp's pricing and registration details are listed on U.S. Sports Camps websites and told the council that, as she stated, the standard cost appeared on those sites as \"$4.99 per participant\" and that the club negotiated a reduced per-participant cost with Nike and partners to expand scholarship capacity.

What happens next: Council directed staff to administer the sponsorships and to work with Bridges and the club to expedite placement; the community services director was asked to contact Bridges to arrange logistics so children can attend upcoming sessions.

Ending: The motion passed unanimously; staff will coordinate with the South Bowie Boys & Girls Club to place the six sponsored participants.","The City Council voted unanimously July 14 to move forward with funding six spots for children at the South Bowie Boys & Girls Club Nike basketball camp after a presentation by the club's athletic director requesting city support for families facing financial hardship.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bowie Board of Elections recommends return to paper ballots, fewer polling places for 2027 election

Votes at a glance: Bowie council appoints committee members, approves consent agenda, funds youth camp and moves to closed session

Bowie council begins sustained economic development discussion, asks staff for roadmap

Bowie council approves sponsorship of six children to attend Nike basketball camp