PG County

PRINCE GEORGE'S

COUNTY

COVID-19 Revelations

This novel pandemic has exposed longstanding notions of economic and health inequities. For far too long, many African-Americans and other people of color have lived in deprived communities and, based on their zip code, are subject to health disparities.

According to the Economic Policy Institute “The racial wealth gap is much larger than the wage or income gap by race. Average wealth for white families is seven times higher than average wealth for black families. Worse still, median white wealth (wealth for the family in the exact middle of the overall distribution—wealthier than half of all families and less-wealthy than half) is twelve times higher than median black wealth. More than one in four black households have zero or negative net worth.” Especially in the Washington Metropolitan Region, people of color tend to work in the retail and hospitality jobs; and, those jobs were instantly shut down due to COVID-19.

Lack of wealth compounded with high instances of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease & obesity make those populations susceptible to pandemics. Further, the occurrences of these diseases are in communities that lack parks, access to healthy foods, and adequate health care. Few can wonder why COVID-19 has hit the African American community and around the Country hit other communities of color where poverty is dominant and health conditions are devastating.

COVID-19 has exposed that inequity determines ill health and, in the case of devastating pandemics, race and inequity matter. Skeptics may attempt to decouple this and instead point to individual choices; however, few can legitimately argue the alignment of race, wealth, and place to health.

Any movement to a new normal must include addressing equity: access to wealth, education, health care and food regardless of place and race. A new normal is when race and place no longer determines health and lifespan.

Not a member? Please visit our website, www.pgcoc.org or drop by for a visit to get started! Membership is good for a full calendar year, so it’s always a good time to join!

David C. Harrington President & CEO

Maryland Counting Primary Election Ballots This Week

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

MD CENSUS Page 26

Census Remains Key in Maryland Amid Pandemic

5 The Maryland State Board of Elections posted a message on its website reminding voters of the June 2 presidential primary election.

As hundreds of thousands of Maryland voters received their presidential primary election ballots, the state board of elections plans to begin counting them Thursday, May 21.

The board posted a notice last week on its social media pages letting voters who still haven’t received a ballot know they are being processed by the U.S. Postal Service and will arrive soon.

As of Sunday, May 17, about 330,000 voters in Baltimore still haven’t received ballots, which may arrive as late as Saturday, May 23.

That’s why Margaret White doesn’t trust the state’s first election to be conducted primarily by mail. White, who receives mail with a Capitol Heights address, has resided in the unincorporated Millwood-Waterford neighborhood since 1964 near the incorporated city of District Heights.

“I think it is a good way to cause a lot of fraud,” White said about mailing ballots. “I prefer going to the polls and that’s what I’m going to do on Election Day.”

State officials rescheduled the primary election back from April 28 to June 2 because of the novel coronavirus pandemic with more than 40,000 confirmed cases in the state. Prince George’s County leads the state exceeding 12,000 cases.

Even with the rising cases, state officials will allow for limited in-person voting at 57 sites throughout the state. It’s anticipated fewer than 10 poll workers will work or volunteer at vote centers and must adhere to social distance guidelines.

Prince George’s voters can either vote or return ballots to these four places: Bowie Gymnasium, College Park Community Center, Kentland Community Center in Landover and Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex in Fort Washington.

Voters who didn’t receive a ballot in the mail, are unable to mail their ballot, or need special assistance, can vote on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voters can also drop off ballots inside a box placed outside those locations and at the county’s Board of Elections office in Largo. All ballots can be dropped off by 8 p.m. through June 2. Mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than June 2.

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

Marylanders appear to be taking the census seriously, according to federal response rate data.

About 63.6 percent of Maryland households have responded to the census as of Monday, May 18, ahead of the national average of 59.6 percent.

“We always want to do well above the national averages [and] national rates because we want to lead and we know what it means for our communities,” said Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Maryland), who led a virtual “State of the Census” town hall Monday. “Completing the census is a civic duty that ensures our communities don’t get left behind.”

When Grace Pearson Waters of Upper Marlboro received her election ballot, it showed the original April 28 date. An explanation states the date couldn’t be changed “due to insufficient time to reprint the ballots after the presidential primary election date was changed … due to the coronavirus.”

However, she joined 90,000 other county residents who received those instructions in Spanish. She eventually got an English version last week.

The majority-Black jurisdiction was the only locale affected.

“Just like anything else, it will take some time getting used to voting by mail,” she said. “[State election officials] need to let people know and tell them in different ways because some people may not know about the June 2 extension. Voting is important. People fought and died for that right.”

State lawmakers agree.

The Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs and House Ways and Means committees held a recent joint virtual briefing with election officials with an update on the primary election.

Sen. Mary Washington (D-Baltimore City) asked how much is planned to be spent on voter education.

Linda Lamone, administrator for the board of elections, said about $1.3 million, including for ad placement in local newspapers and for a public relations consultant to handle the logistics in voter outreach.

State Sen. Paul Pinsky (D-District 22) of University Park said that amount may not be enough.

“It’s a culture change for a lot of people,” said Pinsky, who chairs the Senate’s education and health committee. “More money could assist in getting the message out deeper and broader.” WI

Brown hosted the town hall to not only encourage residents participate in the decennial count, but also provide an update on the census’s impact in the 4th Congressional District he represents that include portions of Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties.

In 2010, Brown said the district recorded a 70.1 percent self-response rate. As of May 13, he said, it stood at 61.4 percent.