Marylanders United Asks Maryland Board of Elections Not to Certify Biased Slots Ballot Question

Annapolis, MD – In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Maryland State Board of Elections Robert Walker, Marylanders United to Stop Slots requested that the Board not certify the slots ballot question submitted yesterday by former gambling lobbyist and Secretary of State John McDonough. The full text of the letter is below.

The language of the ballot question clearly represents the pro-slots agenda and reflects the fact that McDonough worked for twenty years as a lobbyist for the gambling of industry. Almost half of the question outlines the money that will go to education, but does not make a single mention of where the rest of the money goes. The truth that Annapolis won't tell voters is that almost 42.5 percent of revenue would go to the gambling industry – almost $550 million dollars taken from hardworking Maryland families and handed to gambling executives who are already multi-millionaires.

Voters are being asked to consider amending the State constitution to bring 15,000 slot machines into the state; they deserve a fair, impartial and unbiased process. The question now is if the Board of Elections will stand on the side of transparency, impartiality and balance.

"Our request is simple – if we are going to explain where some of the money is going, we need to explain where all of it is going. Voters have a right to know the truth about who will get rich off of hardworking Maryland families," said Scott Arceneaux, Senior Advisor of Marylanders United to Stop Slots. "Clearly, voters can't trust Annapolis to give them an unbiased ballot question. We hope that the Board of Elections will put what is best for Maryland families over politics, refuse to certify this ballot language and request new and unbiased language."

Mr. Robert L. Walker
Chairman, Maryland State Board of Elections
151 West Street, Suite 200
Annapolis, MD 21401

Dear Mr. Walker:

I am writing to formally request that you reject the ballot language submitted yesterday by the Secretary of State's office explaining Question 2 – Constitutional Amendment, which will appear on the 2008 general election ballot. The language as submitted is neither fair nor balanced, and on behalf of Marylanders United to Stop Slots, I respectfully ask the Board of Elections not to certify the ballot with this biased language.

As you many know, our organization raised concerns about the propriety of having Secretary of State McDonough, a former gambling lawyer and lobbyist, draft this highly controversial and extremely important constitutional amendment. This request for recusal was ignored and the slanted language now before you was drafted for certification.

The State Board of Elections has an obligation to ensure that ballot measures, particularly ones which amend our Constitution, are presented to the voters in a neutral and unbiased way. The special interests already have enough influence in Annapolis, but they certainly should not have a direct role in amending our State's constitution.

I am also requesting that this matter be placed on your August 28, 2008 Board agenda and that members of the public be granted an opportunity to speak at that meeting on this important constitutional issue. The process to date has been tainted, and it is up to the Board to provide the leadership and objectivity to clear this matter up.

Thank you for your attention to this request. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Scott Arceneaux

cc: Linda Lamon, State Administrator of Elections