Maryland man arrested at polling place after refusing to wear mask or go to designated area to vote

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Thursday, October 29, 2020
Maryland man arrested at polling place after refusing to wear mask or go to designated area to vote
A Maryland man was arrested for trespassing after refusing to wear a mask and follow directions at his polling place.

JARRETTSVILLE, MD -- A Maryland man was arrested for trespassing after refusing to wear a mask and follow directions at his polling place.

Daniel Swain, 52, was one of two men who had the cops called on them for refusing to follow rules while trying to cast their ballot.

Deputies with Harford County Sheriff's Office arrived at the polling place Monday, the first day of early voting.

Poll workers called deputies after two men refused to wear a mask or vote in a designated voting location set aside specifically for people who refused to wear masks.

"The state and county boards of elections have been very careful about trying to keep people protected. You know, the pandemic is, is spiking out of control at this point in states across America," Gov. Larry Hogan said.

Deputies said they spent 30 minutes trying to resolve the conflict. Eventually, the deputies told the men they needed to leave.

One of the men agreed, but Swain refused. That's when he was arrested for trespassing.

Swain was taken to the detention center, processed, and released on his own recognizance. He has a trial scheduled for December 4.