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                      Campaign 'Fatigue' as Maryland Votes

   by Esha Sarai

   Maryland's voters headed to the polls Tuesday to take part in a ballot
   that usually in years past has played no role in deciding which
   Republican and Democrat get their party's nomination. That's because
   the nominee has already been chosen by the time Maryland voters go to
   the polls.

   Not so this year, with candidates in both parties still vying to win
   the nomination.

   Though some might think voters in these states would be excited to play
   a substantive role in this abnormal election year, many voters seem
   unenthusiastic, if not fatigued, after more than a year of campaigning.

   "I'm a little exhausted.  I'll be honest, I'm physically exhausted with
   it all," Maryland voter Jamie Mahone told VOA. "There used to be a time
   where I was really excited when there was a debate on TV, and now I
   just turn it off which doesn't make me sound like a very informed
   voter. But at this point I feel like I've heard all I can hear."

   Adam Fugal agreed, said he was disappointed with how the candidates
   have attacked one another on the campaign trail.

   "It's been very negative, very disheartening. There have been a lot of
   good ideas but a lot of negative campaigning...I'm not very happy," he
   said. "I think there are a lot of countries looking at America and
   thinking we're crazy, and I kind of agree."

   ''Fugal, like a few other voters VOA spoke with, voted for Republican
   John Kasich. Though Kasich is trailing significantly behind both Ted
   Cruz and Donald Trump, many Republican voters are turning to him as a
   more moderate nominee.

   Kasich has not won enough delegates to receive the nomination, but
   votes for him mean fewer votes for the frontrunner Trump, which would
   potentially prevent him from gaining the nomination before the
   convention in July.

   Not all Maryland voters are able to participate in this process of
   picking a nominee. In the state's primary, only registered Democrats or
   Republicans can vote in their respective party's primary. Those
   registered as Independents are shut out and can only vote for president
   in the general election in November.

   "I'm a registered Independent, so I'm not allowed to vote in the
   primary, which makes me very sad and I hope we can change that,"
   kindergarten teacher Carrie Lund said.

   But Lund says she is less than excited about the candidates who are
   running for the next U.S. president.

   "I still don't know who I will vote for, and that's concerning to me,"
   she said. "I don't feel a strong pull towards anyone that I feel like
   really stands a chance."

   Donald Trump currently has 845 delegates and needs 1,237 to win the
   nomination. In the five primaries 172 delegates are at stake.

   In the northeast states voting on Tuesday 384 Democratic delegates are
   up for grabs. Clinton currently has 1,946 and needs 2,383 to win.  if
   she wins by a large enough margin in these northeast primaries, it may
   become impossible for Sanders to get the nomination.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/campaign-fatigue-as-maryland-votes/33
   03874.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/campaign-fatigue-as-maryland-votes/3303874.html