Election Day is here, but even before Tuesday, nearly 40 percent of Maryland voters had already recorded their choices either through early voting or absentee ballots. Polls will close at 8 p.m., and many state and local issues are expected to be decided relatively quickly after that.Here’s the results we’ll be watching through the day and night and into tomorrow. Check back here for the latest updates.U.S. SenateThe contest to succeed retiring Ben Cardin pits Democrat Angela Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County Executive, against two-term former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. National groups have invested millions in the campaign and the GOP early on thought they would have a good shot at taking control of the seat. The Alsobrooks campaign has stressed that the winner of the contest could decide control of the U.S. Senate, and that message appears to have resonated. Recent polls – if they can be trusted — show Alsobrooks pulling away.When the swearing-in takes place, it will represent the first time in a half-century that the Baltimore region will not claim a U.S. Senator either from the city or representing it in Congress (a stretch that dates to the 1970s and includes the full tenures of Barbara Mikulski and Paul Sarbanes).HarborplaceBallot Question H in Baltimore – one of eight ballot questions in the city – asks voters to decide whether portions of the Inner Harbor can be rezoned for private development, including the building of large residential towers.This change would allow a proposed redevelopment of Harborplace by MCB Real Estate, which purchased the current failing pavilions from receivership and and unveiled their vision in a master plan released in late 2023. Features include a new park, amphitheater, a resilient waterfront promenade with garden islands, a distinctive commercial building called the Sail, and twin residential towers of 32 and 25 stories apiece with up to 900 apartments.The plan will cost close to $1 billion to execute, with $400 million in public money for the public portions. The concept has been embraced by Mayor Brandon Scott, Gov. Wes Moore, and members of the City Council and General Assembly.But opposition has been strong, with opponents trying to derail the plan by knocking the question off the ball. Critics say one developer will have too much control over a city landmark, and is not staying true to the original concept of the Inner Harbor which dates to the 1970s. While several former mayors have endorsed the plan, former mayor and governor Martin O’Malley recently came out in in opposition.You can read Baltimore Fishbowl’s interview with P. David Bramble, the public face of MCB, about his goals and vision, in a Q and A published in two parts – Part 1 and Part 2.Reproductive FreedomQuestion 1, the only statewide ballot question, enshrines reproductive freedom in the state constitution. A vote for Question 1 means that the decision to prevent pregnancy through contraception, carry a pregnancy to term, or terminate a pregnancy through abortion would be left only to a pregnant person and their health care provider.The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned the nearly 50 years of precedent set by Roe, began a cascading effect of state actions. There had been a call to enshrine these rights in the Maryland constitution before the Dobbs decision, but after that decision the urgency of protecting Marylanders became more real.Maryland is one of 10 states with abortion-related questions on the ballot this year. The others are Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York and South Dakota.Size of the Baltimore City CouncilBallot question H asks Baltimore voters whether they want to reduce the size of the City Council from 14 representatives to eight. A ‘for’ vote would reduce the council, while an ‘against’ vote would keep the current 14-member council.In the final weeks before Election Day, City Council members, progressive groups and labor organizations escalated a campaign asking voters to oppose Question H. According to the Baltimore Banner, opponents knocked on doors and attending community meetings informing residents that the measure is financed by David Smith, the Baltimore County-based media mogul who chairs Sinclair, Inc. and earlier this year bought The Baltimore Sun. In recent weeks, a well-funded counteroffensive backed by Mayor Brandon Scott — the pointedly named Stop Sinclair — has blitzed tens of thousands of residents with text messages and radio ads.Moms for Liberty and local school boardsMaryland has not been immune to a national trend of a group known as Moms for Liberty seeking influence on local school boars. In 11 counties, including Howard County, Moms for Liberty or an affiliated Political Action Committee have endorsed a total of 19 candidates.  Since its founding in 2021, Moms for Liberty has surged in popularity as it undertakes efforts to elect right-wing school board candidates, to target references to race and LGBTQ+ identity in classrooms around the nation, and to have books removed from school libraries. The Southern Poverty Law Center designated Moms for Liberty as an anti-government extremist group in June 2023, arguing it uses parents’ rights as a vehicle to attack public education and make schools less welcoming for minority and LGBTQ+ students.The Maryland effort has greatly disturbed Democrats in the state. For the first time, Maryland Democrats are getting involved in what have traditionally been non-partisan races throughout the state.You can read Baltimore Fishbowl’s coverage of former state Del. Trent Kittleman and the school board race in Howard County here.Baltimore CountySeveral ballot questions in Baltimore County aim to change the shape of government. Question A would increase from 7 to 9 the number of County Councilmembers and Council Districts; and make membership on the County Council a full-time position for purposes of determining compensation. Proponents say this could increase diversity and the voices of various communities. Opponents say it is not needed.Question C would create a term limit for Planning Board members of three consecutive terms and to make all appointments to the Planning Board subject to confirmation by the County Council. The question is in response to perpetual questions about the influence of developers in the county.