By Christine Condon, Leah Brennan and Jillian Atelsek

Senior staff writers

Several Prince George’s County polling places ran out of ballots after “unprecedented turnout,” according to a statement from the Maryland Democratic Party. “All voters should be aware that the Prince George’s County Board of Elections is required, by law, to keep all affected polling locations open as long as required for all voters in line at 8:00 p.m.,” the statement read.

Marjee Chmiel, 42, arrived at Hyattsville Middle School to cast her ballot around 5:30 p.m., and dropped off her husband while she parked the car.

“My husband had texted me, ‘Oh, the lines are really short,’” Chmiel said. “But shortly after we got there, they ran out of paper ballots.”

She would end up waiting for at least an hour with hundreds of others to vote on a single machine before new ballots were delivered.

And the ballot shortages weren’t just reported there. Mike Valerio, a WUSA 9 reporter, tweeted that Brandywine Elementary School ran out of ballots, and county residents with that polling location had to wait hours to vote.

County voters reported a lack of ballots at in least five other locations, according to tips sent to ProPublica’s Electionland project.

The Associated Press predicted a win for incumbent Gov. Larry Hogan at 9:07 p.m. But in the largely Democratic Prince George’s County, many were eyeing a win for Ben Jealous, who, if elected, would be the state’s first black governor.

About 65 percent of Prince George’s County residents are black, about 34 percentage points higher than the state’s overall black population, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data.

“Stay in line. Keep voting,” Jealous tweeted at 9:20 p.m., 13 minutes after the AP called the race for Hogan.

“Maryland Democrats believe that every voter has a right to vote,” the Maryland Democratic Party’s statement read, “and we’re committed to fighting to ensure that every voter is afforded an opportunity to cast their ballot today.”

The Board of Elections tweeted that it will not release results until all voters have cast their ballots.