Tuesday's election was marked by the end of a tradition and a small electrical fire in the county's least populated precinct.

The seven election officials working in the social hall of the Middleburg United Methodist Church on Johnsville Road noticed the room filling with smoke and detected the odor of an electrical fire as the 100th voter marked the ballot about 2 p.m.

They searched the building, which is behind the church, and eventually called 911.

Volunteer firefighters from Union Bridge, Taneytown and New Windsor in Carroll and New Midway, Woodsboro and Rocky Ridge of Frederick County were dispatched to the Middleburg polls.

Firefighters traced the smoke to overheated ballasts in a ceiling light, which they disconnected.

The election officials remained at their posts throughout the operation, and voting resumed with less illumination.

Meanwhile, voters in Middleburg didn't get to buy their traditional goodies while casting ballots at the church.

Church members didn't have their usual election bake sale -- complete with soup and sandwiches -- because of a lack of volunteers.