Absentee Ballots

HB0202

Delegate Long, R.

Election Law - Absentee Ballots - Signature Requirements and Verification

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Prohibiting a local board of elections from removing an absentee ballot from a return envelope or ballot/return envelope or counting the ballot unless the return envelope or ballot/return envelope is signed by the voter and, except under certain circumstances, a witness and the local board verifies the voter's signature; and providing that the witness signature requirement does not apply to active duty uniformed services members serving overseas or their spouses or dependents who live overseas.

Absentee Voters

HB0164

Delegate Long, R.

Election Law - Voter Registration List - Absentee Voters (Absentee Ballot Transparency Act of 2024)

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Requiring the State Board of Elections or a local board of elections, on request of a candidate, to provide the candidate with a list of registered voters who have requested an absentee ballot for an upcoming election; and requiring that the list of absentee voters provided include the email address and telephone number of each voter on the list, if the information is available.

Article V Amendments Convention

HB1202

SB1073

Delegate Fisher

Amendments Convention Called Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution - Delegation to the Convention

Failed-not assigned to standing committee

Rules and Executive Nominations

Requiring the General Assembly to appoint a delegation to an amendments convention called under Article V of the U.S. Constitution and an advisory committee under certain circumstances and in accordance with certain requirements; providing for the membership of the delegation; providing for the qualifications, oath, compensation, and duties of a commissioner to the delegation; establishing the operations of the delegation and the advisory committee; etc.

Article V Amendments Convention

SB1073

HB1202

Senator Ready

Amendments Convention Called Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution - Delegation to the Convention

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Requiring the General Assembly to appoint a delegation to an amendments convention called under Article V of the U.S. Constitution and an advisory committee under certain circumstances and in accordance with certain requirements; providing for the membership of the delegation; providing for the qualifications, oath, compensation, and duties of a commissioner to the delegation; establishing the operations of the delegation and the advisory committee; etc.

Assembly Vacancy

HB0347

SB0140

Delegate Palakovich Carr

General Assembly Vacancy - Political Party Central Committees - Procedures

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Establishing requirements for the filling of a vacancy in the office of Senator or Delegate in the General Assembly by a central committee of a political party under the Maryland Constitution relating to applications, public notice, public meetings, and voting; and requiring a member of the central committee who has applied to fill the vacancy to recuse themselves from voting on the individual to fill the vacancy.

Assembly Vacancy

SB0140

HB0347

Senator Lam

General Assembly Vacancy - Political Party Central Committees - Procedures

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Establishing requirements for the filling of a vacancy in the office of Senator or Delegate in the General Assembly by a central committee of a political party under the Maryland Constitution relating to applications, public notice, public meetings, and voting; and requiring a member of the central committee who has applied to fill the vacancy to recuse themselves from voting on the individual to fill the vacancy.

Automatic Registration

HB1088

SB0605

Delegate Feldmark

Election Law - Automatic Voter Registration - Alterations

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Altering automatic voter registration procedures at the Motor Vehicle Administration and the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange; establishing requirements regarding the transmission of automatic voter registration information by the Administration and the Exchange, the processing of the voter registration information by the State Board of Elections, and the sending of notices by the State Board and the Exchange; etc.

Automatic Registration

SB0605

HB1088

Senator Washington, M.

Election Law - Automatic Voter Registration - Alterations

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Altering automatic voter registration procedures at the Motor Vehicle Administration and the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange; establishing requirements regarding the transmission of automatic voter registration information by the Administration and the Exchange, the processing of the voter registration information by the State Board of Elections, and the sending of notices by the State Board and the Exchange; etc.

Ballot Questions-Plain Language

HB1343

SB0495

Delegate Attar

Election Law - Petitions and Ballot Questions - Plain Language Requirement

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Requiring that a certain statement included on the signature page of a petition seeking to place a question on the ballot and a certain statement about the purpose of a question on the ballot be written in plain language reasonably calculated to be understood by an individual who has attained not higher than a grade 6 level of reading comprehension.

Ballot Questions-Plain Language

SB0495

HB1343

Senator Kagan

Election Law - Petitions and Ballot Questions - Plain Language Requirement

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Ways and Means

Requiring that a certain statement included on the signature page of a petition seeking to place a question on the ballot and a certain statement about the purpose of a question on the ballot be written in plain language reasonably calculated to be understood by an individual who has attained not higher than a grade 6 level of reading comprehension.

Ballot questions-plain language Summary

HB1342

Delegate Feldmark

Elections – Ballot Questions – Publication of Proposed Laws and Plain Language Summary

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Requiring the State Board of Elections and each applicable local board of elections to post the complete text and a plain language summary of certain proposed language or enactments relating to certain ballot questions for at least 65 days before the general election; requiring that a statement of purpose of a ballot question be written in plain easily understandable language; and prohibiting the questions from appearing on the ballot unless the proposed language or the enactment has been written.

Campaign Finance

HB0792

SB0016

Delegate Jones, D.

Election Law - Campaign Finance - Draft Committees and Exploratory Committees

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Applying certain campaign finance requirements for a political committee to draft committees and exploratory committees; establishing requirements and prohibitions for draft and exploratory committees relating to the establishment of the committees, receipt of funds, and permissible disbursements; requiring an authorized candidate campaign committee that results from the draft committee or exploratory committee to make any equipment purchases from the draft committee or exploratory committee at the fair market value of the equipment; etc.

Campaign Finance

SB0016

HB0792

Senator Kagan

Election Law - Campaign Finance - Draft Committees and Exploratory Committees

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Ways and Means

Applying certain campaign finance requirements for a political committee to draft committees and exploratory committees; establishing requirements and prohibitions for draft and exploratory committees relating to the establishment of the committees, receipt of funds, and permissible disbursements; requiring an authorized candidate campaign committee that results from the draft committee or exploratory committee to make any equipment purchases from the draft committee or exploratory committee at the fair market value of the equipment; etc.

Election Law Revisions

SB0271

HB0014

Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee

Election Law - Revisions

Passed Enrolled

Governor

Altering the information that clerks of the circuit court for each county and administrative clerks for each District Court are required to report to the State Administrator of Elections to include the names of individuals convicted of a felony and sentenced to imprisonment with commitment papers; requiring a certain public official to make a certain building available to a local board of elections for early voting in accordance with a certain provision of law; requiring each local board to establish a certain appeals process; etc.

Election disinformation

HB0333

Delegate Rosenberg

Election Law - Election Disinformation and Improper Influence Related to Voting

Passed Enrolled

Governor

Requiring the State Board of Elections to maintain a portal on the State Board's website that the public may use to report election disinformation; requiring the State Board to conduct a periodic review of material submitted by the public through the portal and, to the extent necessary, issue corrective information or refer submissions to the State Prosecutor; and defining 'influence' for purposes of certain provisions of law prohibiting improper influence related to voting.

In-Person Voting - Proof of Identity

SB0772

Senator Ready

Elections - In-Person Voting - Proof of Identity

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Requiring an election judge to establish a voter's identity by requiring the voter to present a valid government-issued photo identification or a valid nongovernment-issued photo identification, and a current bill, statement, or check that states the voter's name and address as proof of identity; requiring a voter to vote a provisional ballot if the voter is unable to provide certain proof of identity; and prohibiting a person from knowingly and willfully voting or attempting to vote under a false form of identification.

Inernet-delivered ballots-study

SB0709

Senator Kagan

Election Law - Absentee Ballots - Internet-Delivered Absentee Ballot Study

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Requiring the State Board of Elections to submit a report on the costs and resources required to process Internet-delivered absentee ballots during elections in the State to the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee on or before September 1, 2024.

Interference with Legislative Proceeding

HB0128

Delegate Rosenberg

Crimes - Interfering With a Legislative Proceeding

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Judicial Proceedings

Prohibiting a person from intentionally threatening to physically harm a witness or retaliating against a witness or intentionally soliciting another to threaten a witness or retaliate against a witness to affect testimony before a legislative body in a legislative proceeding; and providing certain penalties.

Party and Elected Public Offices

HB0080

SB0812

Delegate Boyce

Election Law - Party and Elected Public Offices - Prohibition

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Altering the application of provisions of law that prohibit an individual from simultaneously being a candidate for more than one public office or office of a political party; prohibiting individuals from simultaneously being a candidate for, or holding, a party office and an elected public office; and providing the Act does not apply to an individual on the ballot for the national presidential nominating convention or who holds the office of delegate to the national presidential nominating convention.

Party and Elected Public Offices

SB0812

HB0080

Senator Ellis

Election Law - Party and Elected Public Offices - Prohibition

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Altering the application of provisions of law that prohibit an individual from simultaneously being a candidate for more than one public office or office of a political party; and prohibiting individuals from simultaneously being a candidate for, or holding, a party office and an elected public office.

Political Organizations

HB0494

SB0458

Delegate Palakovich Carr

Campaign Finance – Political Organizations – Prohibitions and Disclosures

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Prohibiting certain political organizations from fraudulently claiming to be acting on behalf of a candidate or political party; prohibiting certain political organizations from making expenditures or disbursements to an entity owned or controlled by certain individuals; prohibiting certain political organizations from employing certain individuals or allowing certain individuals to volunteer on behalf of the political organization; requiring certain political organizations to make certain disclosures; etc.

Political Organizations

SB0458

HB0494

Senator Kagan

Campaign Finance - Political Organizations - Prohibitions and Disclosures

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Ways and Means

Prohibiting certain political organizations from making expenditures or disbursements to an entity owned or controlled by certain individuals; prohibiting certain political organizations from employing certain individuals or allowing certain individuals to volunteer on behalf of the political organization; requiring certain political organizations to make certain disclosures; authorizing the State Administrator of Elections to investigate a potential violation of the Act; etc.

Post-Election Procedures

HB0471

SB0494

Delegate Fair

Election Law - Postelection Procedures

Returned Passed

Governor

Altering the records and documents that a board of canvassers is required to investigate under certain circumstances; altering the responsibilities of the State Administrator, the State Board of Elections, and the Board of State Canvassers regarding the certification of election results; authorizing the members of the Board of State Canvassers to appoint certain designees to serve on the Board of State Canvassers; and altering the responsibilities of the Governor regarding election results.

Post-Election Procedures

SB0494

HB0471

Senator Kagan

Election Law - Postelection Procedures

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Ways and Means

Altering the records and documents that a board of canvassers is required to investigate under certain circumstances; altering the responsibilities of the State Administrator, the State Board of Elections, and the Board of State Canvassers regarding the certification of election results; authorizing the members of the Board of State Canvassers to appoint certain designees to serve on the Board of State Canvassers; and altering the responsibilities of the Governor regarding election results.

Ranked Choice Voting

SB0493

Senator Kagan

Elections – Ranked–Choice Voting – Contests for Presidential Nomination in 2028

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Requiring that, in the 2028 statewide primary election, each contest for the nomination by a political party of a candidate for the office of President of the United States be conducted using ranked-choice voting; and requiring the State Board of Elections to develop and pay the cost of a certain voter education campaign and conduct and pay the cost of a survey of voters after the primary election to gauge the satisfaction of the voters with ranked-choice voting.

Recount procedures

HB0371

SB0115

Delegate Grossman

Election Law - Recounts - Procedures

Returned Passed

Governor

Requiring a petitioner for a recount to select the method for conducting the recount; limiting the methods from which the selection must be made; and requiring a local board of elections to preserve and store certain voter-verifiable paper records and conduct a recount in a certain manner.

Recount procedures

SB0115

HB0371

Senator Kagan

Election Law – Recounts – Procedures

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Ways and Means

Requiring a petitioner for a recount to select the method for conducting the recount; limiting the methods from which the selection must be made; requiring a local board of elections to preserve and store certain voter-verifiable paper records in a certain manner and count the voter-verifiable paper record in a manual recount after a certain review; and establishing the process for an automated recount.

Revisions

HB0014

SB0271

Chair, Ways and Means Committee

Election Law - Revisions

Failed-no vote in Conference Committee

Conference Committee

Altering the information that clerks of the circuit court for each county and administrative clerks for each District Court are required to report to the State Administrator of Elections; requiring a public official responsible for the use of a public building requested by a local board of elections for an early voting center to make the building available to the local board; requiring each local board to establish an appeals process regarding requests to use public buildings as early voting centers; etc.

Risk-Limiting Post-election Audits

HB0040

SB0523

Delegate Kaiser

Election Law - Postelection Tabulation Audits - Risk-Limiting Audits

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Requiring the State Board of Elections, in collaboration with the local boards of elections, to conduct a risk-limiting audit after each statewide election; authorizing the State Board, in collaboration with the local boards, to conduct a risk-limiting audit after a special general election; authorizing, rather than requiring, the State Board, in collaboration with the local boards, to conduct an automated software audit after a statewide election; etc.

Risk-Limiting Post-election Audits

SB0523

HB0040

Senator Washington, M.

Election Law - Postelection Tabulation Audits - Risk-Limiting Audits

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Requiring the State Board of Elections, in collaboration with the local boards of elections, to conduct a risk-limiting audit after each statewide election; authorizing the State Board, in collaboration with the local boards, to conduct a risk-limiting audit after a special general election; authorizing, rather than requiring, the State Board, in collaboration with the local boards, to conduct an automated software audit after a statewide election; etc.

School Board Elections-16 yr old voters

HB0373

Delegate Vogel

Election Law - Voting Age - Board of Education Elections

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Authorizing the General Assembly to provide by suitable enactment the authority of a county to lower the age at which an individual may vote in an election for members of an elected county board of education; authorizing a county to enact a local law that allows an individual who is at least 16 years of age to vote in an election for members of an elected county board of education; submitting the amendment to the Maryland Constitution to the qualified voters of the State for adoption or rejection; etc.

Sending Absentee Ballot Applications

HB1489

SB0824

Delegate Wilkins

Election Law - Absentee Ballot Application - Sending to Eligible Voters Before Primary Elections

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Requiring each local board of elections to send the absentee ballot application approved by the State Board of Elections to each eligible voter at least 60 days before each statewide primary election, unless the voter has permanent absentee ballot status.

Sending Absentee Ballot Applications

SB0824

HB1489

Senator Kramer

Election Law – Absentee Ballot Application – Sending to Eligible Voters Before Primary Elections

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Requiring each local board of elections to send the absentee ballot application approved by the State Board of Elections to each eligible voter at least 60 days before each statewide primary election, unless the voter has permanent absentee ballot status.

Single Member Districts

HB0182

Delegate Bouchat

Districting - Single Member Districts and Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Apportionment Convention

Failed-not assigned to standing committee

Rules and Executive Nominations

Requiring that each legislative district established for the purpose of electing members of the House of Delegates consist of a certain number of single-member delegate districts; requiring the General Assembly to enact a law establishing and governing a Legislative and Congressional Redistricting and Apportionment Convention to establish legislative and congressional districts and establishing certain requirements regarding the Redistricting Convention; establishing the Redistricting Convention; etc.

Special elections

SB0029

Senator Kagan

General Assembly - Special Election to Fill a Vacancy in Office

Failed-no vote in opposite committee

Ways and Means

Requiring that a special election be held at the same time as the regular statewide primary and general elections that are held in the second year of a term to fill a vacancy in the office of Delegate or Senator in the General Assembly if the vacancy occurs before a certain date.

Unaffiliated Voters

HB0257

SB0099

Delegate Qi

Election Law - Affiliating With a Party and Voting - Unaffiliated Voters

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Authorizing unaffiliated voters to request to affiliate with a political party at an early voting center during a primary election and vote a provisional ballot for the voter's preferred political party.

Unaffiliated Voters

SB0099

HB0257

Senator Kagan

Election Law - Affiliating with a Party and Voting - Unaffiliated Voters

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Authorizing unaffiliated voters to request to affiliate with a political party at an early voting center during a primary election and vote a provisional ballot for the voter's preferred political party.

Voter Identity

HB0142

Delegate Long, R.

Election Law - Polling Places - Establishing Voter Identity (Voter Privacy Act of 2024)

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Authorizing a voter to establish the voter's identity at the request of an election judge at a polling place by presenting the voter's registration card, a valid Maryland driver's license, or certain other identification that contains a photograph.

Voter Identity

HB0192

Delegate Long, R.

Elections - In-Person Voting - Proof of Identity

Failed-no vote in original committee

Ways and Means

Requiring an election judge to establish a voter's identity by requiring the voter to present a valid government-issued photo identification or a valid nongovernment-issued photo identification, and a current bill, statement, or check that states the voter's name and address as proof of identity; requiring a voter to vote a provisional ballot if the voter is unable to provide certain proof of identity; and prohibiting a person from knowingly and willfully voting or attempting to vote under a false form of identification.

Voter registration Age

SB0515

Senator Washington, A.

Elections - Voter Registration Age - Alteration

Failed-no vote in original committee

Education, Energy, and the Environment

Altering, from 16 years old to 15 years and 9 months old, the age at which an individual may register to vote.