Voting in Maryland

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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in Maryland:

See Election administration in Maryland for additional information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.

Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

Voter registration

Eligibility and registration details

Check your voter registration status here.

According to the Maryland State Board of Elections, to register to vote in Maryland, one must be a United States citizen and Maryland resident who is at least 16 years old. Although a 16-year-old can register to vote, he or she cannot vote in an election unless he or she will be 18 at the time of the next general election (i.e., 17-year-olds are permitted to vote in primary elections, so long as they'll be 18 by the time of the corresponding general election).[1]

Maryland allows same-day voter registration during the early voting period and on Election Day.[1]

Voters may register online, by mail, or in person at one of the following locations:[1]

  • Local board of elections
  • The State Board of Elections
  • Local Department of Health office
  • Maryland Department of Human Services local offices
  • Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) offices
  • Local Area Agency on Aging offices
  • MTA Paratransit Certification Office
  • All public institutions of higher education
  • Recruitment offices of the U.S. Armed Forces
  • Marriage license offices
  • Offices for students with disabilities at all Maryland colleges and universities


In-person voting

Poll times

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In Maryland, all polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]

Voter identification

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Maryland does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases.[3]

A voter will be asked to show ID in the following circumstances:

  • The voter registered by mail and did not provide proper identification;
  • The voter’s identity is challenged; or
  • The voter registers to vote during early voting or changes his or her address during early voting.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Maryland Attorney General's voting information page to ensure you have the most current information.

“
  • A Maryland Driver's License or other Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) issued identification
  • A student ID card that contains a photo
  • An employee ID card that contains a photo
  • A passport or other government issued ID,

OR, if you do not have those forms of ID:

a utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck that shows your name and address and is less than 3 months old. If you are showing ID because you are voting for the first time, your name and address on the document must match the information on the voter registration roll.[4]

”

Early voting

See also: Early voting

Maryland permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Absentee/mail-in voting

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Maryland. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[5]

To vote absentee, an application must be received by election officials at least seven days prior to the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be postmarked on or before Election Day if submitted by mail. Ballots can also be returned in person until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.[5]


Local election officials

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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

See also: Voting rights for convicted felons

As of April 18, 2023, people convicted of a felony automatically regain their voting rights upon release from prison and are eligible to register to vote. This does not apply to people convicted for buying or selling votes, whose voting rights are restored only by the state governor's pardon.

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[6]


Election agencies

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See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Maryland can contact the following state and federal agencies.

Maryland State Board of Elections

151 West Street, Suite 200
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Telephone: 410-269-2840
Website: http://www.elections.state.md.us/
Email: info.sbe@maryland.gov

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Telephone: 301-563-3919
Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Noteworthy events

2018

On April 5, 2018, SB1048, creating an automatic voter registration system in Maryland, became law after Governor Larry Hogan (R) declined to sign or veto it. The legislation provided for the automatic registration of eligible voters when they complete transactions at the following state agencies: Motor Vehicle Administration, Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, local departments of social services, the Mobility Certification Office, and the Maryland Transit Administration. The law was set to take effect by July 1, 2019. The Maryland State Senate approved the bill by a vote of 31-13 on March 16, 2018. The Maryland House of Delegates followed suit on March 28, 2018, by a vote of 93-46.[7][8]

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See also

Elections in Maryland


External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Maryland State Board of Elections, "Introduction," accessed April 18, 2023
  2. ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "Rules and Information for Voters," accessed April 18, 2023
  3. ↑ Maryland Attorney General, "Voting FAQ," accessed April 13, 2023
  4. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Maryland State Board of Elections Website, "Absentee Voting," accessed December 19, 2013
  6. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
  7. ↑ General Assembly of Maryland, "SB1048," accessed April 13, 2018
  8. ↑ General Assembly of Maryland, "Fiscal and Policy Note: Senate Bill 1048," accessed April 13, 2018
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