Md. Code, Election Law, Title 16

in effect

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-101

(a) A person may not willfully and knowingly: (1) impersonate a voter or other person in order to register or attempt to register in the name of the voter or other person; (2) register to vote more than once; (3) falsify residence in an attempt to register in the wrong location; (4) secure registration through any unlawful means; (5) cause by unlawful means the name of a qualified voter to be stricken from the statewide voter registration list; (6) prevent, hinder, or delay a person having a lawful right to register from registering, through the use of force, threat, menace, intimidation, bribery, reward, or offer of reward; (7) falsify any name on a registration; (8) misrepresent any fact relating to registration; or (9) induce or attempt to induce a person to violate any prohibition in items (1) through (8) of this subsection. (b) A person acting under color of law may not discriminate against an individual based on the individual’s declination to register to vote or voter registration information. (c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 5 years or both. (d) A person who violates this section is subject to § 5–106(b) of the Courts Article. (e) A person who unintentionally becomes registered to vote under § 3–203 of this article: (1) shall be considered to have become registered to vote based on information provided to the State Board by an automatic voter registration agency; and (2) may not be considered to have violated this section because of the unintended registration.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-201

(a) In this section, “influence” includes the use of pressure, deception, trickery, or direct or indirect authority to induce action or to change the decision or act of another, regardless of the medium used. (b) A person may not willfully and knowingly: (1) (i) impersonate another person in order to vote or attempt to vote; or (ii) vote or attempt to vote under a false name; (2) vote more than once for a candidate for the same office or for the same ballot question; (3) vote or attempt to vote more than once in the same election, or vote in more than one election district or precinct; (4) vote in an election district or precinct without the legal authority to vote in that election district or precinct; (5) influence or attempt to influence a voter’s voting decision through the use of force, threat, menace, intimidation, bribery, reward, or offer of reward; (6) influence or attempt to influence a voter’s decision, through the use of force, fraud, threat, menace, intimidation, bribery, reward, or offer of reward, whether to: (i) go to the polls to cast a vote; or (ii) vote by other lawful means; or (7) engage in conduct that results or has the intent to result in the denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race, color, or disability. (c) Except as provided in § 16–1002 of this title, a person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment for not more than 5 years or both. (d) A person who violates this section is subject to § 5–106(b) of the Courts Article.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-202

(a) A person who has been convicted of a felony and is currently serving a court–ordered sentence of imprisonment for the conviction, and has been rendered ineligible to vote pursuant to § 3–102(b) of this article, may not vote or attempt to vote during the time that the person is rendered ineligible to vote. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment for not less than 1 year nor more than 5 years.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-203

(a) A person may not willfully disobey the lawful command of an election official at a polling place on election day. (b) A person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $250 or imprisonment for not less than 30 days nor more than 6 months or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-204

(a) A person may not hinder or impede the conduct of official electoral activities by: (1) breach of the peace; (2) disorder; or (3) violence or threat of violence. (b) A person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to imprisonment for not less than 30 days nor more than 1 year or by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-205

(a) (1) A person may not interfere with an election official in the performance of the official duties of the election official. (2) A person may not interfere with an individual lawfully present at a polling place or at the canvass of votes. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not less than 3 months nor more than 1 year or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-206

(a) A person may not: (1) place any distinguishing mark on the person’s own or another person’s ballot for the purpose of identifying the ballot; (2) misrepresent the person’s ability to mark a ballot or operate voting equipment; (3) interfere or attempt to interfere with a voter while the voter is inside the polling room, marking a ballot, or operating voting equipment; (4) induce or attempt to induce a voter to mark the voter’s ballot in a certain way; (5) except for servicing by an authorized person, unlock any locked compartment of a voting device unless instructed to do so by the election director; (6) destroy or deface a ballot; (7) remove a ballot from a building in which voting occurs, except as otherwise provided in this article; (8) delay the delivery of a ballot; (9) possess on or before the day of election an official ballot printed for the election, unless the possession of the ballot is necessary and appropriate for carrying out the election process; (10) canvass, electioneer, or post any campaign material in the polling place or beyond a line established by signs posted in accordance with subsection (b) of this section; (11) canvass, electioneer, or post any campaign material in a manner that obstructs access to a ballot drop box; or (12) place any campaign material or any other unauthorized material on a ballot drop box. (b) (1) At each polling place, one election judge from each principal political party shall be designated by the local board and, acting jointly, shall post signs delineating a line around the entrance and exit of the building that are closest to that part of the building in which voting occurs. (2) (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the line shall be located as near as practicable to 100 feet from the entrance and exit and shall be established after consideration of the configuration of the entrance and the effect of placement on public safety and the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. (ii) In Montgomery County, on approval of the local board, the line may be located at any point between 25 feet and 100 feet from the entrance and exit. (3) The signs shall contain the words “No Electioneering Beyond this Point”. (c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 60 days or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-207

(a) In this section, “alcoholic beverages” has the meaning provided in § 1–101 of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article. (b) A person may not bring, send, or attempt to bring or send any alcoholic beverages into a polling place during the hours that the polling place is open. (c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $100.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-301

(a) An election official or an official of a political party may not willfully neglect official duties under this article or engage in corrupt or fraudulent acts in the performance of official duties under this article. (b) A person who violates this section is subject to a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not less than 30 days nor more than 3 years or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-302

(a) A person may not fraudulently tamper with election records of any kind, whether on paper or in any other medium. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment for not less than 1 year nor more than 5 years.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-303

(a) An election judge, while performing official duties at a polling place, may not willfully and knowingly: (1) interfere in any way with the casting of a vote by a person who the election judge knows is lawfully entitled to vote at an election; (2) fail to challenge a person who the election judge has reason to believe is not entitled to vote; (3) refuse to follow the instructions of the election director with respect to the qualification of voters, the use of voting equipment, or the casting of votes; or (4) obstruct the view at any time of any person, lawfully present in the polling place, who wishes to see the ballot box or voting equipment used during an election. (b) An election judge who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to imprisonment for not less than 3 months nor more than 2 years.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-304

(a) In a polling place on election day, an election judge may not willfully and knowingly: (1) permit a ballot or ballots to be placed into a ballot receptacle prior to the time for voting; or (2) place a ballot in a ballot receptacle unless the ballot is offered by a properly registered voter or is a provisional ballot placed with other provisional ballots of the same character. (b) A person may not: (1) cause or permit a ballot, including a provisional ballot, to be cast or deposited in a ballot receptacle, voting device, or other receptacle designed for the collection of ballots other than by a person entitled under this article to cast a ballot; or (2) substitute, alter, add, or remove a submitted ballot from a ballot receptacle, voting device, or other receptacle designed for the collection of ballots, except when instructed to do so by the election director. (c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment for not less than 1 year nor more than 5 years.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-401

(a) A person may not willfully and knowingly: (1) give, transfer, promise, or offer anything of value for the purpose of inducing another person to sign or not sign any petition; (2) request, receive, or agree to receive, anything of value as an inducement to sign or not to sign any petition; (3) misrepresent any fact for the purpose of inducing another person to sign or not to sign any petition; (4) sign the name of any other person to a petition; (5) falsify any signature or purported signature to a petition; (6) obtain, or attempt to obtain, any signature to a petition by fraud, duress, or force; (7) circulate, cause to be circulated, or file with an election authority a petition that contains any false, forged, or fictitious signatures; (8) sign a petition that the person is not legally qualified to sign; (9) sign a petition more than once; or (10) alter any petition after it is filed with the election authority. (b) Each violation of this section shall be considered a separate offense. (c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to the penalties provided in Subtitle 10 of this title.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-501

(a) A person may not willfully and falsely take an oath or affirmation prescribed: (1) by the State Board; or (2) pursuant to this article. (b) A person may not willfully induce or procure, or offer to induce or procure, another person to willfully and falsely take an oath or affirmation prescribed: (1) by the State Board; or (2) pursuant to this article. (c) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of perjury and shall be punished according to the laws of the State for perjury. (d) Any person who violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of subornation of perjury and shall be punished according to the laws of the State for subornation of perjury.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-601

(a) An election judge or other election official may not willfully and knowingly: (1) make, sign, publish, or deliver a false certificate or statement of the result of the election or any other false report of any kind; or (2) deface, destroy, or conceal any statement, tally, certificate, or other document entrusted to the official’s care and custody. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment for not less than 1 year nor more than 10 years.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-701

(a) A person with custody of election records may not willfully and knowingly: (1) destroy, deface, falsify, remove, or conceal any record related to voting; (2) make a fraudulent entry or alteration, or permit another person to make a fraudulent entry or alteration, of any record related to voting; or (3) allow any other person to do the acts prohibited in items (1) and (2) of this subsection. (b) Any person who does not have custody over election items may not: (1) do an act prohibited by subsection (a) of this section; or (2) advise, procure, or abet the commission of an act prohibited by subsection (a) of this section. (c) This section does not apply to the disposition of obsolete records in the ordinary course of the operation of the State Board or a local board. (d) Each violation of this section is a separate offense. (e) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment for not less than 1 year nor more than 10 years.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-801

(a) A person may not willfully: (1) conceal, damage, or destroy voting equipment used or intended to be used on the day of election; or (2) remove voting equipment from the custody of the election judges or other election officials. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than 3 years or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-802

(a) A person may not willfully and knowingly: (1) tamper with, damage, or attempt to damage any voting equipment that is used or will be used in an election; or (2) prevent or attempt to prevent the correct operation of any voting equipment that is used or will be used on the day of election. (b) An unauthorized person may not make or have in the person’s possession a key to any voting equipment that is used or will be used on the day of election. (c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than 3 years or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-803

(a) A person may not remove, deface, or destroy equipment or supplies placed in a polling place by election officials during an election. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than 3 years or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-804

(a) When an electronic voting system is used, a person may not willfully and knowingly: (1) access the system unless authorized to do so by the appropriate election authority; or (2) tamper with or alter the hardware, system components, or software utilized by the voting system, for the purpose of affecting the vote count. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction shall be subject to a fine of not more than $50,000 or imprisonment for not more than 10 years or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-901

(a) A person may not falsely or fraudulently: (1) make, deface, or destroy a certificate of candidacy or certificate of nomination or any part of the certificate; or (2) file or suppress a certificate of candidacy or certificate of nomination that has been duly filed. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 3 years or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-902

(a) A person may not make a bet or wager on the outcome of an election held under this article. (b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500 to be paid to the State. (c) Any deposit of money as a bet or a wager on the outcome of an election shall be forfeited and paid to the governing body of the county where the money is deposited.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-903

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a person may not attire or equip an individual, or permit an individual to be attired or equipped, in a manner which creates the appearance that the individual is performing an official or governmental function in connection with an election, including: (1) wearing a public or private law enforcement or security guard uniform; (2) using an armband; or (3) except as required by law or by regulation adopted by the State Board in connection with ballot security activities, carrying or displaying a gun or badge within 100 feet of a polling site on election day. (b) (1) A law enforcement officer or security guard who is on duty or traveling to or from duty may vote while wearing a uniform. (2) A law enforcement officer who is performing an official governmental function may wear a uniform at a polling site. (c) A person who violates this section is subject to the civil penalty specified under § 16-1002 of this title.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-904

(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. (2) (i) “Election official” means: 1. the State Administrator; 2. a member of the State Board; 3. an employee of the State Board; 4. counsel to the State Board; 5. a county election director appointed under § 2–202 of this article; 6. a member of a local board; 7. an employee of a local board; 8. counsel to a local board; or 9. an election judge. (ii) “Election official” includes: 1. an individual who takes the oath prescribed in Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution to assist in administering an election; and 2. a page as defined in § 10–401 of this article. (3) “Electronic communication” has the meaning stated in § 3–805 of the Criminal Law Article. (4) “Harm” includes: (i) serious injury; and (ii) serious emotional distress. (5) “Immediate family member” includes: (i) a parent; (ii) a spouse; and (iii) a child. (6) “Threat” includes: (i) an oral threat; (ii) a threat made by electronic communication; and (iii) a threat in any written form, whether or not the writing is signed, or if the writing is signed, whether or not it is signed with a fictitious name or any other mark. (b) A person may not knowingly and willfully make a threat to harm an election official or an immediate family member of an election official because of the election official’s role in administering the election process. (c) A person may not knowingly send, deliver, part with, or make for the purpose of sending or delivering a threat prohibited under subsection (b) of this section. (d) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-1001

(a) A person convicted of a misdemeanor under this article for which no penalty is specifically provided is subject to a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $250 or imprisonment for not less than 30 days nor more than 6 months or both. (b) A person who is convicted of any criminal violation of this article shall be disqualified permanently from serving as an election judge, board member, or employee of a board. (c) A candidate who is convicted of any practice prohibited by this article shall be ineligible to be elected or appointed to any public office or employment for a period of 5 years following the date of the conviction.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-1002

A person who violates § 16–201(b)(6) or (7) or § 16–903 of this title without knowing that the act is illegal shall pay a civil penalty and have the matter adjudicated in accordance with § 13–604 of this article.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-1003

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a fine imposed for a criminal violation of this article shall be distributed to the Fair Campaign Financing Fund established under § 15–103 of this article.

Md. Code, Election Law § 16-1004

(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Attorney General may institute an action in a circuit court of the State for injunctive relief in accordance with the Maryland Rules to prohibit a person from committing an imminent violation or continuing to commit a violation of § 16–201 of this title. (2) (i) This paragraph applies if the Attorney General is a candidate in a contest on the ballot in an election. (ii) The Attorney General may not seek injunctive relief under paragraph (1) of this subsection if a violation of § 16–201 of this title is committed by: 1. the Attorney General; 2. a person acting on behalf of the Attorney General; 3. a candidate who is opposing the Attorney General in a contest on the ballot; or 4. a person acting on behalf of a candidate who is opposing the Attorney General in a contest on the ballot. (iii) The State Prosecutor may seek injunctive relief in accordance with this section in any circumstance in which the Attorney General is prohibited from seeking injunctive relief under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph. (b) Injunctive relief may be granted under this section only: (1) to prevent a violation of § 16–201 of this title from affecting a pending election; and (2) based on a showing by clear and convincing evidence that a violation of § 16–201 of this title is imminent or is being committed. (c) The circuit court shall hear and determine the matter as soon as practicable after filing of the application. (d) The grant of a remedy by the circuit court under this section does not preclude any other remedy available to a person under State or federal law. (e) The circuit court shall: (1) have jurisdiction over any proceeding instituted in accordance with this section; and (2) exercise its jurisdiction without regard to whether a person asserting a right under this section has exhausted any administrative or other remedy available to that person under law. (f) (1) An appeal of a decision of the circuit court under this section shall be taken directly to the Supreme Court of Maryland within 5 days of the date of the decision. (2) The Supreme Court of Maryland shall give priority to hear and decide an appeal brought under paragraph (1) of this subsection as expeditiously as the circumstances require.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatutesFetched: 10/16/2026