Election Law (GEL) — Title 1. Definitions and General Provisions

“Ballot” or “official ballot” includes:

“Ballot” or “official ballot” does not include:

absentee ballots;

absentee ballot applications; and

voter registration applications.

authorized or required under this article;

related to the campaign finance activities of a campaign finance entity or to expenses associated with a legislative newsletter; and

filed or submitted on a form prescribed by the State Board under this article.

“Campaign material” means any material that:

“Campaign material” includes:

“Candidate” means an individual who files a certificate of candidacy for a public or party office.

“Candidate” includes:

“Central committee” means a political committee for a political party established under Title 4 of this article.

“Central committee” includes a political committee for a political party that engages in campaign finance activity that is subject to Title 13 of this article.

“Contest” means:

“Contest” includes, in a general election for an office, the write–in option.

“Contribution” means the gift or transfer, or promise of gift or transfer, of money or other thing of value to a campaign finance entity to:

“Contribution” includes:

“Contribution” does not include the costs associated with the establishment, administration, or solicitation of voluntary contributions to a political action committee established by a corporation, limited liability company, general partnership, limited partnership, membership organization, trade association, cooperative, or corporation without capital stock as long as the political action committee only solicits contributions from employees of the organization that established the political action committee, or members of the organization that established the political action committee, and the employees or members are participating in a payroll deduction program established by the employer of the employee or member.

“Distributor” means a person engaged for profit in the distribution of campaign material by hand delivery or direct mail.

“Distributor” does not include salaried employees, agents, or volunteers of the person.

“Document ballot” means a ballot used with a voting system in which the voter individually is issued a ballot on which to indicate one or more votes.

“Document ballot” includes:

“Election” means the process by which voters cast votes on one or more contests under the laws of this State or the United States.

“Election” includes, unless otherwise specifically provided in this article, all general elections, primary elections, and special elections.

“Election” does not include, unless otherwise specifically provided in this article, a municipal election other than in Baltimore City.

in a precinct on election day; or

in a county early voting center during early voting.

promote or assist in the promotion of the success or defeat of a candidate, political party, question, or prospective question at an election;

pay expenses associated with contesting an election under Title 12 of this article; or

pay for the publication expense of a legislative newsletter under Title 13, Subtitle 4 of this article.

“Independent expenditure” means a gift, transfer, disbursement, or promise of money or a thing of value by a person expressly advocating the success or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or ballot issue if the gift, transfer, disbursement, or promise of money or a thing of value is not made in coordination, cooperation, consultation, understanding, agreement, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign finance entity of a candidate, an agent of a candidate, or a ballot issue committee.

For purposes of this subsection, “clearly identified” means:

has 100,000 or more unique monthly United States visitors or users for a majority of months during the immediately preceding 12 months; and

receives payment for qualifying paid digital communications.

a political party;

a central committee;

a slate;

a legislative party caucus committee;

an authorized candidate campaign committee; or

a ballot issue committee.

an election district in a county that is not divided into precincts;

an election precinct in an election district that is divided into precincts; or

a precinct in a ward of the City of Baltimore.

is campaign material;

is placed or promoted for a fee on an online platform;

is disseminated to 500 or more individuals; and

does not propose a commercial transaction.

a mechanical lever machine; and

a direct recording electronic voting device.

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, in computing the time under this article for performing an act, Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays shall be included.

In a computation of time under this article, the day of performing an act and the day of registration or election shall be excluded.

campaign literature that is campaign material under Title 13, Subtitle 4 of this article; or

registration or voting information issued by the State Board or a local board.

in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County; and

to apartment buildings, condominiums, or other multifamily residential structures where access to the entrance of individual residential units is restricted by the owner or governing board of the entire structure.

The owner or governing board of a multifamily residential structure shall designate a public area within the structure where, for the 60–day period immediately prior to each primary election and general election, voter information material may be distributed or deposited.

The designated public area shall be readily accessible to the residents of the structure.

Voter information material deposited in the designated public area shall remain available for residents of the structure for a period of at least 10 days.

notify the owner or governing board regarding the apparent violation and the requirements of this section; and

request compliance with the requirements of this section.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

“Baltimore City centralized booking facility” means the centralized booking facility in Baltimore City that is operated by the Division of Pretrial Detention and Services in the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

“Election–related materials” means documents and other items associated with the registering for and voting in an election, including:

“Eligible voter” means an individual who:

a secure, designated ballot drop box for election–related materials; and

written notifications on how and when eligible voters may use the ballot drop box.

The State Board shall provide the ballot drop box under subsection (b) of this section to the Baltimore City centralized booking facility in time to allow eligible voters sufficient opportunity to submit election–related materials before any election–related deadlines.

The local board of elections for Baltimore City shall provide staff to collect:

The local board of elections for Baltimore City shall distribute the election–related materials collected from the ballot drop box to the State Board or a local board, as appropriate and in a timely manner.

the number of absentee ballot applications received and accepted;

absentee ballots received and accepted; and

other election–related materials received.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

“Correctional facility” means a facility for detaining or confining individuals that is operated by a correctional unit.

“Correctional unit” has the meaning stated in § 2–401(b) of the Correctional Services Article.

“Eligible voter” means an individual who:

disseminate information on eligibility requirements to register to vote and voter registration applications to eligible voters at least 30 days before the deadline to register to vote before each election;

disseminate instructions on absentee voting, absentee ballot applications, and absentee ballots before each election in a timely manner;

provide frequent opportunities for eligible voters to register to vote and to vote; and

provide for the timely return of voter registration applications, absentee ballot applications, and absentee ballots completed by eligible voters.

the number of eligible voters who registered to vote, attempted to vote, and voted successfully by absentee ballot during the immediately preceding calendar year;

the number of times the State Board or a local board of elections visited each correctional facility during the immediately preceding calendar year, the duration of each visit, and a description of the work done at each correctional facility;

a description of any obstacles to implementing this section or § 2–501 of the Correctional Services Article; and

any recommendations for improving the implementation of this section or § 2–501 of the Correctional Services Article.

an officer or employee of the Montgomery County government who serves in a quasi-judicial capacity; or

a member of a Montgomery County government board or commission who serves in a quasi-judicial capacity.

be in a reasonably convenient and accessible format;

be prominently posted on the Web site of the:

include a concise description of the change, including the difference between the new administrative policy affecting voting rights and the administrative policy affecting voting rights that was previously in effect; and

be provided within 48 hours of the adoption of the change.