Title 16. Offenses and Penalties — Subtitle 2. Voting and Electoral Operations
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 16-201 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 2. Voting and Electoral Operations
§ 16–201LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-202 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 2. Voting and Electoral Operations
§ 16–202LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-203 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 2. Voting and Electoral Operations
§ 16–203LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-204 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 2. Voting and Electoral Operations
§ 16–204LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-205 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 2. Voting and Electoral Operations
§ 16–205LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-206 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 2. Voting and Electoral Operations
§ 16–206LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-207 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 2. Voting and Electoral Operations
§ 16–207LinkCopy Citation
(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.