Title 16. Offenses and Penalties — Subtitle 3. Conduct of Election Officials
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 16-301 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 3. Conduct of Election Officials
§ 16–301LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-302 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 3. Conduct of Election Officials
§ 16–302LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-303 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 3. Conduct of Election Officials
§ 16–303LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-304 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 3. Conduct of Election Officials
§ 16–304LinkCopy Citation
(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.