Title 16. Offenses and Penalties — Subtitle 9. Other Offenses
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 16-901 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 9. Other Offenses
§ 16–901LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-902 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 9. Other Offenses
§ 16–902LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-903 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 9. Other Offenses
§ 16–903LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-904 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 9. Other Offenses
§ 16–904LinkCopy Citation
(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 Ann., Election Law § 16-905 (2026)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 9. Other Offenses
§ 16–905LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
“Deepfake” means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording that has been intentionally created or manipulated with the use of generative artificial intelligence or other digital technology to create a realistic but false depiction of a person that an ordinary person would conclude is an actual visual or audio representation of the person depicted.
(3)
“Influence” has the meaning stated in § 16–201 of this title.
(b)
This section does not apply:
(1)
with respect to a deepfake that is satire or parody;
(2)
to a radio or television broadcasting station, including a cable or satellite television operator, programmer, or producer, or an affiliate of the radio or television broadcasting station, that broadcasts a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake if:
(i)
the broadcast is required by the federal law that requires broadcasters to air advertisements from legally qualified candidates;
(ii)
the broadcast is part of a bona fide newscast, a news interview, a news documentary, or on–the–spot coverage of bona fide news events; or
(iii)
the broadcaster has been paid to broadcast the deepfake;
(3)
to a website or regularly published newspaper, magazine, or other periodical of general circulation, including an Internet or electronic publication, that routinely carries news and commentary of general interest and that publishes a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake; or
(4)
to any online publisher or service provider for acts that would be subject to immunity under 47 U.S.C. § 230.
(c)
A person may not knowingly or with reckless disregard create, use, or disseminate a deepfake to produce materially false information if:
(1)
the person has the intent to use the deepfake to:
(i)
impede, influence, prevent, or attempt to impede, influence, or prevent a voter’s decision to cast a ballot;
(ii)
misrepresent facts relating to voter registration, voting methods, election results, electoral processes, or official duties of an election official;
(iii)
induce or attempt to induce another individual to sign or not sign a petition for a question to appear on a ballot; or
(iv)
influence or attempt to influence a voter’s decision whether to vote for or against a candidate or ballot issue; and
(2)
the creation, use, or dissemination of the deepfake results, or has the intent to result, in harm to a voter, potential voter, or petition.
(d)
A person who violates subsection (c) of 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.