A person may not falsely or fraudulently: make, deface, or destroy a certificate of candidacy or certificate of nomination or any part of the certificate; or file or suppress a certificate of candidacy or certificate of nomination that has been duly filed. 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.

A person may not make a bet or wager on the outcome of an election held under this article. 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. 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.

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: wearing a public or private law enforcement or security guard uniform; using an armband; or 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. A law enforcement officer or security guard who is on duty or traveling to or from duty may vote while wearing a uniform. A law enforcement officer who is performing an official governmental function may wear a uniform at a polling site. A person who violates this section is subject to the civil penalty specified under § 16-1002 of this title.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Election official” means: the State Administrator; a member of the State Board; an employee of the State Board; counsel to the State Board; a county election director appointed under § 2–202 of this article; a member of a local board; an employee of a local board; counsel to a local board; or an election judge. “Election official” includes: an individual who takes the oath prescribed in Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution to assist in administering an election; and a page as defined in § 10–401 of this article. “Electronic communication” has the meaning stated in § 3–805 of the Criminal Law Article. “Harm” includes: serious injury; and serious emotional distress. “Immediate family member” includes: a parent; a spouse; and a child. “Threat” includes: an oral threat; a threat made by electronic communication; and 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. 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. 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. 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.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “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. “Influence” has the meaning stated in § 16–201 of this title. This section does not apply: with respect to a deepfake that is satire or parody; 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: the broadcast is required by the federal law that requires broadcasters to air advertisements from legally qualified candidates; 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 the broadcaster has been paid to broadcast the deepfake; 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 to any online publisher or service provider for acts that would be subject to immunity under 47 U.S.C. § 230. A person may not knowingly or with reckless disregard create, use, or disseminate a deepfake to produce materially false information if: the person has the intent to use the deepfake to: impede, influence, prevent, or attempt to impede, influence, or prevent a voter’s decision to cast a ballot; misrepresent facts relating to voter registration, voting methods, election results, electoral processes, or official duties of an election official; induce or attempt to induce another individual to sign or not sign a petition for a question to appear on a ballot; or influence or attempt to influence a voter’s decision whether to vote for or against a candidate or ballot issue; and the creation, use, or dissemination of the deepfake results, or has the intent to result, in harm to a voter, potential voter, or petition. 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.