Title 5. Candidates — Subtitle 7. Nomination
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 5-701 (2026)
Title 5. Candidates
Subtitle 7. Nomination
§ 5–701LinkCopy Citation
Nominations for public offices that are filled by elections governed by this article shall be made:
(1)
by party primary, for candidates of a principal political party;
(2)
by petition, for candidates not affiliated with any political party; or
(3)
in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of the political party, for candidates of a political party that does not nominate by party primary.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 5-702 (2026)
Title 5. Candidates
Subtitle 7. Nomination
§ 5–702LinkCopy Citation
A candidate for public office of a political party shall be nominated in accordance with the requirements of Subtitles 2 through 4 of this title unless the candidate is:
(1)
nominated by:
(i)
petition under § 5-703 of this subtitle; or
(ii)
political party under § 5-703.1 of this subtitle; or
(2)
a write-in candidate under § 5-704 of this subtitle.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 5-703 (2026)
Title 5. Candidates
Subtitle 7. Nomination
§ 5–703LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Except for a candidate for a nonpartisan county board of education, this section applies to any candidate for public office subject to this title.
(b)
A candidate for a public office may be nominated by petition under this subtitle if the candidate is not affiliated with any political party.
(c)
(1)
A candidate for public office who seeks nomination by petition shall file a declaration of intent to seek nomination by petition.
(2)
The declaration of intent shall be filed with the board at which the candidate files a certificate of candidacy under Subtitle 3 of this title.
(3)
The declaration of intent shall be filed as follows:
(i)
not later than the first Monday in July; and
(ii)
for a special election to fill a vacancy for Representative in Congress, by the date and time specified in the Governor’s proclamation.
(4)
A candidate who seeks nomination by petition may not be charged a fee for filing the declaration of intent.
(d)
(1)
A candidate for public office who seeks nomination by petition shall file a certificate of candidacy not later than 5 p.m. on the first Monday in August in the year of the general election for the office.
(2)
Except for the time of filing, the certificate of candidacy for a candidate who seeks nomination by petition shall comply with the requirements for a certificate of candidacy under Subtitle 3 of this title.
(e)
(1)
A candidate who seeks nomination by petition may not have the candidate’s name placed on the general election ballot unless the candidate files with the appropriate board petitions signed by the lesser of 10,000 registered voters or 1% of the total number of registered voters who are eligible to vote for the office for which the nomination by petition is sought, except that the petitions shall be signed by at least 250 registered voters who are eligible to vote for the office.
(2)
The petitions shall be filed as required in Title 6 of this article.
(3)
The number of registered voters required to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be determined as of January 1 of the year of the primary election for which the nomination is sought.
(f)
(1)
Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a petition that contains the required number of signatures specified under subsection (e)(1) of this section shall be filed with the appropriate board by 5 p.m. on the first Monday in August in the year in which the general election is held.
(2)
In a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress, a petition that contains the required number of signatures shall be filed with the State Board by 5 p.m. on the day of the special primary election.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 5-703.1 (2026)
Title 5. Candidates
Subtitle 7. Nomination
§ 5–703.1LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Except for a candidate for a nonpartisan county board of education, this section applies to any candidate for public office subject to this title.
(b)
A candidate for a public office may be nominated by a political party under this subtitle if the political party is not required to nominate its candidates by party primary.
(c)
(1)
This subsection does not apply to a candidate nominated by a new political party under § 4–102(f) of this article.
(2)
A candidate for public office who seeks political party nomination under this section shall file a declaration of intent to seek political party nomination.
(3)
The declaration of intent shall be filed with the board at which the candidate files a certificate of candidacy under Subtitle 3 of this title.
(4)
The declaration of intent shall be filed as follows:
(i)
not later than the first Monday in July; and
(ii)
for a special election to fill a vacancy:
(1)
for Representative in Congress, by the date and time specified in the Governor’s proclamation; or
(2)
for a local public office, by the date and time specified in the county proclamation.
(5)
A candidate who seeks nomination by political party may not be charged a fee for filing the declaration of intent.
(d)
(1)
A candidate for public office who seeks nomination by political party shall file a certificate of candidacy not later than 5 p.m. on the first Monday in August in the year of the general election for the office.
(2)
Except for the time of filing, the certificate of candidacy for a candidate who seeks nomination by political party shall comply with the requirements for a certificate of candidacy under Subtitle 3 of this title.
(e)
(1)
A candidate for nomination by political party may not have the candidate’s name placed on the general election ballot unless the candidate files with the appropriate board, on a form the State Board prescribes, a certificate of nomination signed by the officers of the political party.
(2)
In a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress, a certificate of nomination shall be filed with the State Board by 5 p.m. on the day of the special primary election.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 5-704 (2026)
Title 5. Candidates
Subtitle 7. Nomination
§ 5–704LinkCopy Citation
An individual who seeks election as a write-in candidate shall file a certificate of candidacy as required under § 5-303 of this title.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 5-705 (2026)
Title 5. Candidates
Subtitle 7. Nomination
§ 5–705LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A certificate of nomination that entitles a candidate for public office to have the candidate’s name listed on the general election ballot and submitted to the voters at the general election shall be issued in accordance with this section.
(b)
(1)
Subject to § 13–332.1 of this article, the State Board shall issue a certificate of nomination to each candidate who files a certificate of candidacy with the State Board and who qualifies for the nomination.
(2)
Subject to § 13–332.1 of this article, the local board with which a candidate files a certificate of candidacy shall issue a certificate of nomination to each candidate who qualifies for the nomination.
(3)
A political party may have only one candidate as its nominee for any position to be filled in a general election.
(4)
A certificate of nomination may not contain the name of more than one nominee for each office to be filled at the election.
(c)
Following the certification of the primary elections returns by the board responsible for the certification of the results of that election, that board shall issue a certificate of election to:
(1)
each candidate for delegate to a national party convention who is certified by the State Board to have been elected in accordance with the party’s rules; and
(2)
each candidate to a party central committee who is certified by the local board to have been elected to that position.
Md. Code Ann., Election Law § 5-706 (2026)
Title 5. Candidates
Subtitle 7. Nomination
§ 5–706LinkCopy Citation
(a)
This section does not apply to:
(1)
a candidate selected by a political party to fill a vacancy in nomination under Subtitle 9 or Subtitle 10 of this title; or
(2)
a candidate defeated in a presidential preference primary.
(b)
(1)
Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the name of a candidate who is defeated for the nomination for a public office may not appear on the ballot at the next succeeding general election as a candidate for any office.
(2)
A candidate who is defeated for the nomination for a public office may not file a certificate of candidacy as a write–in candidate at the next succeeding general election as a candidate for any office.
(c)
The name of a candidate for the office of judge of the circuit court who is defeated in the primary election in each contest for the office of circuit court judge in which the candidate appears on the ballot may not appear on the ballot at the succeeding general election as a candidate for any office.