<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<subtitle article="gel" title_number="8" subtitle_number="4" title_name="Elections" subtitle_name="Special Elections">
  <section article="gel" article_name="Election Law" number="8-401" title_number="8" title_name="Elections" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Special Elections">
    <level label="a">
      <text>A special primary election or a special general election may be held at a time other than the date of a regular primary election or a regular general election:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>to fill a vacancy in the county council or in the office of chief executive officer or county executive if the charter of that county provides for special elections.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>Special elections to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress shall be held at the time specified in Subtitle 7 of this title.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <level label="i">
          <text>Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, special elections to fill vacancies in a county council or in the office of chief executive officer or county executive shall be held as provided in the county charter.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>The date set for the special election to fill a vacancy under this paragraph:</text>
          <level label="1">
            <text>shall be at least 90 days after the adoption of the resolution of the county council establishing the date of the special election;</text>
          </level>
          <level label="2">
            <text>may not be within 120 days of a regularly scheduled election; and</text>
          </level>
          <level label="3">
            <text>shall allow at least 45 days between the date a local board makes an absentee ballot available to an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter, as defined under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and the date of the special election.</text>
          </level>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>An election to fill a vacancy in the office of United States Senator shall be held concurrently with a regular election as provided in Subtitle 6 of this title.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>The State Board shall adopt regulations to establish requirements concerning:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>notice to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters concerning a special election; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the process for absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters to:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>request an absentee ballot for a special election; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>return an absentee ballot by mail in a timely manner.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gel" article_name="Election Law" number="8-402" title_number="8" title_name="Elections" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Special Elections">
    <text>If the State Administrator determines that a conflict exists between a county charter or other county law relating to the conduct of a special election and the provisions of this article or the Code of Maryland Regulations, the State Administrator shall conduct the special election entirely in accordance with this article and the Code of Maryland Regulations. </text>
  </section>
</subtitle>