Chapter 04. Order and Decorum
Regulation .01 Media.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Presence Allowed. Representatives of print or electronic media are permitted in a polling place as long as their activities do not:
(1)
Cause disruption;
(2)
Infringe on voter privacy;
(3)
Inhibit election judges from performing their duties; or
(4)
Otherwise interfere with the orderly conduct of the election.
B.
Notice Requested.
(1)
Media organizations are requested to provide the State Administrator or the election director with a list of those polling places that they intend to cover, so that the election judges can be informed.
(2)
Failure to provide this information, however, does not in any way diminish or otherwise affect the rights granted by this regulation.
Regulation .02 Cell Phones, Pagers, Cameras, etc.LinkCopy Citation
A.
In General. Except as specified in §B of this regulation, electronic communication devices may not be used in a polling place. Prohibited devices include:
(1)
Cameras;
(2)
Cellular telephones;
(3)
Pagers; or
(4)
Computer equipment.
B.
Exceptions. This regulation does not apply to:
(1)
Cameras used by media representatives as long as the media representatives are recording polling place operations and not a screen or ballot;
(2)
Cellular telephones, pagers, or computer equipment used by election officials or law enforcement officers, when acting in their official capacities; or
(3)
Cellular telephones or other electronic devices used by a voter:
(a)
To provide lawful proof of residency or identification as required by this title;
(b)
To review electoral information to assist in marking the voter’s own ballot prior to casting;
(c)
To record a digital image of the voter’s own marked ballot prior to casting for personal use if it records only the ballot and may not be used in violation of Election Law Article, §16-206, Annotated Code of Maryland; or
(d)
To communicate through a translator or use licensed translation software services as described in Election Law Article, §15.5–103(B), Annotated Code of Maryland.
Chapter annotations
Authority: Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4), 2-202(b), and 15.5-104, Annotated Code of Maryland
History: Effective date:
History: Regulations .01 and .02 adopted as an emergency provision effective March 1, 2000 (27:6 Md. R. 636); adopted permanently effective July 10, 2000 (27:13 Md. R. 1213)
History: Regulation .01B amended effective April 19, 2010 (37:8 Md. R. 623)
History: Regulation .02 amended as an emergency provision effective October 22, 2004 (31:23 Md. R. 1650); amended permanently effective February 14, 2005 (32:3 Md. R. 290); amended effective April 19, 2010 (37:8 Md. R. 623)
History: Regulation .02B amended effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 334)
History: Regulation .02B amended as an emergency provision effective July 18, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 788)
History: Regulation .02B amended effective December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1052); March 31, 2025 (52:6 Md. R. 267); March 2, 2026 (53:4 Md. R. 186)