To be eligible to receive a public contribution under the Public Financing Act, the candidates for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor seeking to form a gubernatorial ticket shall: Establish a gubernatorial ticket candidate committee and file a notice of intent to participate in public financing at the time of establishment; File certificates of candidacy for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, respectively; and Authorize the gubernatorial ticket candidate committee to file a campaign finance report with the State Board within the deadlines specified in this subtitle with a certification, signed by the gubernatorial ticket candidate committee’s treasurer, that the gubernatorial ticket candidate committee raised a minimum of $120,000 from at least 1,500 eligible private contributions. Qualification for the General Election. A gubernatorial ticket that qualifies for a public contribution remains eligible for public contributions for all elections in which the gubernatorial ticket appears on the ballot that election year. Unopposed Gubernatorial Tickets. An eligible gubernatorial ticket that is unopposed in a primary election is entitled to receive a public contribution in the amount provided in the Act. Unaffiliated Gubernatorial Tickets. In this section, “political party” means any political party that nominates its candidates for public office pursuant to Election Law Article, §5-703.1 or 8-202, Annotated Code of Maryland. A gubernatorial ticket that is not affiliated with a political party is entitled to receive a public contribution if the gubernatorial ticket meets the requirements of the Act and this subtitle. Write-In Gubernatorial Tickets. A write-in gubernatorial ticket that meets the requirements of law is entitled to receive a public contribution if the gubernatorial ticket meets the requirements of the Act and this subtitle. Notice of Intent Deadline. For a primary election, the notice of intent shall be filed with the State Board not later than the deadline for filing a certificate of candidacy. Political Committee Required. At the time of filing a notice of intent, the candidate shall establish a gubernatorial ticket candidate committee to receive a public contribution. A request for certification pursuant to Election Law Article, § 15-107(a)(1), Annotated Code of Maryland, and an initial public contribution by a gubernatorial ticket candidate committee for a primary election shall be filed with the State Board no later than 11:59 p.m. on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in May in the year of the primary election with an ending transaction period of the first Monday in May for the corresponding campaign finance report. For a gubernatorial ticket participating only in a general election: The notice of intent shall be filed with the State Board no later than the deadline for filing a declaration of intent; and A request for certification and an initial public contribution by a gubernatorial ticket candidate committee for a general election shall be filed with the State Board no later than 11:59 p.m. on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in August in the year of the general election with an ending transaction period of the first Monday in August. Requests. To receive public contributions, an eligible gubernatorial ticket shall file a request at the time of filing a campaign finance report with the State Board, as provided in this chapter. Deadlines for Request. The request for a public contribution may be filed according to the campaign finance reporting schedule in Election Law Article, §13-309, Annotated Code of Maryland, for an authorized candidate campaign committee; and In addition to the requirements of §B(1) of this regulation, the request for a public contribution may also be filed at these additional time periods: The first and third Tuesdays in February, March, April, July, and September; and The first Tuesday in January, May, August, October, and November. Contents of Request. Each request shall be made under penalty of perjury and include: The date of the preceding request, if any; The amount of public contribution received to date, if any; The transaction period covered for the request of public contributions; The total number of eligible private contributions received; The total amount of public contributions requested for the transaction period; and A campaign finance report for the transaction period detailing: All contributions received, including: Any in-kind contributions received; and The designation of eligible private contributions; All expenditures made including any in-kind contributions received as an authorized expenditure; All outstanding obligations incurred; A contribution card for every contribution received; and A receipt associated with every expenditure made. Fund Allocations. Distributions from the Fund will be made only after January 1 of the year of the election. Distributions will occur on a first-come, first-served basis and will continue in that manner. By the first Tuesday following the first Monday in May of the year of the election, the State Board shall determine whether there is sufficient money available to provide a full public contribution to all eligible gubernatorial tickets. If the State Board determines that there are, or may be, insufficient funds for a full public contribution to all eligible candidate, then at the time of its determination the State Board shall allocate the remaining available money in the Fund so that all gubernatorial tickets receive a pro rata share of the full contribution to which they would otherwise be entitled from that time forward. An eligible gubernatorial ticket candidate committee may withdraw from receiving future public contributions if the gubernatorial ticket candidate committee: Files a Notice of Withdrawal signed by the gubernatorial ticket revoking the Notice of Intent to Participate; Repays the Fund the full amount of the public contribution received plus interest computed from the date of the first distribution; and Files a final campaign finance report for the gubernatorial ticket candidate committee. Contributions by Candidate. A contribution by the candidate or the spouse of the candidate who is part of a gubernatorial ticket shall count towards the qualifying contributor and aggregate contribution thresholds pursuant to the Election Law Article §15-104(c), Annotated Code of Maryland. Loan by Candidate. A loan by the candidate or the spouse of the candidate who is part of a gubernatorial ticket may not count towards the qualifying contributor and aggregate contribution thresholds pursuant to the Election Law Article §15-104(c), Annotated Code of Maryland. The State Board shall determine whether a gubernatorial ticket candidate committee is eligible to receive a public contribution not later than 10 business days after the filing of the gubernatorial ticket candidate committee’s initial request for public contribution. Initial Distribution. Promptly after determining that a candidate is eligible for a public contribution, the State Board shall order the Comptroller to disburse the initial public contribution to that eligible candidate. Qualification in January or earlier. If the State Board determines that a gubernatorial ticket candidate committee is eligible before January of the year of the election, the distribution of the initial public contribution shall occur on January 2, or the first Monday of January if January 2 falls on a weekend, of the year of the election. Continuing Distributions. Except as provided in §B of this regulation, within 5 business days of receiving a timely request from an eligible gubernatorial ticket candidate committee for a public contribution, the State Board shall authorize an additional distribution of a public contribution to that gubernatorial ticket candidate committee. Reports. An eligible gubernatorial ticket that received any public contribution shall file a campaign finance report with the State Board on the first Wednesday after the 90th day after that gubernatorial ticket candidate last appeared on the ballot for the election for which the gubernatorial ticket received the public contribution that includes: Payment of any unspent portion of the public contribution to the Fund; All contributions received since the last filed report; All expenditures made since the last filed report; and All outstanding obligations. Return of Excess. Except as provided in §C of this regulation, not later than the 90th day after a gubernatorial ticket that received a public contribution last appeared on the ballot, the gubernatorial ticket candidate committee shall return to the Fund any unspent portion of the public contribution. In determining whether surplus funds of a gubernatorial ticket candidate committee are unspent public contributions that must be returned, all private contributions raised shall be deemed to have been spent before any public contributions are deemed to have been spent, regardless of when any expenditure occurred. Outstanding Obligations. If an outstanding obligation was incurred not later than 45 days after the election for which the gubernatorial ticket appeared on the ballot and has not been paid, the eligible gubernatorial ticket candidate committee shall: Engage in campaign finance activities exclusively for the payment of the outstanding obligation; File campaign finance reports pursuant to Election Law Article, §13-309, Annotated Code of Maryland, for an authorized candidate campaign committee; Return to the Fund any excess public contributions remaining after payment of the outstanding obligation simultaneously with the filing of the final campaign finance report of the eligible gubernatorial ticket candidate committee; and Only receive private contributions. Late Fee Penalty. If an eligible gubernatorial ticket candidate committee fails to file the campaign finance report required under §A of this regulation, the State Board shall assess a late fee in the same method and manner as prescribed by Election Law Article 13-331(b), Annotated Code of Maryland. In-Kind Contributions. A gubernatorial ticket candidate committee may receive an in-kind contribution from any individual. The in-kind contribution counts towards the individual’s private contribution limit pursuant to Election Law Article, §15-102(h), Annotated Code of Maryland. An in-kind contribution: May not be considered an eligible private contribution; and Is not subject to matching dollars from the Fund. Candidate Contributions. A contribution or loan by the candidate or the spouse of the candidate who is part of a gubernatorial ticket is not subject to matching dollars from the Fund. Permissible Contributions. After filing a notice of intent, a gubernatorial ticket candidate committee may receive contributions of no more than $250 in an election cycle from an individual. Prior Contributions Received. Contributions received before the gubernatorial ticket files a notice of intent count towards the aggregate contribution limit in §A of this regulation if the contribution was received in the election cycle in which the gubernatorial ticket will appear on the ballot. Returned Contributions. Prior to filing a notice of intent, an authorized candidate campaign committee of a candidate may return contributions received within the election cycle to contributors on a pro-rata basis. A returned contribution to a contributor will lower the aggregate amount that the contributor gave to the gubernatorial ticket in the election cycle by the returned amount. Electronic Signatures. An individual may place an electronic signature on the contributor card. Electronic Signatures — Process. An electronic signature: Shall be affixed or entered directly by the signer onto an electronic copy of the contributor card; and May not be pre-populated or otherwise entered by the signer by way of a check box, radio button, drop-down list, or other similar device, but instead must be entered or affixed by the signer by making affirmative marks into an empty field. Electronic Signatures — Restrictions. An individual may not sign a contribution card with an electronic signature unless that individual affirms that the contribution: Is being made from personal funds of the individual; Is not being reimbursed or is not intended to be reimbursed in any manner; Is not being made as a loan; and If applicable, in the case of a credit card contribution, is made from a personal credit card account of the individual that has no corporate or business affiliation. An eligible gubernatorial ticket candidate committee may suspend campaign activities and cease from receiving future public contributions if the gubernatorial ticket candidate committee: Files a Notice of Suspension signed by the gubernatorial ticket candidates; Immediately ceases campaign operations; Seeks reimbursements and refunds for any future expenditures made or incurred; Pays all outstanding obligations within 45 days of the notice of suspension; Repays the Fund any remaining monies left within 60 days of the notice of suspension; and Acknowledges that the eligible gubernatorial ticket until a final campaign finance report for the gubernatorial ticket candidate committee is filed and approved: Remains subject to the restrictions and penalties of the Public Financing Act; and May not participate or coordinate in any fundraising activities for any campaign finance entity or person making independent expenditures. If an eligible gubernatorial ticket candidate committee files a Notice of Suspension, the members of the gubernatorial ticket may endorse another gubernatorial ticket, however: The endorsement may not be transmitted, distributed, disseminated or facilitated by any means controlled by or associated with the eligible gubernatorial ticket candidate committee, including social media accounts; and Subject to §C, of this regulation, the gubernatorial ticket, and persons acting on behalf of the gubernatorial ticket, remain subject to Election Law Article, §15-106(a), Annotated Code of Maryland. If the members of the gubernatorial ticket endorse another gubernatorial ticket, they may not be held liable under Election Law Article, §15-106(a), Annotated Code of Maryland, for any independent use of the endorsement by the endorsed campaign in any fundraising activity. Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4) and 15-111(b), Annotated Code of Maryland Effective date: Regulations .01—.11 adopted as an emergency provision effective February 1, 2000 (27:6 Md. R. 638); adopted permanently effective April 17, 2000 (27:7 Md. R. 710) Regulation .01 amended effective August 4, 2014 (41:15 Md. R. 893); December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .02 amended effective August 4, 2014 (41:15 Md. R. 893); December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .03 amended effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 337) Regulation .03C amended effective March 27, 2017 (44:6 Md. R. 329); December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .04 amended effective December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .04A amended effective August 4, 2014 (41:15 Md. R. 893); September 12, 2016 (43:18 Md. R. 1018) Regulation .04C adopted effective August 4, 2014 (41:15 Md. R. 893) Regulation .05 amended effective December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .06 amended effective August 4, 2014 (41:15 Md. R. 893); December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .06A amended effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 337) Regulation .06C amended effective December 10, 2015 (42:24 Md. R. 1507) Regulation .07 amended effective December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .08 amended effective December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .09 amended effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 337) Regulation .09B, C amended effective December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .10 amended effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 337); February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 159); December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .11 amended effective December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .12 adopted effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 337) Regulation .12 amended effective December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .13 adopted effective December 12, 2022 (49:25 Md. R. 1053) Regulation .14 adopted effective October 27, 2025 (52:21 Md. R. 1026)