<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<subtitle num="19" heading="Same Day Registration and Address Changes" title_num="33" title_heading="State Board of Elections">
  <chapter num="01" heading="Definitions; General Provisions">
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Applicability to Elections.">
      <paragraph num="A.">
        <text>Same day registration is available during early voting and election day for the following regularly scheduled elections:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>Presidential primary and general elections; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>Gubernatorial primary and general elections.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="B.">
        <text>Same day address change is available during early voting for the following regularly scheduled elections:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>Presidential primary and general elections; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>Gubernatorial primary and general elections.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="C.">
        <text>For special primary and general elections:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>Same day registration is available on election day; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>Same day registration and address change is available during early voting if the special election is conducted by mail under Election Law Article, Title 9, Subtitle 5, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </regulation>
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Prohibited Changes.">
      <text>Same day party affiliation changes are not permitted during early voting or on election day.</text>
    </regulation>
    <annotations>
      <annotation type="Authority">Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4), 2-202(b), 3-305(e),  3-306(a), (d), and (e), and 9-507, Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 338)</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01 amended effective November 18, 2019 (46:23 Md. R. 1068)</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01C amended as an emergency provision effective December 30, 2019 (47:2 Md. R. 61); emergency expired effective May 5, 2020</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01C amended effective June 29, 2020 (47:13 Md. R. 644); October 2, 2023 (50:19 Md. R. 854)</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01D adopted as an emergency provision effective February 12, 2020 (47:6 Md. R. 339); emergency expired effective May 5, 2020</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .02 amended effective November 18, 2019 (46:23 Md. R. 1068)</annotation>
    </annotations>
  </chapter>
  <chapter num="02" heading="Public Notice">
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Minimum Requirements.">
      <paragraph num="A.">
        <text>State Board. After the close of registration for each election, but prior to election day, the State Administrator shall take appropriate measures to notify each pre-qualified voter how to find the individual’s correct polling place.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="B.">
        <text>Local Board. A local board shall include in each specimen ballot information about how a voter can change the voter’s address during early voting.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </regulation>
    <annotations>
      <annotation type="Authority">Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4), 2-202(b), 3-305(d) and (e), and 3-306(d) and (e), Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 339)</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01 amended as an emergency provision effective April 15, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 514); emergency provision expired July 31, 2020</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01A amended effective March 23, 2020 (47:6 Md. R. 343)</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01A amended as an emergency provision effective August 20, 2020 (47:19 Md. R. 848); adopted permanently effective December 28, 2020 (47:26 Md. R. 1108)</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01A amended effective October 2, 2023 (50:19 Md. R. 854); April 27, 2026 (53:8 Md. R. 356)</annotation>
    </annotations>
  </chapter>
  <chapter num="03" heading="Election Judges">
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="In General.">
      <paragraph num="A.">
        <text>Number of Election Judges — Early Voting. For each early voting center, a local board shall designate:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>One election judge who will be primarily responsible for same day registration and address changes;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>One election judge who will serve as a back-up to the primary election judge; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(3)">
          <text>Except as provided in §D of this regulation, one election judge who greets voters as they arrive and directs them to the appropriate check-in line.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="B.">
        <text>Number of Election Judges — Election Day.</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>For each polling place, a local board shall designate:</text>
          <paragraph num="(a)">
            <text>One election judge who will be primarily responsible for same day registration; and</text>
          </paragraph>
          <paragraph num="(b)">
            <text>One election judge who will serve as a back-up to the primary election judge.</text>
          </paragraph>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>A local board may assign the same day registration duties to an election judge already assigned to that precinct or appoint an election judge whose sole duties are to facilitate the same day registration process.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="C.">
        <text>Party Affiliation. To the extent practicable, the primary and back-up election judges shall be of different political parties.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="D.">
        <text>Exception.</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>If a local board does not believe that the election judge described in §A(3) of this regulation is necessary at an early voting center, the local board may request that the State Administrator exempt the local board from designating an election judge for this purpose.</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>A local board shall submit the request no later than 3 months before an election.</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(3)">
          <text>The State Administrator shall respond to the request within 5 business days of receipt.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </regulation>
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Local Board Employees.">
      <text>If a local board appoints an employee to serve as the primary or back-up election judge for same day registration and address changes, the employee may not perform any duties other than those of an election judge.</text>
    </regulation>
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Duties of Election Judges.">
      <paragraph num="A.">
        <text>Required Duties. Election judges assigned to same day registration and address changes shall perform the tasks identified in the judges’ manual or supplement required in Regulation .04 of this chapter.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="B.">
        <text>Other Duties. The election judges assigned as the primary and back-up election judges may also serve as the election judge facilitating provisional voting.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </regulation>
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" heading="Training of Election Judges.">
      <paragraph num="A.">
        <text>Required Materials. The State Administrator shall develop and issue for the local boards:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>A judges’ manual or supplement for same day registration and address changes;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>Instruction sheets summarizing procedures for same day registration and address changes; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(3)">
          <text>A curriculum for training election judges assigned to same day registration and address changes.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="B.">
        <text>Development of Manual. The State Administrator shall comply with the process established in COMAR 33.02.03 for developing the judges’ manual or supplement for same day registration and address changes.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="C.">
        <text>Use of Training Materials. Each local board shall use the manual or supplement, instruction sheets, and curriculum approved by the State Administrator.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="D.">
        <text>Judges’ Training Session. Each election director shall:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>Prepare and conduct training classes for election judges in accordance with COMAR 33.02.03.04; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>Conduct separate training classes for election judges assigned to same day registration and address changes.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="E.">
        <text>Attendance Mandatory. The provisions of COMAR 33.17.05.03E apply to election judges assigned to same day registration and address changes.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </regulation>
    <annotations>
      <annotation type="Authority">Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4), 2-202(b), 3-305(e), and 3-306(a), Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 339)</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01 amended effective November 18, 2019 (46:23 Md. R. 1068)</annotation>
    </annotations>
  </chapter>
  <chapter num="04" heading="Processing New Registrants and Address Changes">
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Same Day Registration.">
      <paragraph num="A.">
        <text>Issuance of Regular Ballot — Early Voting. An election judge at an early voting center shall issue an individual a regular ballot if the individual:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>Is a pre-qualified voter; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>Provides proof of residency in the county where the individual is attempting to register and vote.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="B.">
        <text>Issuance of Provisional Ballot — Early Voting. An election judge at an early voting center shall issue an individual a provisional ballot if the individual:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>Is not a pre-qualified voter; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>Is a pre-qualified voter but cannot provide proof of residency in the county where the individual is attempting to register and vote.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="C.">
        <text>Issuance of Regular Ballot — Election Day. An election judge at a polling place shall issue an individual a regular ballot if the individual:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>Is a pre-qualified voter; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>Provides proof of residency in the precinct where the polling place is located.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="D.">
        <text>Issuance of Provisional Ballot — Election Day. An election judge at a polling place shall issue an individual a provisional ballot if the individual:</text>
        <paragraph num="(1)">
          <text>Is not a pre-qualified voter; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(2)">
          <text>Is a pre-qualified voter but cannot provide proof of residency in the precinct where the individual is attempting to register and vote.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </regulation>
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Same Day Address Changes.">
      <paragraph num="A.">
        <text>Issuance of Regular Ballot. During early voting, an election judge shall issue a voter a regular ballot if the election judge determines that the voter lives in the county where the voter is attempting to vote.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="B.">
        <text>Address changes are not permitted on election day.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </regulation>
    <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Responsibility of Election Judges.">
      <text>The election judges assigned to same day registration and address changes shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="A.">
        <text>Ensure that all individuals who are not eligible to vote a regular ballot are offered a provisional ballot; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="B.">
        <text>Ensure that each individual is issued the appropriate ballot.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </regulation>
    <annotations>
      <annotation type="Authority">Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4), 2-202(b), 3-305(e), and 3-306(a) and (e), Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 339)</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01 amended effective November 18, 2019 (46:23 Md. R. 1068)</annotation>
      <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .02 amended effective November 18, 2019 (46:23 Md. R. 1068); March 23, 2020 (47:6 Md. R. 343)</annotation>
    </annotations>
  </chapter>
</subtitle>