Chapter 03. Election Judges
Regulation .01 In General.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Number of Election Judges — Early Voting. For each early voting center, a local board shall designate:
(1)
One election judge who will be primarily responsible for same day registration and address changes;
(2)
One election judge who will serve as a back-up to the primary election judge; and
(3)
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.
B.
Number of Election Judges — Election Day.
(1)
For each polling place, a local board shall designate:
(a)
One election judge who will be primarily responsible for same day registration; and
(b)
One election judge who will serve as a back-up to the primary election judge.
(2)
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.
C.
Party Affiliation. To the extent practicable, the primary and back-up election judges shall be of different political parties.
D.
Exception.
(1)
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.
(2)
A local board shall submit the request no later than 3 months before an election.
(3)
The State Administrator shall respond to the request within 5 business days of receipt.
Regulation .02 Local Board Employees.LinkCopy Citation
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.
Regulation .03 Duties of Election Judges.LinkCopy Citation
A.
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.
B.
Other Duties. The election judges assigned as the primary and back-up election judges may also serve as the election judge facilitating provisional voting.
Regulation .04 Training of Election Judges.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Required Materials. The State Administrator shall develop and issue for the local boards:
(1)
A judges’ manual or supplement for same day registration and address changes;
(2)
Instruction sheets summarizing procedures for same day registration and address changes; and
(3)
A curriculum for training election judges assigned to same day registration and address changes.
B.
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.
C.
Use of Training Materials. Each local board shall use the manual or supplement, instruction sheets, and curriculum approved by the State Administrator.
D.
Judges’ Training Session. Each election director shall:
(1)
Prepare and conduct training classes for election judges in accordance with COMAR 33.02.03.04; and
(2)
Conduct separate training classes for election judges assigned to same day registration and address changes.
E.
Attendance Mandatory. The provisions of COMAR 33.17.05.03E apply to election judges assigned to same day registration and address changes.
Chapter annotations
Authority: Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4), 2-202(b), 3-305(e), and 3-306(a), Annotated Code of Maryland
History: Effective date: February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 339)
History: Regulation .01 amended effective November 18, 2019 (46:23 Md. R. 1068)