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§ 16-206. Offenses relating to ballots and balloting

West's Annotated Code of MarylandElection LawEffective: June 1, 2021

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Election Law (Refs & Annos)
Title 16. Offenses and Penalties
Subtitle 2. Voting and Electoral Operations (Refs & Annos)
Effective: June 1, 2021
MD Code, Election Law, § 16-206
Formerly cited as MD CODE Art. 33, § 16-206
§ 16-206. Offenses relating to ballots and balloting
Currentness
In general
(a) A person may not:
(1) place any distinguishing mark on the person's own or another person's ballot for the purpose of identifying the ballot;
(2) misrepresent the person's ability to mark a ballot or operate voting equipment;
(3) interfere or attempt to interfere with a voter while the voter is inside the polling room, marking a ballot, or operating voting equipment;
(4) induce or attempt to induce a voter to mark the voter's ballot in a certain way;
(5) except for servicing by an authorized person, unlock any locked compartment of a voting device unless instructed to do so by the election director;
(6) destroy or deface a ballot;
(7) remove a ballot from a building in which voting occurs, except as otherwise provided in this article;
(8) delay the delivery of a ballot;
(9) possess on or before the day of election an official ballot printed for the election, unless the possession of the ballot is necessary and appropriate for carrying out the election process;
(10) canvass, electioneer, or post any campaign material in the polling place or beyond a line established by signs posted in accordance with subsection (b) of this section;
(11) canvass, electioneer, or post any campaign material in a manner that obstructs access to a ballot drop box; or
(12) place any campaign material or any other unauthorized material on a ballot drop box.
Electioneering boundaries
(b)(1) At each polling place, one election judge from each principal political party shall be designated by the local board and, acting jointly, shall post signs delineating a line around the entrance and exit of the building that are closest to that part of the building in which voting occurs.
(2)(i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the line shall be located as near as practicable to 100 feet from the entrance and exit and shall be established after consideration of the configuration of the entrance and the effect of placement on public safety and the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
(ii) In Montgomery County, on approval of the local board, the line may be located at any point between 25 feet and 100 feet from the entrance and exit.
(3) The signs shall contain the words “No Electioneering Beyond this Point”.
Fines or imprisonment
(c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 60 days or both.

Credits

Added as Art. 33, § 16-206, by Acts 1998, c. 585, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 1999. Transferred to Election Law § 16-206 by Acts 2002, c. 291, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2002, c. 291, § 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2003; Acts 2011, c. 344, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2011; Acts 2012, c. 651, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2012; Acts 2021, c. 56, § 1, eff. June 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 514, § 1, eff. June 1, 2021.
Formerly Art. 33, § 16-206.
MD Code, Election Law, § 16-206, MD ELEC LAW § 16-206
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
End of Document