Maryland 2022 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB925 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3		EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4		[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5		-	Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6		-	Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7		-	amendment.
8	5		sb0925
9	6
10	7		SENATE BILL 925
11	8		G1 2lr3155
12	9
13	10		By: Senator Patterson
14	11		Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2022
15	12		Assigned to: Rules
16		-	Re–referred to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs, February 25, 2022
17		-	Committee Report: Favorable
18		-	Senate action: Adopted
19		-	Read second time: March 8, 2022
20	13
21		-	~~CHAPTER ______~~
	14	+	A BILL ENTITLED
22	15
23	16		AN ACT concerning 1
24	17
25	18		Prince George’s County – Special Elections Conducted by Mail – Voting Centers 2
26	19
27	20		FOR the purpose of altering requirements for voting centers used in a special election 3
28	21		conducted by mail in Prince George’s County; and generally relating to special 4
29	22		elections in Prince George’s County. 5
30	23
31	24		BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
32	25		Article – Election Law 7
33	26		Section 9–501 8
34	27		Annotated Code of Maryland 9
35	28		(2017 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 10
36	29
37	30		BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
38	31		Article – Election Law 12
39	32		Section 9–503 13
40	33		Annotated Code of Maryland 14
41	34		(2017 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 15
42	35
43	36		SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
44	37		That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
45	38
46	39		Article – Election Law 18
47	40
48		-	9–501. 19 2 SENATE BILL 925
	41	+	9–501. 19
	42	+
	43	+	(a) This subtitle applies only to a special election that is not held concurrently 20
	44	+	with a regularly scheduled primary or general election. 21
	45	+
	46	+	(b) Voting by mail may be utilized in a special election in accordance with this 22
	47	+	subtitle. 23
	48	+	2 SENATE BILL 925
	49	+
	50	+
	51	+	(c) A special election to fill a vacancy in the Office of Representative in Congress 1
	52	+	shall be conducted by mail if the Governor’s proclamation issued under § 8–710 of this 2
	53	+	article directs that the election be conducted by mail. 3
	54	+
	55	+	(d) (1) In this subsection, “local special election” means a special election to: 4
	56	+
	57	+	(i) fill a vacancy in the offices of county council member, chief 5
	58	+	executive officer, or county executive of a charter county if the charter of that county 6
	59	+	provides for special elections; 7
	60	+
	61	+	(ii) fill a vacancy in the board of county commissioners of a code 8
	62	+	home rule county if a local law enacted by that county provides for special elections; 9
	63	+
	64	+	(iii) fill a vacancy in the board of county commissioners of a 10
	65	+	commission county if a law provides for special elections; 11
	66	+
	67	+	(iv) fill a vacancy in a local board of education if State law provides 12
	68	+	for special elections; 13
	69	+
	70	+	(v) elect members of a charter board or submit a proposed charter to 14
	71	+	the voters for adoption or rejection in accordance with Article XI–A, § 1A of the Maryland 15
	72	+	Constitution; or 16
	73	+
	74	+	(vi) submit a local law enacted by a code home rule county to the 17
	75	+	voters for adoption or rejection in accordance with § 9–313 of the Local Government Article. 18
	76	+
	77	+	(2) A local special election shall be conducted by mail if the resolution of 19
	78	+	the county council or board of county commissioners establishing the date of the special 20
	79	+	election directs that the election be conducted by mail. 21
	80	+
	81	+	(e) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle: 22
	82	+
	83	+	(1) provisions of this article relating to absentee voting apply to voting by 23
	84	+	mail; and 24
	85	+
	86	+	(2) all pertinent State or local laws relating to the conduct of a special 25
	87	+	election apply to a special election conducted under this subtitle. 26
	88	+
	89	+	(f) Provisions of this article relating to the conduct of elections apply to a special 27
	90	+	election conducted under this subtitle, unless a law specifically relevant to a special election 28
	91	+	applies. 29
	92	+
	93	+	9–503. 30
	94	+
	95	+	(a) Each local board shall establish at least one voting center for the use of any 31
	96	+	eligible voter who chooses to cast a ballot in person in a special election in accordance with 32
	97	+	this section. 33 SENATE BILL 925 3
49	98
50	99
51	100
52		-	(a) ~~This subtitle applies only to~~ a ~~special election that is not held concurrently~~ 1
53		-	~~with a regularly scheduled primary or general~~ election. 2
	101	+	(b) (1) A voting center shall be located at a local board office or another location 1
	102	+	within the constituency where the special election is being held. 2
54	103
55		-	(b) Voting by mail may be utilized in a special election in accordance with this 3
56		-	subtitle. 4
	104	+	(2) In Montgomery County AND PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY: 3
57	105
58		-	(c) A special election ~~to fill~~ a ~~vacancy in the Office of Representative in Congress 5~~
59		-	shall be ~~conducted by mail if~~ the ~~Governor’s proclamation issued under § 8–710 of this 6~~
60		-	~~article directs that the~~ election ~~be conducted by mail.~~ 7
	106	+	(i) in a special election held in a single county council district, at 4
	107	+	least one voting center shall be established in the county council district where the special 5
	108	+	election is being held; and 6
61	109
62		-	(d) (1) In this subsection, “local special election” means a special election to: 8
	110	+	(ii) in a countywide special election, at least one voting center shall 7
	111	+	be established in each county council district. 8
63	112
64		-	(i) fill a vacancy in the offices of county council member, chief 9
65		-	executive officer, or county executive of a charter county if the charter of that county 10
66		-	provides for special elections; 11
	113	+	(c) A voting center established under this section shall: 9
67	114
68		-	(ii) fill a vacancy in the board of county commissioners of a code 12
69		-	home rule county if a local law enacted by that county provides for special elections; 13
	115	+	(1) provide access to a voting system that is accessible to voters with 10
	116	+	disabilities in accordance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the federal 11
	117	+	Help America Vote Act; 12
70	118
71		-	(iii) fill a vacancy in the board of county commissioners of a 14
72		-	commission county if a law provides for special elections; 15
	119	+	(2) provide for provisional voting in accordance with Subtitle 4 of this title; 13
73	120
74		-	(iv) fill a vacancy in a local board of education if State law provides 16
75		-	for special elections; 17
	121	+	(3) satisfy the requirements of § 10–101 of this article; and 14
76	122
77		-	(v) elect members of a charter board or submit a proposed charter to 18
78		-	the voters for adoption or rejection in accordance with Article XI–A, § 1A of the Maryland 19
79		-	Constitution; or 20
	123	+	(4) (i) unless otherwise specified in the proclamation issued by the 15
	124	+	Governor that directs that the special election be conducted by mail, and except as provided 16
	125	+	in item (ii) of this item, be open for voting each day beginning 6 days before the day of a 17
	126	+	special election through the day of a special election during the hours between: 18
80	127
81		-	(vi) submit a local law enacted by a code home rule county to the 21
82		-	voters for adoption or rejection in accordance with § 9–313 of the Local Government Article. 22
	128	+	1. 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; and 19
83	129
84		-	(2) A local special election shall be conducted by mail if the resolution of 23
85		-	the county council or board of county commissioners establishing the date of the special 24
86		-	election directs that the election be conducted by mail. 25
	130	+	2. 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday; and 20
87	131
88		-	(e) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle: 26
	132	+	(ii) in Montgomery County AND PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, be 21
	133	+	open for voting during the days and for the hours that the county council directs in the 22
	134	+	resolution under § 9–501(d)(2) of this subtitle. 23
89	135
90		-	(1) provisions of this article relating to absentee voting apply to voting by 27
91		-	mail; and 28
	136	+	(d) If necessary to expedite the conduct of a special election and subject to the 24
	137	+	approval of the State Board, a local board may establish a voting center under this section 25
	138	+	during a period when a change in polling places is prohibited under § 2–303 of this article. 26
92	139
93		-	(2) all pertinent State or local laws relating to the conduct of a special 29
94		-	election apply to a special election conducted under this subtitle. 30
95		-	SENATE BILL 925 3
	140	+	(e) The process for applying in person for an absentee ballot at the office of a local 27
	141	+	board under § 9–305 of this title does not apply to a special election conducted by mail. 28
96	142
97		-
98		-	(f) Provisions of this article relating to the conduct of elections apply to a special 1
99		-	election conducted under this subtitle, unless a law specifically relevant to a special election 2
100		-	applies. 3
101		-
102		-	9–503. 4
103		-
104		-	(a) Each local board shall establish at least one voting center for the use of any 5
105		-	eligible voter who chooses to cast a ballot in person in a special election in accordance with 6
106		-	this section. 7
107		-
108		-	(b) (1) A voting center shall be located at a local board office or another location 8
109		-	within the constituency where the special election is being held. 9
110		-
111		-	(2) In Montgomery County AND PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY: 10
112		-
113		-	(i) in a special election held in a single county council district, at 11
114		-	least one voting center shall be established in the county council district where the special 12
115		-	election is being held; and 13
116		-
117		-	(ii) in a countywide special election, at least one voting center shall 14
118		-	be established in each county council district. 15
119		-
120		-	(c) A voting center established under this section shall: 16
121		-
122		-	(1) provide access to a voting system that is accessible to voters with 17
123		-	disabilities in accordance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the federal 18
124		-	Help America Vote Act; 19
125		-
126		-	(2) provide for provisional voting in accordance with Subtitle 4 of this title; 20
127		-
128		-	(3) satisfy the requirements of § 10–101 of this article; and 21
129		-
130		-	(4) (i) unless otherwise specified in the proclamation issued by the 22
131		-	Governor that directs that the special election be conducted by mail, and except as provided 23
132		-	in item (ii) of this item, be open for voting each day beginning 6 days before the day of a 24
133		-	special election through the day of a special election during the hours between: 25
134		-
135		-	1. 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; and 26
136		-
137		-	2. 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday; and 27
138		-
139		-	(ii) in Montgomery County AND PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, be 28
140		-	open for voting during the days and for the hours that the county council directs in the 29
141		-	resolution under § 9–501(d)(2) of this subtitle. 30
	143	+	(f) Except as otherwise provided in this section, any provision of this article that 29
	144	+	applies to voting at a polling place on election day also applies to voting at a voting center 30
	145	+	established under this section. 31
142	146		4 SENATE BILL 925
143	147
144	148
145		-	(d) If necessary to expedite the conduct of a special election and subject to the 1
146		-	approval of the State Board, a local board may establish a voting center under this section 2
147		-	during a period when a change in polling places is prohibited under § 2–303 of this article. 3
148		-
149		-	(e) The process for applying in person for an absentee ballot at the office of a local 4
150		-	board under § 9–305 of this title does not apply to a special election conducted by mail. 5
151		-
152		-	(f) Except as otherwise provided in this section, any provision of this article that 6
153		-	applies to voting at a polling place on election day also applies to voting at a voting center 7
154		-	established under this section. 8
155		-
156		-	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 9
157		-	1, 2022. 10
158		-
159		-
160		-
161		-	Approved:
162		-	________________________________________________________________________________
163		-	Governor.
164		-	________________________________________________________________________________
165		-	President of the Senate.
166		-	________________________________________________________________________________
167		-	Speaker of the House of Delegates.
	149	+	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 1
	150	+	1, 2022. 2