EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0913*
SENATE BILL 913
G1 4lr3161
By: Senator McKay
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Election Law – Approval Voting – Authorization for County Elections 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing the governing body of a county to adopt, by law, an approval 3
voting method for elections for offices in the executive or legislative branches of 4
county government; and generally relating to the use of approval voting for elections 5
for county offices. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Election Law 8
Section 8–101 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Election Law 14
8–101. 15
(a) Under the supervision of the State Board, and in accordance with regulations 16
and procedures adopted by the State Board, a local board shall conduct all elections held 17
under this article in the county in which the board is located. 18
(b) Except where it would be inappropriate, or as otherwise provided in this 19
article, the electoral process for primary elections, general elections, and special elections 20
shall be uniform. 21
2 SENATE BILL 913
(C) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION , “APPROVAL VOTING ” MEANS A METHOD OF 1
CASTING AND TABULATI NG VOTES IN WHICH VO TERS MAY CHOOSE ANY NUMBER OF 2
CANDIDATES AND THE CANDIDATE CHOSEN MOS T OFTEN IS ELECTED . 3
(2) THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY MAY , BY LAW, ADOPT AN 4
APPROVAL VOTING METHOD FOR ELECTIONS FOR OF FICES IN THE EXECUTI VE OR 5
LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT . 6
(3) A LOCAL LAW ENACTED UN DER THIS SUB SECTION SHALL 7
PROVIDE FOR AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPA IGN EXPLAINING HOW TO VO TE USING 8
APPROVAL VOTING . 9
(4) THE STATE BOARD MAY ADOPT REGUL ATIONS GOVERNING THE 10
ADMINISTRATION OF EL ECTIONS CONDUCTED US ING APPROVAL VOTING . 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
January 1, 2025. 13