MD
Maryland House Bill HB153

Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB153 Compare Versions

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33 EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
44 [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.
85 *hb0153*
96
107 HOUSE BILL 153
118 G1 5lr0779
129 HB 436/24 – W&M (PRE–FILED) CF 5lr0780
1310 By: Delegates Fair, Feldmark, Kaufman, Lehman, Palakovich Carr, Pruski, Ruth,
1411 Stewart, and Terrasa
1512 Requested: September 9, 2024
1613 Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
1714 Assigned to: Ways and Means
18-Committee Report: Favorable
19-House action: Adopted
20-Read second time: February 11, 2025
2115
22-CHAPTER ______
16+A BILL ENTITLED
2317
2418 AN ACT concerning 1
2519
2620 Election Law – Voter Registration – Age and Notification to Minors 2
2721
2822 FOR the purpose of altering the age at which an individual may register to vote; requiring 3
2923 that a voter notification card sent to an individual under a certain age include 4
3024 information regarding when the individual will be eligible to vote; requiring the 5
3125 election director in the county where a registered voter becomes eligible to vote under 6
3226 a certain provision of law to send a certain notice to the voter; and generally relating 7
3327 to voter registration. 8
3428
3529 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
3630 Article – Election Law 10
3731 Section 3–102 and 3–301 11
3832 Annotated Code of Maryland 12
3933 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
4034
4135 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
4236 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
4337
4438 Article – Election Law 16
4539
4640 3–102. 17
47- 2 HOUSE BILL 153
41+
42+ (a) (1) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, an individual may 18
43+become registered to vote if the individual: 19
44+
45+ (i) is a citizen of the United States; 20
46+
47+ (ii) is at least [16] 15 years AND 9 MONTHS old; 21 2 HOUSE BILL 153
4848
4949
50- (a) (1) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, an individual may 1
51-become registered to vote if the individual: 2
5250
53- (i) is a citizen of the United States; 3
51+ (iii) is a resident of the State as of the day the individual seeks to 1
52+register; and 2
5453
55- (ii) is at least [16] 15 years AND 9 MONTHS old; 4
54+ (iv) registers pursuant to this title. 3
5655
57- (iii) is a resident of the State as of the day the individual seeks to 5
58-register; and 6
56+ (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection, an individual 4
57+under the age of 18 years: 5
5958
60- (iv) registers pursuant to this title. 7
59+ (i) may vote in a primary election in which candidates are 6
60+nominated for a general or special election that will occur when the individual is at least 7
61+18 years old; and 8
6162
62- (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection, an individual 8
63-under the age of 18 years: 9
63+ (ii) may not vote in any other election. 9
6464
65- (i) may vote in a primary election in which candidates are 10
66-nominated for a general or special election that will occur when the individual is at least 11
67-18 years old; and 12
65+ (b) An individual is not qualified to be a registered voter if the individual: 10
6866
69- (ii) may not vote in any other election. 13
67+ (1) has been convicted of a felony and is currently serving a court–ordered 11
68+sentence of imprisonment for the conviction; 12
7069
71- (b) An individual is not qualified to be a registered voter if the individual: 14
70+ (2) is under guardianship for mental disability and a court of competent 13
71+jurisdiction has specifically found by clear and convincing evidence that the individual 14
72+cannot communicate, with or without accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting 15
73+process; or 16
7274
73- (1) has been convicted of a felony and is currently serving a court–ordered 15
74-sentence of imprisonment for the conviction; 16
75+ (3) has been convicted of buying or selling votes. 17
7576
76- (2) is under guardianship for mental disability and a court of competent 17
77-jurisdiction has specifically found by clear and convincing evidence that the individual 18
78-cannot communicate, with or without accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting 19
79-process; or 20
77+3–301. 18
8078
81- (3) has been convicted of buying or selling votes. 21
79+ (a) When a voter registration application is received by a local board, the local 19
80+board shall: 20
8281
83-3–301. 22
82+ (1) if the applicant resides in the county of the local board, determine 21
83+whether the applicant is qualified to become a registered voter; or 22
8484
85- (a) When a voter registration application is received by a local board, the local 23
86-board shall: 24
85+ (2) if the applicant resides in a different county in the State, immediately 23
86+forward the application to the proper county. 24
8787
88- (1) if the applicant resides in the county of the local board, determine 25
89-whether the applicant is qualified to become a registered voter; or 26
88+ (b) The information contained in the voter registration application for a qualified 25
89+applicant shall be electronically entered into the statewide voter registration list on an 26
90+expedited basis at the time voter registration information is provided to the local board and 27
91+shall be assigned to the county in which the applicant resides unless registration is closed 28
92+pursuant to § 3–302 of this subtitle. 29
9093
91- (2) if the applicant resides in a different county in the State, immediately 27
92-forward the application to the proper county. 28
93-
94- (b) The information contained in the voter registration application for a qualified 29
95-applicant shall be electronically entered into the statewide voter registration list on an 30
96-expedited basis at the time voter registration information is provided to the local board and 31 HOUSE BILL 153 3
94+ (c) (1) The election director in the county where an applicant resides shall 30
95+send a voter acknowledgment notice, in a format prescribed by the State Board, to each 31 HOUSE BILL 153 3
9796
9897
99-shall be assigned to the county in which the applicant resides unless registration is closed 1
100-pursuant to § 3–302 of this subtitle. 2
98+applicant informing the applicant whether he or she is qualified to become registered, and, 1
99+if not qualified, the reasons why. 2
101100
102- (c) (1) The election director in the county where an applicant resides shall 3
103-send a voter acknowledgment notice, in a format prescribed by the State Board, to each 4
104-applicant informing the applicant whether he or she is qualified to become registered, and, 5
105-if not qualified, the reasons why. 6
101+ (2) (i) A voter notification card sent to a qualified applicant may serve 3
102+as a voter acknowledgment notice. 4
106103
107- (2) (i) A voter notification card sent to a qualified applicant may serve 7
108-as a voter acknowledgment notice. 8
104+ (ii) 1. The voter notification card shall contain: 5
109105
110- (ii) 1. The voter notification card shall contain: 9
106+ A. the name and address of the voter, the date of issue, and 6
107+the district or ward and precinct of the voter; AND 7
111108
112- A. the name and address of the voter, the date of issue, and 10
113-the district or ward and precinct of the voter; AND 11
109+ B. IF THE INDIVIDUAL IS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, 8
110+INFORMATION REGARDIN G WHEN THE INDIVIDUA L WILL BE ELIGIBLE T O VOTE. 9
114111
115- B. IF THE INDIVIDUAL IS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, 12
116-INFORMATION REGARDIN G WHEN THE INDIVIDUA L WILL BE ELIGIBLE T O VOTE. 13
112+ 2. The card is evidence that the individual to whom it is 10
113+issued is a registered voter on the date appearing on the card. 11
117114
118- 2. The card is evidence that the individual to whom it is 14
119-issued is a registered voter on the date appearing on the card. 15
115+ 3. The election director shall issue a replacement card on 12
116+request of the voter and a new card when a relevant change is made in the voter’s 13
117+registration record if the voter continues to reside in the county. 14
120118
121- 3. The election director shall issue a replacement card on 16
122-request of the voter and a new card when a relevant change is made in the voter’s 17
123-registration record if the voter continues to reside in the county. 18
119+ (D) (1) THE ELECTION DIRECTOR IN THE COUNTY WHERE A REGISTERED 15
120+VOTER WHO BECOMES ELIGIBLE TO VOTE UND ER § 3–102(A)(2) OF THIS TITLE 16
121+RESIDES SHALL SEND T O THE VOTER: 17
124122
125- (D) (1) THE ELECTION DIRECTOR IN THE COUNTY WHERE A REGISTERED 19
126-VOTER WHO BECOMES EL IGIBLE TO VOTE UNDER § 3–102(A)(2) OF THIS TITLE 20
127-RESIDES SHALL SEND T O THE VOTER: 21
123+ (I) A NOTICE THAT THE VO TER IS ELIGIBLE TO V OTE IN THE 18
124+NEXT SCHEDULED PRIMA RY ELECTION; AND 19
128125
129- (I) A NOTICE THAT THE VO TER IS ELIGIBLE TO V OTE IN THE 22
130-NEXT SCHEDULED PRIMA RY ELECTION; AND 23
126+ (II) INFORMATION ON THE V OTING METHODS AVAILA BLE TO 20
127+THE REGISTERED VOTE R AND THE LOCATION O F THE APPLICABLE EAR LY VOTING 21
128+CENTERS AND POLLING PLACE. 22
131129
132- (II) INFORMATION ON THE V OTING METHODS AVAILA BLE TO 24
133-THE REGISTERED VOTER AND THE LOCATION OF THE APPLICABLE EARLY VOTING 25
134-CENTERS AND POLLING PLACE. 26
130+ (2) THE ELECTION DIRECTOR SHALL SEND THE NOTIC E REQUIRED 23
131+UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION D URING THE TIME PERIO D 24
132+DETERMINED BY THE STATE BOARD. 25
135133
136- (2) THE ELECTION DIRECTOR SHALL SEND THE NOTIC E REQUIRED 27
137-UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION DURING TH E TIME PERIOD 28
138-DETERMINED BY THE STATE BOARD. 29
139-
140- SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 30
141-October 1, 2025. 31
134+ SECTION 2. AND BE IT FUR THER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26
135+October 1, 2025. 27
142136