EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0781*
HOUSE BILL 781
G1 5lr3046
CF SB 66
By: Delegates Roberts, Davis, Fennell, J. Long, Martinez, Roberson, Schmidt,
Taylor, Vogel, and Woods
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Election Law – Polling Place Procedures – Voting by Elderly Voters and Voters 2
With Disabilities 3
(Accessible and Expedited Voting Act of Maryland) 4
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Elections to establish guidelines for the 5
local boards of election to implement a process to accommodate and expedite voting 6
for elderly voters and voters with disabilities at each early voting center and polling 7
place; requiring the local boards to implement the guidelines and collect feedback on 8
the process from elderly voters and voters with disabilities and make immediate 9
adjustments to the process; requiring the training program for election judges to 10
include instruction on best practices for assisting the guidelines for expediting voting 11
for elderly voters and voters with disabilities; and generally relating to in–person 12
voting by elderly voters and voters with disabilities. 13
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – Election Law 15
Section 1–101(a) and (u) and 10–206(e) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
BY adding to 19
Article – Election Law 20
Section 10–206(f) and 10–310.1 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22 2 HOUSE BILL 781
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 1
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 2
Article – Election Law 3
Section 10–206(f) and (g) 4
Annotated Code of Maryland 5
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 6
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 8
Article – Election Law 9
1–101. 10
(a) In this article the following words have the meanings indicated unless a 11
different meaning is clearly intended from the context. 12
(u) “Elderly” means 65 years of age or older. 13
10–206. 14
(e) The State Board shall provide election judges with uniform statewide training 15
on the voting system, including: 16
(1) all features of the voting system that provide access to voters with 17
disabilities; and 18
(2) the rights of voters with disabilities, including those rights guaranteed 19
by State and federal law. 20
(F) THE TRAINING PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE INSTRU CTION ON BEST 21
PRACTICES FOR ASSIST ING THE GUIDELINES FOR E XPEDITING VOTING FOR 22
ELDERLY VOTERS AND V OTERS WITH DISABILIT IES, AS DEFINED IN THE FE DERAL 23
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AS REQUIRED ESTABLISHED UNDER § 24
10–310.1 OF THIS TITLE. 25
[(f)] (G) Each local board shall conduct election judge training based on the 26
program developed by the State Board. 27
[(g)] (H) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, each 28
election judge shall participate in the training program provided for in subsection (a) of this 29
section. 30
(2) An election judge who is appointed under emergency circumstances is 31
not required to attend the course of instruction. 32 HOUSE BILL 781 3
10–310.1. 1
(A) THE STATE BOARD SHALL ESTABLISH GUIDELINES FOR THE LOCAL 2
BOARDS TO IMPLEMENT A PROCESS TO ACCOMMODATE AND EXPEDITE VOTING FOR 3
ELDERLY VOTERS AND V OTERS WITH DISABILIT IES, AS DEFINED IN THE FE DERAL 4
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AT EACH EARLY VOTING CENTER AND 5
POLLING PLACE IN THE STATE. 6
(B) THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISH ED BY THE STATE BOARD UNDER 7
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L INCLUDE: 8
(1) DEDICATED EXPEDITED LINES FOR ELDERLY VO TERS AND 9
VOTERS WITH DISABILI TIES; AND 10
(2) CLEARLY MARKED SIGNA GE INDICATING THE AV AILABILITY OF 11
EXPEDITED SERV ICES; 12
(3) PRIORITY SEATING FOR ELDERLY VOTERS AND V OTERS WITH 13
DISABILITIES IN WAIT ING AREAS; AND 14
(4) SPECIFIC PROVISIONS FOR HIGH –TRAFFIC EARLY VOTING 15
CENTERS AND POLLING PLACES. 16
(C) THE LOCAL BOARDS SHAL L: 17
(1) IMPLEMENT THE GUIDEL INES ESTABLISH ED BY THE STATE 18
BOARD UNDER SUBSECTIO N (A) OF THIS SECTION; AND 19
(2) COLLECT FEEDBACK FRO M ELDERLY VOTERS AND VOTERS WITH 20
DISABILITIES ON THE ACCOMMODATIONS AND E XPEDITED VOTING PROC ESS WHILE 21
VOTING AT EARLY VOTI NG CENTERS AND POLLI NG PLACES IS IN PROGRESS AND 22
MAKE IMMEDIATE ADJUS TMENTS TO THE PROCES S AS NECESSARY. 23
(D) THE STATE BOARD SHALL MONITOR T HE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 24
GUIDELINES ESTABLISH ED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION BY T HE LOCAL 25
BOARDS AND SUBMIT A REPORT ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 15 EACH YEAR 26
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWIN G A STATEWIDE ELECTI ON TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 27
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE THAT 28
INCLUDES: 29
(1) ANY CHALLENGES TO IM PLEMENTING THE GUIDE LINES; AND 30
4 HOUSE BILL 781
(2) AN ANALYSIS OF THE E FFECTIVENESS OF TH E ACCOMMODATIONS 1
AND EXPEDITED VOTING PROCESS; 2
(3) A SUMMARY OF FEEDBAC K ON THE ACCOMMODATI ONS AND 3
EXPEDITED VOTING PRO CESS FROM ELDERLY VO TERS AND VOTERS WITH 4
DISABILITIES; AND 5
(4) (2) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE GUIDE LINES. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the guidelines required under 7
§ 10–310.1 of the Election Law Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act: 8
(1) shall be implemented beginning with the statewide primary election 9
held in 2026; and 10
(2) are not required to be implemented for any special elections that may 11
occur before the statewide primary election held in 2026. 12
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2025. 14
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.