EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0257*
SENATE BILL 257
G1 5lr0169
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 199
By: Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee (By Request –
Departmental – State Board of Elections)
Requested: September 18, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Election Law – Notice to Permanent Absentee Voters 2
FOR the purpose of altering the time before an election when a certain notice is required 3
to be sent to each voter who is on the permanent absentee ballot list; repealing a 4
requirement that the notice be sent to each voter who is on the permanent absentee 5
ballot list as of a certain date; altering the action the State Board of Elections is 6
required to take if the State Board is unable to contact a voter who is on the 7
permanent absentee ballot list using the method of communication chosen by the 8
voter; and generally relating to permanent absentee voters. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Election Law 11
Section 9–311.1(d) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Election Law 16
Section 9–311.1(g) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
Article – Election Law 22
9–311.1. 23
2 SENATE BILL 257
(d) A voter shall specify in an absentee ballot application submitted in accordance 1
with subsection (b) of this section: 2
(1) one of the following methods by which the voter chooses to receive an 3
absentee ballot: 4
(i) mail; 5
(ii) facsimile transmission; or 6
(iii) the Internet; and 7
(2) one of the following methods by which the voter chooses to be contacted 8
by the State Board under subsection (g) of this section before each election: 9
(i) nonforwardable mail; 10
(ii) e–mail; or 11
(iii) text message. 12
(g) (1) [Not less than 75] DURING THE PERIOD BEG INNING 120 DAYS 13
BEFORE AN ELECTION A ND ENDING 90 days before [the day on which a local board begins 14
to send absentee ballots to voters] THE ELECTION, the State Board shall send a written 15
communication to each voter who is on the permanent absentee ballot list [as of a date that 16
is at least 90 days before the upcoming election] using the method chosen by the voter 17
under subsection (d)(2) of this section. 18
(2) The communication required under paragraph (1) of this subsection 19
shall include: 20
(i) confirmation that the voter is included on the permanent 21
absentee ballot list; 22
(ii) the address of the voter; 23
(iii) the method by which the voter has chosen to receive an absentee 24
ballot; and 25
(iv) a statement that the voter must notify the local board if any of 26
the changes listed in subsection (j) of this section have occurred. 27
(3) If the State Board is unable to contact a voter using the method of 28
communication chosen by the voter under subsection (d)(2) of this section, the State Board 29
shall [send the written communication] ATTEMPT TO CONTACT T HE VOTER using 30
another method [if the State Board has other contact information for the voter]. 31 SENATE BILL 257 3
(4) If the communication required under paragraph (1) of this subsection 1
is sent by mail, the envelope shall include a statement, prominently placed, requesting that 2
the recipient return the communication to the State Board if the intended recipient no 3
longer lives at that address. 4
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, that this Act shall take effect July 5
1, 2025. 6