EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0996*
SENATE BILL 996
G1 5lr3487
SB 913/24 – EEE
By: Senator McKay
Introduced and read first time: February 1, 2025
Assigned to: Rules
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 2024 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 996
(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 C ANDIDATE CHOSEN MOST OFTEN IS ELECTED. 3
(2) THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY MAY , BY LAW, ADOPT AN 4
APPROVAL VOTING METH OD FOR ELECTIONS FOR OFFICES IN THE EXECU TIVE OR 5
LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT . 6
(3) A LOCAL LAW ENACTED UN DER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL 7
PROVIDE FOR A N EDUCATIONAL CAMPAI GN EXPLAINING HOW TO VOTE 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 ef fect June 12
1, 2025. 13