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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0580*
HOUSE BILL 580
G1 6lr0847
HB 1094/25 – W&M
By: Montgomery County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Montgomery County – Voting Methods 2
MC 1–26 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Montgomery County Council to adopt, by law, a 4
ranked–choice voting method or an approval voting method for elections for certain 5
local offices; and generally relating to the use of ranked –choice voting or approval 6
voting for elections for local offices in Montgomery County. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Election Law 9
Section 8–101 and 9–204 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Election Law 15
8–101. 16
(a) Under the supervision of the State Board, and in accordance with regulations 17
and procedures adopted by the State Board, a local board shall conduct all elections held 18
under this article in the county in which the board is located. 19
(b) Except where it would be inappropriate, or as otherwise provided in this 20
article, the electoral process for primary elections, general elections, and special elections 21
shall be uniform. 22
2 HOUSE BILL 580
(C) (1) (I) IN THIS SUBSECTION TH E FOLLOWING WORDS HA VE THE 1
MEANINGS INDICATED. 2
(II) “APPROVAL VOTING” MEANS A METHOD OF CASTING AND 3
TABULATING VOTES IN WHICH VOTERS MAY CHOOSE ANY NUMBER OF CANDIDATES 4
AND THE CANDIDATE CHOSEN MOST OFTEN IS ELECTED. 5
(III) “RANKED–CHOICE VOTING” MEANS A METHOD OF CASTING 6
AND TABULATING VOTES IN WHICH VOTERS RANK CANDIDATES IN ORDER OF 7
PREFERENCE AND VOTES ARE TABULATED IN A M ANNER THAT REFLECTS VOTER 8
PREFERENCE. 9
(2) THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL MAY , BY LAW , ADOPT A 10
RANKED–CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM OR AN APPROVAL VOTIN G SYSTEM FOR 11
ELECTIONS FOR ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING OFFICES: 12
(I) COUNTY EXECUTIVE; 13
(II) MEMBER OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL; 14
(III) JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT; 15
(IV) STATE’S ATTORNEY; 16
(V) REGISTER OF WILLS; 17
(VI) SHERIFF; AND 18
(VII) MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. 19
(3) A LOCAL LAW ENACTED UNDER THIS S UBSECTION MAY PROVIDE 20
FOR: 21
(I) THE BALLOT FORMAT; 22
(II) PROCEDURES FOR TABULATING VOTES; AND 23
(III) ANY OTHER PROVISION NECESSARY TO IMPLEME NT 24
RANKED–CHOICE VOTING OR APPROVAL VOTING. 25
(4) A LOCAL LAW ENACTED UN DER THIS SUBS ECTION SHALL 26
PROVIDE FOR AN EDUCA TIONAL CAMPAIGN EXPL AINING HOW TO VOTE U SING 27
RANKED–CHOICE VOTING OR APPROVAL VOTING. 28
HOUSE BILL 580 3
9–204. 1
(a) Subject to the other provisions of this subtitle and to different presentations 2
required or made desirable by different voting systems, all ballots used in an election shall 3
be as uniform as possible. 4
(b) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this title, or unless a provision is 5
clearly inappropriate to absentee ballots, the provisions of this subtitle relating to bal lot 6
content and arrangement shall apply to the arrangement of absentee ballots. 7
(c) If applicable for the voting system in use, the appropriate components of the 8
voting system shall be configured for a primary election to permit the voter to vote only for 9
the candidates for which the voter is entitled to vote. 10
(D) THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL MAY , BY A LAW ADOPTED IN 11
ACCORDANCE WITH § 8–101(C) OF THIS ARTICLE , PROVIDE FOR THE FORM AT OF 12
BALLOTS TO BE USED IN AN ELECTION CONDUCTED BY RANKED–CHOICE VOTING OR 13
APPROVAL VOTING. 14
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 15
January 1, 2027. 16