Election Law - Enhanced Automatic Voter Registration System

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0871*

HOUSE BILL 871
G1 6lr2446
HB 1113/25 – W&M
By: Delegate Stewart
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Election Law – Enhanced Automatic Voter Registration System 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the Motor Vehicle Administration to implement an enhanced 3
automatic voter registration system on or before a certain date; establishing 4
requirements regarding the transmission of enhanced automatic voter registration 5
information by the Administration, the processing of the voter registration 6
information by the State Board of Elections, and the sending of notices by the State 7
Board; authorizing the State Board to implement certain enhanced automatic voter 8
registration procedures at certain agencies with the consent of the agencies; 9
providing that certain enhanced automatic voter registration procedures do not 10
apply to participants in certain confidentiality programs except under certain 11
circumstances; requiring the Administration to implement procedures to reliably 12
record and validate the specific documents presented by certain applicants in 13
compliance with a certain federal law; and generally relating to enhanced automatic 14
voter registration. 15

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – Election Law 17
Section 3–203, 3–303, and 3–503 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22

Article – Election Law 23

3–203. 24

(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 25

2 HOUSE BILL 871

(2) (i) “Applicable transaction” means: 1

1. at the Motor Vehicle Administration, an initial application 2
for or renewal of a driver’s license or identification card, or a change of name or address on 3
an existing driver’s license or identification card, or any other transaction in which the 4
Motor Vehicle Administration obtains all of the information from an applicant that satisfies 5
the requirements to register to vote; 6

2. at the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, any application 7
for or renewal of health insurance coverage; 8

3. at a local department of social services, an initial 9
application for a State or federally funded public assistance p rogram or an application for 10
a recertification, renewal, or change of name or address relating to a State or federally 11
funded public assistance program; or 12

4. at the Mobility Certification Office in the Maryland 13
Transit Administration, an initial appl ication for paratransit service or an application for 14
recertification for paratransit service. 15

(ii) “Applicable transaction” includes any transaction described in 16
subparagraph (i) of this paragraph that is completed online. 17

(III) “APPLICABLE TRANSACTION” DOES NOT INCLUDE A REAL 18
ID TRANSACTION. 19

(3) “Automatic voter registration agency” means: 20

(i) the Motor Vehicle Administration; 21

(ii) the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange; 22

(iii) local departments of social services; and 23

(iv) the Mobility Certification Office in the Maryland Transit 24
Administration. 25

(4) “Automatic voter registration system” means a system that, as an 26
integral part of each applicable transaction at an automatic voter registration agency: 27

(i) informs an applicant: 28

1. that the applicant shall be registered to vote or shall have 29
a voter registration record updated, if applicable, unless the applicant declines to register 30
to vote or update a voter registration record or if the applicant is not eligible to r egister to 31
vote; 32

HOUSE BILL 871 3

2. of the qualifications to register to vote under § 3 –102 of 1
this title; 2

3. that the applicant should not register if the applicant does 3
not meet all the qualifications; 4

4. of the penalties for the submission of a false app lication; 5
and 6

5. that voter registration is voluntary and that neither 7
registering nor declining to register to vote will in any way affect the availability of services 8
or benefits; 9

(ii) requires the electronic signature of the applicant, subject to the 10
penalties for perjury, by which the applicant attests that the information provided by the 11
applicant is true and that the applicant meets all the qualifications to become a registered 12
voter, including United States citizenship; and 13

(iii) electronically transmits the voter registration information of 14
each applicant who does not decline to register to vote or update a voter registration record 15
directly to the State Board: 16

1. in a manner and format specified jointly by the automatic 17
voter registration agency and the State Board; and 18

2. within 5 days of the applicable transaction. 19

(5) “ENHANCED AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION NOTICE” MEANS 20
A NOTICE IN A FORMAT PRESCRIBED BY THE STATE BOARD THAT: 21

(I) INCLUDES A STATEMENT EXPLAINING: 22

1. THAT THE APPLICANT S HALL BE REGISTERED T O 23
VOTE UNLESS THE APPL ICANT DECLINES TO RE GISTER TO VOTE OR IF THE 24
APPLICANT IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE; 25

2. THE QUALIFICATIONS TO REGISTER TO VOTE UNDER § 26
3–102 OF THIS TITLE; 27

3. THAT THE APPLICANT SHOULD DECLINE 28
REGISTRATION IF THE APPLICANT DOES NOT MEET ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR 29
VOTER REGISTRATION; 30

4. THE PENALTIES FOR SU BMISSION OF A FALSE 31
APPLICATION; 32
4 HOUSE BILL 871

5. THAT VOTER REGISTRATION IS VOLUNTARY AND THAT 1
NEITHER REGISTERING NOR DECLINING TO REG ISTER TO VOTE WILL I N ANY WAY 2
AFFECT THE AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES OR BENEFITS; AND 3

6. THAT IF THE APPLICAN T DOES NOT SELECT A 4
POLITICAL PARTY AFFI LIATION, THE INDIVIDUAL WILL BE DESIGNATED AS NOT 5
AFFILIATED WITH A PO LITICAL PARTY AND WILL BE UNABLE T O VOTE IN A PARTY 6
PRIMARY ELECTION; 7

(II) ALLOWS THE APPLICANT TO: 8

1. DECLINE TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE BY MAKING AN 9
APPROPRIATE NOTATION AND RETURNING THE NOTICE POSTAGE PREPAID; AND 10

2. IF THE APPLICANT DID NOT SELECT A POLITICAL 11
PARTY AFFILIATION AT THE MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION, SELECT A 12
POLITICAL PARTY AFFI LIATION BY MAKING AN APPROPRIATE NOTATION AND 13
RETURNING THE NOTICE POSTAGE PREPAID; 14

(III) INCLUDES INSTRUCTION S REGARDING HOW THE 15
APPLICANT MAY SELECT A POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION ELECTRONICALLY; AND 16

(IV) MAY BE COMBINED WITH A VOTER ACKNOWLEDGEM ENT 17
NOTICE OR VOTER NOTIFICATION CARD DESCRIBED IN § 3–301(C) OF THIS TITLE. 18

(6) “ENHANCED AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM” MEANS 19
A SYSTEM THAT , AS AN INTE GRAL PART OF EACH REAL ID TRANSACTION AT THE 20
MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION: 21

(I) DOES NOT ELECTRONICA LLY TRANSMIT THE VOT ER 22
REGISTRATION INFORMA TION OF AN APPLICANT TO THE STATE BOARD IF THE 23
APPLICANT HAS PRESENTED A DOCUMENT AS PART OF THE REAL ID TRANSACTION 24
DEMONSTRATING THAT THE APPLICANT IS NOT A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES 25
AT THE TIME OF THE REAL ID TRANSACTION; 26

(II) ELECTRONICALLY TRANS MITS THE VOTER REGIS TRATION 27
INFORMATION NECESSARY TO UPDATE THE NAME OR ADDRESS OF AN APP LICANT 28
DIRECTLY TO THE STATE BOARD WITHIN 5 DAYS AFTER THE REAL ID 29
TRANSACTION IF THE A PPLICANT IS CURRENTL Y REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE 30
STATE; 31

HOUSE BILL 871 5

(III) ELECTRONICALLY TRANS MITS THE VOTER REGIS TRATION 1
INFORMATION OF AN AP PLICANT DIRECTLY TO THE STATE BOARD WITHIN 5 DAYS 2
AFTER THE REAL ID TRANSACTION IF THE APPLICANT: 3

1. IS NOT CURRENTLY REG ISTERED TO VOTE IN T HE 4
STATE; 5

2. HAS PRESENTED A DOCUMENT AS PART OF THE REAL 6
ID TRANSACTION DEMONSTR ATING THAT THE APPLI CANT IS A CITIZEN OF THE 7
UNITED STATES; AND 8

3. HAS PROVIDED INFORMATION AS PART OF THE REAL 9
ID TRANSACTION DEMONSTRATING THAT THE APPLI CANT IS AT LEAST 16 YEARS 10
OLD AND IS A RESIDENT OF THE STATE; AND 11

(IV) BEFORE ELECTRONICALL Y TRANSMITTING THE 12
APPLICANT’S VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION TO THE STATE BOARD UNDER 13
ITEM (II) OR (III) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, OFFERS THE APPLICANT THE OPPORTUNITY 14
TO SELECT A POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION. 15

(7) “ENHANCED AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE NOTICE” 16
MEANS A NOTICE IN A FORMAT PRESCRIBED BY THE STATE BOARD THAT: 17

(I) INCLUDES A STATEMENT EXPLAINING THAT THE 18
APPLICANT’S VOTER REGISTRATION HAS BEEN UPDATED, AND STATING THAT IF THE 19
UPDATE WAS IN ERROR, THE APPLICANT SHOULD CORRECT THE UPDATE; 20

(II) ALLOWS THE APPLICANT TO CORRECT THE UPDAT E BY 21
MAKING AN APPROPRIA TE NOTATION AND RETU RNING THE NOTICE POS TAGE 22
PREPAID; AND 23

(III) MAY BE COMBINED WITH A VOTER ACKNOWLEDGEM ENT 24
NOTICE OR VOTER NOTIFICATION CARD DESCRIBED IN § 3–301(C) OF THIS TITLE. 25

[(5)] (8) “Local department of social services” means: 26

(i) the local departments of social services in the Department of 27
Human Services; and 28

(ii) the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human 29
Services. 30

(9) (I) “REAL ID TRANSACTION” MEANS A TRANSACTION AT THE 31
MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION FOR: 32
6 HOUSE BILL 871

1. AN INITIAL APPLICATI ON FOR OR RENEWAL OF A 1
DRIVER’S LICENSE OR AN IDEN TIFICATION CARD THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH TH E 2
FEDERAL REAL ID ACT; 3

2. A CHANGE OF NAME OR ADDRESS ON AN EXISTI NG 4
DRIVER’S LICENSE OR IDENTIF ICATION CARD THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH THE 5
FEDERAL REAL ID ACT; OR 6

3. ANY OTHER TRANSACTION THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH 7
THE FEDERAL REAL ID ACT IN WHICH THE MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION 8
OBTAINS ALL THE INFO RMATION FROM AN APPL ICANT THAT SATISFIES THE 9
REQUIREMENTS TO REGISTER TO VOTE. 10

(II) “REAL ID TRANSACTION” INCLUDES ANY TRANSAC TION 11
DESCRIBED IN SUBPARA GRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH TH AT IS COMPLETED 12
ONLINE. 13

(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an automatic 14
voter registration agency shall implement an automatic voter r egistration system on or 15
before July 1, 2019. 16

(2) A local department of social services shall implement an automatic 17
voter registration system on or before December 1, 2019. 18

(3) THE MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION SHALL IMPLEMENT AN 19
ENHANCED AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 20
2029. 21

(c) An automatic voter registration system AND AN ENHANCED AUTO MATIC 22
VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM: 23

(1) may not require any information that duplicates the information 24
required to complete an applicable transaction OR A REAL ID TRANSACTION; 25

(2) shall require only the minimum amount of information necessary for 26
both an applicable transaction OR A REAL ID TRANSACTION and a voter registration to: 27

(i) prevent duplicate voter registration; and 28

(ii) enable election officials to review the eligibility of an applicant 29
and to administer voter registration and other aspects of the election process; and 30

HOUSE BILL 871 7

(3) shall inform an applicant that if the applicant does not select a political 1
party affiliation, the individual will be designated as not affiliated with a political party 2
and will be unable to vote in a party primary election. 3

(d) An agent of an automat ic voter registration agency who is responsible for 4
carrying out the requirements of this section may not: 5

(1) seek to influence an applicant’s political preference or party 6
registration; 7

(2) display any political preference or party allegiance; or 8

(3) make any statement to an applicant or take any action the purpose or 9
effect of which is to: 10

(i) discourage the applicant from registering to vote; or 11

(ii) lead the applicant to believe that a decision to register or not to 12
register has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits. 13

(E) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE P ROVIDED IN REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY THE 14
STATE BOARD, AN ENHANCED AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM MAY NOT 15
ELECTRONICALLY TRANS MIT THE VOTER REGIST RATION INFORMATION O F AN 16
APPLICANT TO THE STATE BOARD IF THE APPLICAN T IS A PARTICIPANT I N THE 17
ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM UNDER TITLE 7, SUBTITLE 3 OF THE STATE 18
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE. 19

(F) THE MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION SHALL: 20

(1) IN ACCORDANCE WITH 6 C.F.R. §§ 37.13 AND 37.31, AND IN 21
CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE BOARD, IMPLEMENT PROCEDURES TO RELIABLY 22
RECORD AND VALIDATE THE SPECIFIC DOCUMEN T THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH THE 23
REAL ID ACT AND PRESENTED BY AN APPLICANT FOR A REAL ID TRANSACTION; 24

(2) PERIODICALLY REVIEW THE PROCEDURES IMPLEMENTED UNDER 25
ITEM (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION; AND 26

(3) NOTIFY THE STATE BOARD REGARDING CHANG ES TO THE 27
PROCEDURES IMPLEMENTED UNDER ITEM (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 28

[(e)] (G) The State Board shall ensure that each indi vidual whose voter 29
registration information is transmitted to the State Board through an automatic voter 30
registration system is promptly registered to vote. 31

8 HOUSE BILL 871

(H) (1) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY 1
THE STATE BOARD, THIS SUBSECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO AN APPLICANT WHO IS A 2
PARTICIPANT IN: 3

(I) THE ADDRESS CONFIDEN TIALITY PROGRAM UNDE R TITLE 4
7, SUBTITLE 3 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE; OR 5

(II) THE PERSONAL INFORMATION CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM 6
UNDER COMAR 33.04.02.01 THROUGH 33.04.02.07. 7

(2) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY 8
THE STATE BOARD, THE PROCEDURES REQUI RED IN THIS SUBSECTI ON DO NOT 9
APPLY WHEN VOTER REGISTRATION IS CLOSED UNDER § 3–302 OF THIS TITLE. 10

(3) IF AN APPLICANT ’S VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION IS 11
TRANSMITTED TO THE STATE BOARD THROUGH AN ENHANCED AUTOMATIC VOTER 12
REGISTRATION SYSTEM AND NO OTHER INFORMA TION INDICATES THAT THE 13
APPLICANT IS NOT QUA LIFIED TO BE A REGIS TERED VOTER , THE STATE BOARD 14
SHALL: 15

(I) IF THE APPLICANT IS CURRENTLY REGISTERED TO VOTE IN 16
THE STATE AND HAS CHANGED THE APPLICANT’S NAME OR ADDRESS: 17

1. ELECTRONICALLY ENTER THE APPLICANT’S CHANGE 18
OF NAME OR ADDRESS INTO THE STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION LIST; 19

2. SEND THE APPLICANT A N ENHANCED AUTOMATIC 20
VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE NOTICE WITHIN 10 BUSINESS DAYS AFTER RECEIPT 21
OF THE APPLICANT ’S VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION FROM THE MOTOR 22
VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION; AND 23

3. IF THE APPLICANT AFF IRMATIVELY CORRECTS THE 24
UPDATE IN WRITING, MODIFY THE APPLICANT’S INFORMATION APPROPRIATELY IN 25
THE STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION LIST; OR 26

(II) IF THE APPLICANT IS NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE: 27

1. SEND THE APPLICANT A N ENHANCED AUTOMATIC 28
VOTER REGISTRATION NOTICE WITHIN 10 BUSINESS DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF THE 29
APPLICANT’S VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION FROM THE MOTOR VEHICLE 30
ADMINISTRATION; 31

HOUSE BILL 871 9

2. IF THE APPLICANT DOE S NOT AFFIRMATIVELY 1
DECLINE TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE WITHIN 21 DAYS AFTER THE MAILING OF THE 2
ENHANCED AUTOMATIC V OTER REGISTRATION NO TICE, ELECTRONICALLY ENTER 3
THE APPLICANT ’S VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION INTO THE STATEWIDE 4
VOTER REGISTRATION L IST WITH ACTIVE VOTE R STATUS AND DEEM TH E 5
APPLICANT’S VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION AS HAVIN G BEEN RECEIVED ON 6
THE DATE OF THE REAL ID TRANSACTION; AND 7

3. IF THE APPLICANT AFF IRMATIVELY DECLINES TO BE 8
REGISTERED TO VOTE W ITHIN 21 DAYS AFTER THE MAILI NG OF THE ENHANCED 9
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGI STRATION NOTICE , CANCEL THE APPLICANT ’S VOTER 10
REGISTRATION INFORMATION FROM THE STATEW IDE VOTER REGISTRATI ON LIST 11
AND DEEM THE APPLICANT TO HAVE NEVER REGISTERED TO VOTE OR ATTEMPTED 12
TO REGISTER TO VOTE. 13

[(f)] (I) If the State Board receives notice from an individual that the individual 14
was inadvertently registered to vote through an automatic voter registration agency after 15
declining to register to vote, the State Board shall correct the error in accordance with § 16
3–601.1 of this title. 17

[(g)] (J) Voter registration information or information relating to the decision of 18
an applicant at an automatic voter registration agency to decline to register to vote may 19
not be used for any purpose other than the maintenance of registration statistics, election 20
administration, or prosecution of criminal violations of the election law. 21

[(h)] (K) Notwithstanding § 3 –501 of this title and § 4 –401 of the General 22
Provisions Article, the identity of an automatic voter registration agency through which a 23
particular voter has registered may not be disclosed to the public. 24

(L) THE STATE BOARD MAY: 25

(1) IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL STATE, FEDERAL, OR LOCAL AGENCIES , 26
INCLUDING FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT ADMINISTER NATURALIZATION CEREMONIES, 27
THAT IN THE REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS R ELIABLY VERIFY APPLICANTS ’ 28
CITIZENSHIP BY VERIFYING DOCUMENTS OR THROUGH AN ELECTRONIC DATABASE 29
MATCH; AND 30

(2) WITH THE CONSENT OF AN AGENCY IDENTIFIED UNDER ITEM (1) 31
OF THIS SUBSECTION, IMPLEMENT THE PROCEDURES FOR ENHANCED AU TOMATIC 32
VOTER REGISTRATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION. 33

(M) THE STATE BOARD MAY DELEGATE AN Y OF THE DUTIES ASSI GNED TO 34
THE STATE BOARD IN THIS SECTION TO THE LOCAL BOARDS. 35

10 HOUSE BILL 871

[(i)] (N) The State Board may adopt regulations as necessary to implement this 1
section. 2

[(j)] (O) (1) Each automatic voter registration agency shall[: 3

(i) on or before July 1, 2019, submit a report, in accordance with § 4
2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, 5
and the Environment and the House Committee on Ways and Means that describes: 6

1. the efforts of the automatic voter registration agency to 7
register voters in the preceding calendar year; and 8

2. the implementation of an automatic voter registration 9
system; and 10

(ii)] on or before [January 1, 2020, and] January 1 each [subsequent] 11
year, submit a report, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the 12
Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment and the House 13
GOVERNMENT, LABOR, AND ELECTIONS Committee [on Ways and Means ] that 14
describes: 15

[1.] (I) the number of individuals who completed an 16
applicable transaction OR REAL ID TRANSACTION in the preceding calendar year at the 17
automatic voter registration agency and the number of those individuals who registered to 18
vote or updated a voter registration record; and 19

[2.] (II) any efforts the automatic voter registration agency 20
plans to make to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the voter registration process 21
at the agency. 22

(2) The Department of Human Services shall consolidate and submit the 23
reports required under paragraph [(1)(i) and (ii)] (1) of this subsection as a single document 24
on behalf of all the local departments of social services. 25

3–303. 26

(a) Notification of a change of party affiliation or a change to or from a decline 27
may be made: 28

(1) by information provided on a voter registration application by the same 29
methods provided for registration under Subtitle 2 of this title; 30

(2) by written notice, signed by t he voter and sent by mail or otherwise 31
delivered to the local board in the county where the voter’s current voter registration 32
address is located or to which the voter has moved; 33

HOUSE BILL 871 11

(3) by making application in person at the office of the local board in th e 1
county where the voter’s current voter registration address is located or to which the voter 2
has moved; 3

(4) by information on a voter authority card or other appropriate form filled 4
out in a polling place; or 5

(5) by changing a name or address with the Motor Vehicle Administration. 6

(b) Party affiliation changes or changes to or from a decline: 7

(1) shall be processed at any time that registration is open; and 8

(2) except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, may not be processed 9
when registration is closed. 10

(c) If a local board receives a request for a party affiliation change after the close 11
of registration, the local board shall make the change and it shall become effective for the 12
next election provided: 13

(1) there is sufficient evidence, as determined by the local boards pursuant 14
to regulations adopted by the State Board, that the request was mailed on or before the 15
close of registration for that election; [or] 16

(2) the request was submitted by the voter to the Motor Vehicle 17
Administration, a voter registration agency, another local board, or the State Board on or 18
before the close of registration for that election; OR 19

(3) THE REQUEST WAS SUBMITTED BY A VOTER: 20

(I) WHOSE VOTER REGISTRA TION INFORMATION WAS 21
TRANSMITTED TO THE STATE BOARD UNDER § 3–203(H)(3)(II) OF THIS TITLE; 22

(II) WHO HAS NOT AFFILIATED WITH A POLITICAL PARTY SINCE 23
THE TIME THE VOTER ’S VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION WAS SENT TO THE 24
STATE BOARD UNDER § 3–203(H)(3)(II) OF THIS TITLE; AND 25

(III) WHO MAKES THE REQUEST ON: 26

1. A VOTER AUTHORITY CARD OR OTHER APPROPRIATE 27
FORM FILLED OUT IN A POLLING PLACE; OR 28

2. AN ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION. 29

3–503. 30
12 HOUSE BILL 871

(a) If a voter fails to respond to a confirmation notice under § 3 –502(c) of this 1
subtitle, the voter’s name shall be placed into inactive status on the statewide voter 2
registration list. 3

(b) A voter shall be restored to active status on the statewide voter registration 4
list after: 5

(1) completing and signing any of the following election documents: 6

[(1)] (I) a voter registration application; 7

[(2)] (II) a petition governed by Title 6 of this article; 8

[(3)] (III) a certificate of candidacy; 9

[(4)] (IV) an absentee ballot application; or 10

[(5)] (V) a written affirmation of residence completed on election day to 11
entitle the voter to vote either at the election district or precinct for the voter’s current 12
residence or the voter’s previous residence, as determined by the State Board; OR 13

(2) COMPLETING A REAL ID TRANSACTION THAT RESULTS IN THE 14
TRANSMISSION OF VOTE R REGISTRATION INFOR MATION TO THE STATE BOARD 15
UNDER § 3–203(H)(3)(I) OF THIS TITLE. 16

(c) An inactive voter who fails to vote in an election in the period ending with the 17
second general election shall be removed from the statewide voter registration list. 18

(d) Registrants placed into inactive status may not be counted for official 19
administrative purposes including establishing precincts and reporting official statistics. 20

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That each report submitted by the 21
Motor Vehicle Administration on or before January 1, 2029, under § 3–203(o) of the Election 22
Law Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, is not required to include information on 23
the number of individuals who completed a REA L ID transaction in the immediately 24
preceding calendar year. 25

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 26
1, 2026. 27