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*hb1001*
HOUSE BILL 1001
G1 (6lr1951)
ENROLLED BILL
— Government, Labor, and Elections/Education, Energy, and the Environment —
Introduced by Delegate D. Jones
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _________ ______ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Election Law – Local Board of Elections Employees – Authority at Polling 2
Places, Early Voting Centers, and Counting Centers – Revisions 3
FOR the purpose of requiring a police officer who is on duty at a polling place to obey the 4
authority of the State Administrator, the Deputy State Administrator, or a local board 5
of elections employee a local election director; providing that local board employees, 6
while serving, in a polling place, have a local election director has certain individuals 7
have the authority to keep the peace and order the arrest of certain persons; 8
authorizing requiring a local board employees election director, while serving in a 9
polling place, to protect certain rights of , certain challengers and watchers; 10
authorizing a local election director, while serving in a polling place, to deny 11
admission of, and eject certain challengers and watchers from a polling place under 12
certain circumstances; altering the persons that may designate a registered voter as 13
an accredited challenger or watcher at each polling place; authorizing certain 14
persons to designate accredited challengers or watchers at e arly voting centers; 15
2 HOUSE BILL 1001
altering the persons that may designate a registered voter as an observer at each 1
counting center; and generally relating to the authority of local board employees 2
individuals persons at polling places and, early voting centers, and counting centers. 3
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 4
Article – Election Law 5
Section 10–304 and, 10–311(d) and (e) 10–311, and 11–301(a–1)(2) 6
Annotated Code of Maryland 7
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Election Law 10
Section 10–307.1 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – Election Law 15
Section 11–301(a–1)(1) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Election Law 21
10–304. 22
(a) (1) A police officer who is on duty at a polling place shall obey the order of 23
an electio n judge for that polling place , THE STATE ADMINISTRATOR, THE DEPUTY 24
STATE ADMINISTRATOR, OR A LOCAL BOARD EMPLOY EE OR A LOCAL ELECTION 25
DIRECTOR. 26
(2) A police officer making an arrest under an order of an election judge , 27
THE STATE ADMINISTRATOR, THE DEPUTY STATE ADMINISTRATOR, OR A LOCAL 28
BOARD EMPLOYEE OR A LOCAL ELECTION DIRECTOR is fully protected in so doing as if 29
the police officer received a valid warrant to make the arrest. 30
(b) A police officer who is on duty at a polling place shall protect a challenger or 31
watcher in the discharge of the duties of the challenger or watcher. 32
10–307.1. 33
HOUSE BILL 1001 3
(A) WHILE SERVING IN IN A POLLING PLACE, THE STATE ADMINISTRATOR, 1
THE DEPUTY STATE ADMINISTRATOR, OR A LOCAL BOARD EMPLOY EE A LOCAL 2
ELECTION DIRECTOR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO: 3
(1) KEEP THE PEACE; AND 4
(2) ORDER THE ARREST OF ANY PERSON WHO: 5
(I) BREACHES THE PEACE; 6
(II) BREACHES ANY PROVISION OF THIS ARTICLE; OR 7
(III) INTERFERES WITH THE WORK OF THE ELECTION JUDGES IN 8
CONDUCTING THE ELECTION AND CARRYING OUT THEIR ASSIGNED TASKS. 9
(B) (1) WHILE SERVING IN A POLLING PLACE, A LOCAL BOARD EMPLOYEE 10
ELECTION DIRECTOR MAY SHALL PROTECT A CHALLENGER OR WATCHER IN THE 11
EXERCISE OF THE RIGH TS OF A CHALLENGER O R WATCHER AS PROVIDE D IN § 12
10–311 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 13
(2) (I) A LOCAL BOARD EMPLOYEE ELECTION DIRECTOR IS NOT 14
REQUIRED TO ADMIT A CHALLENGER OR WATCHER TO A POLLING PLACE BEFORE 15
THE POLLS OPEN IF TH E CHALLENGER OR WATC HER WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE 16
POLLING PLACE AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE ITS OPENING. 17
(II) A LOCAL BOARD EMPLOYEE ELECTION DIRECTOR MAY 18
REQUIRE CHALLENGERS AND WATCHERS TO LEAV E A POLLING PLACE BE FORE IT 19
OPENS IF THE LOCAL BOARD EMPLOYEE ELECTION DIRECTOR HAS REASON TO 20
BELIEVE THAT THE PRE SENCE OF THE CHALLEN GERS AND WATCHERS WI LL 21
PREVENT THE TIMELY OPENING OF THE POLLING PLACE. 22
(C) A LOCAL BOARD EMPLOYEE ELECTION DIRECTOR MAY EXERCISE THE 23
AUTHORITY UNDER SUBSECTIONS (A) AND (B) OF THIS SECTION INDE PENDENT OF 24
AN ELECTION JUDGE ASSIGNED TO THE POLLING PLACE. 25
10–311. 26
(a) (1) The following persons [or entities ] have the right to designate a 27
registered voter as [a] AN ACCREDITED challenger or a watcher at each POLLING place 28
[of registration and election] OR EARLY VOTING CENTER: 29
(i) the State Board for any [polling place] LOCATION in the State; 30
4 HOUSE BILL 1001
(ii) a local board for any [polling place located ] LOCATION in the 1
county of the local board; 2
(iii) a candidate FOR ANY LOCATION WHE RE THE CANDIDATE IS 3
INCLUDED ON THE BALLOT; 4
(iv) a political party; [and] 5
(v) [any other group of voters supporting or opposing a candidate, 6
principle, or proposition on the ballot] A POLITICAL COMMITTEE; AND 7
(VI) A PERSON REQUIRED TO FILE REPORTS UNDER § 13–306 OR 8
§ 13–307 OF THIS ARTICLE. 9
(2) A person who appoints [a] AN ACCREDITED challenger or watcher may 10
remove the challenger or watcher at any time. 11
(b) Except as provided in § 10–303(d)(2) of this subtitle and subsection (d) of this 12
section, [a] AN ACCREDITED challenger or watcher has the right to: 13
(1) enter the polling place OR EARLY VOTING CENT ER one–half hour 14
before the polls open; 15
(2) enter or be present at the polling place OR EARLY VOTING CENTER at 16
any time when the polls are open; 17
(3) remain in the polling place OR EARLY VOTING CENT ER until the 18
completion of all tasks associated with the close of the polls under § 10–314 of this subtitle 19
and the election judges leave the polling place OR EARLY VOTING CENTER; 20
(4) maintain a list of registered voters who have voted, or individuals who 21
have cast provisional ballots, and take the list outside of the polling place OR EARLY 22
VOTING CENTER; and 23
(5) enter and leave a polling place OR EARLY VOTING CENT ER for the 24
purpose of taking outside of the polling place OR EARLY VOTING CENTER information that 25
identifies registered voters who have cast ballots or individuals who have cast provisional 26
ballots. 27
(c) (1) (i) A certificate signed by [any party or candidate] A DESIGNATING 28
PERSON shall be sufficient evidence of the right of [a] AN ACCREDITED challenger or 29
watcher to be present in the voting room. 30
HOUSE BILL 1001 5
(ii) The State Board shall prescribe a form that shall be supplied to 1
the ACCREDITED challenger or watcher by the DESIGNATING person [or entity 2
designating the challenger or watcher]. 3
(III) A DESIGNATING PERSON S HALL SUBMIT A COPY O F THE 4
CERTIFICATE OF AN ACCREDITED CHALLENGER OR WATCHER TO THE APPROPRIATE 5
LOCAL BOARD BEFORE T HE ACCREDITED CHALLE NGER OR WATCHER MAY ENTER 6
THE VOTING ROOM. 7
(2) A challenger or watcher shall be positioned near the election judges and 8
inside the voting room so that the challenger or watcher may see and hear each person as 9
the person offers to vote. 10
(d) (1) A challenger or watcher may not attempt to: 11
(i) ascertain how a voter voted or intends to vote; 12
(ii) converse in the polling place OR EARLY VOTING CENTER with 13
any voter; 14
(iii) assist any voter in voting; or 15
(iv) physically handle an original election document OR VOTING 16
EQUIPMENT. 17
(2) An election judge OR A LOCAL BOARD EMPLOYEE ELECTION 18
DIRECTOR may eject a challenger or watcher who violates the prohibitions under 19
paragraph (1) of this subsection. 20
(e) (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, an 21
election judge shall [permit] ALLOW an individual other than an accredited challenger or 22
watcher who desires to challenge the right to vote of any other individual to enter the 23
polling place OR EARLY VOTING CENTER for that purpose. 24
(2) A majority of the election judges OR A LOCAL BOARD E MPLOYEE 25
ELECTION DIRECTOR may limit the number of nonaccredited challengers and watchers 26
allowed in the polling place OR EARLY VOTING CENTER at any one time for the purpose 27
of challenging the right of an individual to vote. 28
(3) A nonaccredited challenger or watcher shall leave the polling place OR 29
EARLY VOTING CENTER as soon as a majority of the election judges OR A LOCAL BOARD 30
EMPLOYEE ELECTION DIRECTOR decides the right to vote of the individual challenged 31
by the challenger or watcher. 32
6 HOUSE BILL 1001
(4) In additi on to restrictions provided under this subsection, all 1
restrictions on the actions of an accredited challenger or watcher provided under this 2
subtitle apply to a nonaccredited challenger or watcher. 3
11–301. 4
(a–1) (1) Subject to paragraph (3) of this sub section, a board of canvassers and 5
the staff of a local board may be observed as they complete each part of the canvass by 6
authorized observers designated under paragraph (2) of this subsection and any other 7
individuals who wish to be present. 8
(2) The following [individuals or entities ] PERSONS have the right to 9
designate a registered voter as an observer at each counting center: 10
(i) a candidate FOR ANY COUNTY WHERE THE CANDIDATE IS 11
INCLUDED ON THE BALLOT; 12
(ii) a political party; [and] 13
(iii) [any other group of voters supporting or opposing a candidate, 14
principle, or proposition on the ballot] A POLITICAL COMMITTEE; AND 15
(IV) A PERSON REQUIRED TO FILE REPORTS UNDER § 13–306 OR 16
§ 13–307 OF THIS ARTICLE. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 18
1, 2026. 19
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.