Md. Code Ann., Elec. Law § 16-101
Offenses relating to voter registration
Effective Jul 1, 2019Added as Art. 33, § 16-101, by Acts 1998, c. 585, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 1999. Transferred to Election Law § 16-101 by Acts 2002, c. 291, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2002, c. 291, § 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2003; Acts 2005, c. 572, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2018, c. 19, § 1, eff. July 1, 2019.State of Maryland
(a) A person may not willfully and knowingly:
- (1) impersonate a voter or other person in order to register or attempt to register in the name of the voter or other person;
- (2) register to vote more than once;
- (3) falsify residence in an attempt to register in the wrong location;
- (4) secure registration through any unlawful means;
- (5) cause by unlawful means the name of a qualified voter to be stricken from the statewide voter registration list;
- (6) prevent, hinder, or delay a person having a lawful right to register from registering, through the use of force, threat, menace, intimidation, bribery, reward, or offer of reward;
- (7) falsify any name on a registration;
- (8) misrepresent any fact relating to registration; or
- (9) induce or attempt to induce a person to violate any prohibition in items (1) through (8) of this subsection.
- (b) A person acting under color of law may not discriminate against an individual based on the individual's declination to register to vote or voter registration information.
- (c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 5 years or both.
- (d) A person who violates this section is subject to § 5-106(b) of the Courts Article.
(e) A person who unintentionally becomes registered to vote under § 3-203 of this article:
- (1) shall be considered to have become registered to vote based on information provided to the State Board by an automatic voter registration agency; and
- (2) may not be considered to have violated this section because of the unintended registration.
Added as Art. 33, § 16-101, by Acts 1998, c. 585, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 1999. Transferred to Election Law § 16-101 by Acts 2002, c. 291, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2002, c. 291, § 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2003; Acts 2005, c. 572, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2018, c. 19, § 1, eff. July 1, 2019.
Formerly Art. 33, § 16-101.