1. A. Minimum Requirements.

   1. (1) To be accepted, every new VRA shall contain the applicant's:

      1. (a) Legal name;
      2. (b) Residence address, including any applicable apartment number;
      3. (c) Mailing address, if different from the residence address;
      4. (d) Date of birth;
      5. (e) Acknowledgment of United States citizenship;
      6. (f) Subject to §B of this regulation, signature; and
      7. (g) Personal identification number as provided in §A(2) of this regulation.

   2. (2) Personal Identification Number.

      1. (a) If the applicant has a current and valid Maryland driver's license or Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) identification card, the personal identification number is the applicant's MVA identification number.
      2. (b) If an applicant does not have a current and valid Maryland driver's license or MVA identification card, the personal identification number is at least the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number.

      3. (c) The local board shall use a unique identifier as the applicant's personal identification number if:

         1. (i) The applicant does not have a current and valid Maryland driver's license, an MVA identification card, or a Social Security number; or
         2. (ii) The personal identification number provided by the applicant could not be verified but the identity of the applicant was established in accordance with Regulation .04 of this chapter.

2. B. Signatures.

   1. (1) Subject to the requirements of §B(2) of this regulation, if the applicant is unable to:

      1. (a) Sign his or her name, an “X” or similar mark will be accepted as that individual's signature; and
      2. (b) Make a mark, the requirement for a signature is met by the execution of the assistance form described in §B(2) of this regulation.

   2. (2) In either of the situations described in §B(1) of this regulation, the individual who assisted the applicant in filling out the VRA shall sign a statement, on a separate document, that the applicant states that:

      1. (a) The applicant is unable to sign his or her name;
      2. (b) The applicant meets all of the qualifications to become a registered voter in Maryland; and
      3. (c) The information supplied about the applicant is true.
   3. (3) Digitized signatures from the MVA shall be accepted.
   4. (4) For the online submission of the Statewide VRA, a signature for an absent uniformed services voter or an overseas voter is the individual’s last four digits of the individual’s Social Security number.
   5. (5) For the electronic submission of the Federal Post Card Application, a signature may be applied using a Common Access Card.

3. C. Optional Information.

   1. (1) The following items on a VRA are optional information:

      1. (a) Sex;
      2. (b) Telephone number;
      3. (c) Date;
      4. (d) Full Social Security number;
      5. (e) Prior registration information; and
      6. (f) Email address.
   2. (2) The prior registration portion of the VRA shall provide the applicant with space to provide the applicant's last registration information.
4. D. Party Affiliation. An applicant who fails to designate party affiliation on a VRA shall be registered as “unaffiliated”, and the election director shall so notify the applicant by sending the applicant a VNC.

Authority: Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4), 2-202(b), 3-101, 3-202.1, 3-204.1, and 3-301—3-305, Annotated Code of Maryland; 42 U.S.C. 15483(b)(2)

Effective date:

Regulations .01—.05 adopted as an emergency provision effective February 1, 2000 (27:6 Md. R. 635); adopted permanently effective April 17, 2000 (27:7 Md. R. 708)

Regulation .01 amended effective May 31, 2010 (37:11 Md. R. 767)

Regulation .01B, C amended as an emergency provision effective July 3, 2002 (29:18 Md. R. 1440); amended permanently effective October 14, 2002 (29:20 Md. R. 1595)

Regulation .01B amended effective November 24, 2003 (30:23 Md. R. 1654)

Regulation .02 amended as an emergency provision effective July 3, 2002 (29:18 Md. R. 1440); amended permanently effective October 14, 2002 (29:20 Md. R. 1595)

Regulation .02C amended effective November 24, 2003 (30:23 Md. R. 1654); May 31, 2010 (37:11 Md. R. 767)

Regulation .03 amended as an emergency provision effective July 3, 2002 (29:18 Md. R. 1440); amended permanently effective October 14, 2002 (29:20 Md. R. 1595)

Regulation .03 amended effective May 31, 2010 (37:11 Md. R. 767)

Regulation .03A, C amended effective November 24, 2003 (30:23 Md. R. 1654)

Regulation .03A, C amended as an emergency provision effective January 1, 2006 (33:1 Md. R. 34); amended permanently effective April 24, 2006 (33:8 Md. R. 735)

Regulation .03B amended effective September 16, 2013 (40:18 Md. R. 1480)

Regulation .04 amended as an emergency provision effective January 1, 2006 (33:1 Md. R. 34); amended permanently effective April 24, 2006 (33:8 Md. R. 735)

Regulation .04C amended effective May 31, 2010 (37:11 Md. R. 767)

Regulation .05 amended as an emergency provision effective July 3, 2002 (29:18 Md. R. 1440); amended permanently effective October 14, 2002 (29:20 Md. R. 1595)

Regulation .05B amended effective May 31, 2010 (37:11 Md. R. 767)

Regulation .05C amended as an emergency provision effective June 2, 2006 (33:13 Md. R. 1062); amended permanently effective August 14, 2006 (33:16 Md. R. 1366)

Regulation .06 adopted effective November 24, 2003 (30:23 Md. R. 1654)

Chapter revised effective February 29, 2016 (43:4 Md. R. 334)

Regulation .02C amended effective January 13, 2022 (49:1 Md. R. 16)

Regulation .04B amended effective March 7, 2022 (49:5 Md. R. 368)