§ 9-306

Maryland § 9-306

• Jurisdiction: Maryland
• Article gel: Election Law
• Title: 9

Text

(a) Promptly after receipt of an application, the election director shall review the application and determine whether the applicant qualifies to vote by absentee ballot.

(b) If the applicant qualifies to vote by absentee ballot, the local board shall provide the ballot by one of the following methods requested by the voter:

(1) mail;

(2) facsimile transmission;

(3) the Internet; or

(4) by hand during an in–person transaction.

(c) (1) Not later than 43 days before an election, the local board shall send a ballot to each voter who qualifies to vote by absentee ballot and has made a request at least 60 days before the election to receive the ballot by mail, facsimile transmission, or the Internet.

(2) A local board shall provide a ballot to a voter who qualifies to vote by absentee ballot and makes a request less than 60 days before an election:

(i) as soon as practicable after receipt of the request; or

(ii) immediately for an in–person transaction with a voter or the voter’s duly authorized agent.

(d) (1) If the members of the local board determine that the applicant is not entitled to vote by absentee ballot, the local board shall notify the applicant as soon as practicable after receipt of the application of the reasons for the rejection.

(2) (i) The local board may delegate the determination under paragraph (1) of this subsection to the staff of the local board.

(ii) If the determination has been delegated, the applicant may appeal the rejection to the members of the local board, who shall decide the appeal as expeditiously as practicable.

(e) Not more than one absentee ballot may be issued to a voter unless the election director of the local board has reasonable grounds to believe that an absentee ballot previously issued to the voter has been lost, destroyed, or spoiled.