Election Law - Absentee Ballots - Notice to Request Application
Summary
SB93 requires local boards of elections to send a written notice about requesting a state-approved absentee ballot application to eligible voters at least 60 days before each statewide primary election. The notice is to be included with the specimen ballot mailing and may also be sent with other mailings intended to increase awareness of mail-in voting. The bill creates an exception for voters who already have permanent absentee ballot status and for vote-by-mail elections, and it limits the notice to no more than once per election for a voter.
The measure is aimed at making absentee voting more visible and accessible before primary elections by ensuring voters receive information about how to request an absentee ballot application. It does not change who may vote absentee, but it does change the administrative duties of local boards of elections and the timing/content of voter mailings. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill amends Maryland Election Law by adding new subsection 9-305(e), imposing a pre-primary mailing requirement on local boards of elections. It affects election administrators by requiring them to send standardized notice materials to eligible voters at least 60 days before statewide primary elections, subject to exceptions for permanent absentee voters and vote-by-mail elections. The practical effect is to expand outreach and procedural notice around absentee ballot applications without altering substantive voter eligibility rules.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill. It passed the Senate unanimously (43-0) and later passed the House by a substantial margin (103-36), indicating that most legislators viewed the measure favorably. No committee transcripts were provided, so there is no recorded debate in the supplied materials, but the vote totals indicate generally positive sentiment toward improving voter notice and absentee voting access.
Contention
The main points of contention, as reflected by the bill text, are administrative rather than ideological: whether local boards should be required to send additional notices, how often those notices should go out, and which voters should be exempt. The bill addresses these concerns by limiting the mailing to once per election and excluding voters with permanent absentee ballot status and vote-by-mail elections. The recorded votes show some opposition in the House, suggesting that a minority of legislators may have had concerns about election administration costs, redundancy, or the scope of mailings, but no specific objections are included in the provided transcripts.