Election Law - Incarcerated Individuals - Voter Hotline and Voting Eligibility (Voting Rights for All Act)
HB 52, the Voting Rights for All Act, would change Maryland election law in two main ways. First, it requires the State Board of Elections to create a toll-free voter hotline for incarcerated individuals so they can get voting information, request election materials, and report alleged voting-rights violations. The Board would also have to adopt regulations with the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and correctional facilities to administer the hotline.
Second, the bill expands voting eligibility for people serving felony sentences. Under current law, a person convicted of a felony and serving a court-ordered sentence of imprisonment is not qualified to register to vote. HB 52 removes that disqualification, allowing incarcerated individuals convicted of a felony to register while serving their sentence. The bill also repeals the separate criminal penalty that made voting or attempting to vote while disqualified a felony offense. The act would take effect January 1, 2027.
The bill would amend Maryland Election Law §§ 1-306, 3-102, and 3-504, and repeal § 16-202. In practical terms, it would broaden voter registration eligibility for incarcerated people serving felony sentences, require new election-administration procedures for correctional settings, and eliminate a felony penalty tied to voting while disqualified. It would also change reporting and administrative coordination among the State Board of Elections, correctional facilities, and public safety agencies.
The bill’s title and structure suggest a rights-expansion approach focused on access to voting for incarcerated individuals. Because the available record shows only a hearing and no recorded votes or committee transcript, there is no direct evidence of formal support or opposition in the provided materials. The bill appears to be framed positively around voting access and election information for incarcerated people.
The likely point of contention is the expansion of voting rights to individuals convicted of felonies who are still serving prison sentences, which reverses the existing disqualification rule. Opponents of such measures typically raise concerns about whether incarcerated persons should vote before completing their sentences, while supporters emphasize civic participation and reentry. Another possible point of debate is the repeal of the criminal penalty for voting while disqualified, which could be viewed as reducing deterrence or, alternatively, as removing an outdated punishment tied to the old eligibility rule.