State Board of Elections - Address Confidentiality Program - Designation of Contact Person
HB0265 requires the State Board of Elections to designate a specific contact person for Maryland’s Address Confidentiality Program (ACP). The ACP is administered by the Secretary of State and is intended to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, and human trafficking keep their actual addresses confidential. The bill does not change who is eligible for the program or how voter registration records are generally handled; instead, it adds an administrative point of contact to help with implementation.
Under the bill, local boards of elections must continue to use a Program participant’s actual address for election-related purposes, including absentee ballots, while keeping that address out of public inspection except in limited circumstances such as law enforcement requests or court orders. The new contact person at the State Board of Elections is to serve as the main resource for inquiries from local boards and ACP participants on issues related to carrying out the section, and the Board may adopt regulations to implement the provision. The act takes effect June 1, 2026.
The bill amends Section 7-309 of the State Government Article to add a new administrative requirement for the State Board of Elections, while leaving the core structure of the Address Confidentiality Program intact. It reinforces existing confidentiality protections for ACP participants’ voter registration information and clarifies that local boards must continue using actual addresses for election administration, including absentee voting. The practical effect is to create a formal liaison within the State Board to improve coordination and troubleshooting between local election officials and program participants.
The available record shows no recorded committee debate or roll-call votes, and the bill was ultimately approved by the Governor as Chapter 108. Based on the bill’s narrow scope and administrative purpose, the overall sentiment appears supportive and noncontroversial. The measure seems designed to improve program administration rather than alter substantive rights or eligibility, which likely contributed to its smooth passage.
No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided transcripts or voting history. The only potentially sensitive issue inherent in the bill is the handling of confidential address information in election records, but the legislation preserves existing privacy protections and does not expand public access. Any concerns would likely have centered on implementation details for local boards of elections and the Address Confidentiality Program, rather than on the policy itself.