General Assembly Vacancy - Political Party Central Committees - Procedures

SB 171 establishes standardized procedures for political party central committees (county or state level) to fill vacancies in Maryland’s General Assembly when a Senator or Delegate position becomes vacant. The bill requires committees to: (1) advertise vacancies for at least 7 days with public notice detailing meeting times and application processes; (2) post all applications online for 30 days after voting; (3) hold public meetings for candidate interviews and voting; and (4) prohibit committee members who applied for the vacancy from participating in the selection process. These rules apply specifically to vacancies filled under Maryland’s Constitution and take effect October 1, 2025. The bill directly affects party committees managing vacancy fillings, not voters or candidates.