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SB 262 Maryland Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Election Law - Special Elections

SB 262 amends Maryland's election law to change how special elections fill vacancies on county councils or for county chief executive positions. It allows county councils to direct that a special primary election be skipped, with the vacancy filled solely through a special general election, and requires councils to specify whether the general election will be partisan (showing party affiliation) or nonpartisan (without party affiliation). The bill also updates mail ballot rules, requiring local boards to send vote-by-mail ballots at least 30 days before the election (instead of 14 days) and eliminating the requirement to mail specimen ballots to voters. These changes directly affect county councils, local election boards, and voters participating in county-level special elections.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2024
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Sep 19, 2024 Signed Apr 22, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Election Law - Special Elections → Enrolled - Election Law - Special Elections · 5 edits · Apr 22, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was finalized as an Enrolled Bill, adding official proofreading signatures and a formal presentation date for the Governor. Substantively, the text of the election law was reorganized and expanded to clarify procedures for special elections, including specific rules on when ballots must be mailed, the use of drop boxes, and how conflicts between county charters and state law are resolved.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include new provisions regarding ballot drop boxes and clarified the timeline for mailing ballots in special elections, while also adding a mechanism for the State Administrator to override conflicting county charter provisions.
TIMELINE

The requirement for special election dates was changed to allow them to be concurrent with regularly scheduled elections, whereas previously they could not be within 120 days of a regular election.

REQUIREMENT

New authority was added allowing voters to return mail-in ballots via a ballot drop box during special elections.

The bill now explicitly states that local boards are not required to mail specimen ballots to registered voters for special elections conducted by mail.

ENFORCEMENT

A new provision empowers the State Administrator to conduct special elections entirely in accordance with state law if a conflict exists between the election and a county charter or local law.

TECHNICAL

The document format changed from a draft Senate Bill to an Enrolled Bill, including the addition of proofreader signatures and the Great Seal presentation block.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 23, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 23, 2025

How they voted

43–0
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 46
Mar 23, 2025
D Democratic33
31 Yea 2
93% Yea
R Republican13
12 Yea 1
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
19
Key actions
9
Committee
6
Amendments
1
Apr 22, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 125
executive
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Enrolled
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Introduced
Senate Concurs House Amendments
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means
lower
Mar 23, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (43-0-3)
senate
Feb 27, 2025
Committee
Referred Ways and Means
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Jan 8, 2025
Committee
First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Sep 19, 2024
Introduced
Pre-filed
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.