Section 6-203 – Signers; Information Provided by Signers
(a) To sign a petition, an individual shall: (1) sign the individual’s name as it appears on the statewide voter registration list or the individual’s surname of registration and at least one full given name and the initials of any other names; and (2) include the following information, printed or typed, in the spaces provided: (i) the signer’s name […]
Section 6-204 – Circulators; Affidavit of the Circulator
(a) Each signature page shall contain an affidavit made and executed by the individual in whose presence all of the signatures on that page were affixed and who observed each of those signatures being affixed. (b) The affidavit shall contain the statements, required by regulation, designed to assure the validity of the signatures and the fairness of […]
Section 6-205 – Filing of Petitions
(a) (1) Unless otherwise required by the Maryland Constitution, a petition shall be filed, in person by or on behalf of the sponsor, in the office of the appropriate election authority. (2) If the Maryland Constitution provides that a petition shall be filed with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of State shall deliver the petition to the […]
Section 6-206 – Determinations at Time of Filing
(a) Promptly upon the filing of a petition with an election authority, the chief election official of the election authority shall review the petition. (b) Unless a determination of deficiency is made under subsection (c) of this section, the chief election official shall: (1) make a determination that the petition, as to matters other than the validity of […]
Section 6-207 – Verification of Signatures
(a) (1) Upon the filing of a petition, and unless it has been declared deficient under § 6-206 of this subtitle, the staff of the election authority shall proceed to verify the signatures and count the validated signatures contained in the petition. (2) The purpose of signature verification under paragraph (1) of this subsection is to ensure that […]
Section 6-208 – Certification
(a) At the conclusion of the verification and counting processes, the chief election official of the election authority shall: (1) determine whether the validated signatures contained in the petition are sufficient to satisfy all requirements established by law relating to the number and geographical distribution of signatures; and (2) if it has not done so previously, determine whether […]
Section 6-209 – Judicial Review
(a) (1) A person aggrieved by a determination made under § 6–202, § 6–206, or § 6–208(a)(2) of this subtitle may seek judicial review: (i) in the case of a statewide petition, a petition to refer an enactment of the General Assembly pursuant to Article XVI of the Maryland Constitution, or a petition for a congressional or General […]
Section 6-210 – Schedule of Process
(a) (1) A request for an advance determination under § 6–202 of this subtitle shall be submitted at least 30 days, but not more than 2 years and 1 month, prior to the deadline for the filing of the petition. (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, within 5 business days of receiving a request […]
Section 6-211 – Prohibited Practices and Penalties
Offenses and penalties relating to the petition process shall be as provided in Title 16 of this article.
Section 6-103 – Regulations; Guidelines; Forms
(a) (1) The State Board shall adopt regulations, consistent with this title, to carry out the provisions of this title. (2) The regulations shall: (i) prescribe the form and content of petitions; (ii) specify procedures for the circulation of petitions for signatures; (iii) specify procedures for the verification and counting of signatures; and (iv) provide any other procedural or technical requirements that […]