Code of Maryland Regulations Title 33 - STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS
Here’s a clear breakdown of COMAR Title 33 – State Board of Elections, which serves as Maryland’s primary administrative regulations for implementing election laws:
📘 Overview of Title 33 (COMAR – State Board of Elections)
Based on the official Code of Maryland Regulations, Title 33 is organized into 22 subtitles, each covering specific aspects of electoral administration (law.cornell.edu, mdrules.elaws.us):
Subtitle 01 – Definitions, general provisions, rulemaking procedures
Subtitle 02 – Campaign financing
Subtitle 03 – Records management
Subtitle 04 – Inspection and copying of public records
Subtitle 05 – Voter registration
Subtitle 06 – Petitions
Subtitle 07 – Election day activities
Subtitle 08 – Canvassing
Subtitle 09 – Voting systems: certification & general requirements
Subtitle 10 – Voting systems: system requirements & procedures
Subtitle 11 – Absentee ballots
Subtitle 12 – Recounts
Subtitle 13 – Campaign financing (additional chapters)
Subtitle 14 – Administration of Public Financing Act
Subtitle 15 – Precincts, polling places & facilities
Subtitle 16 – Provisional voting
Subtitle 17 – Early voting
Subtitle 18 – Violations (e.g. deep‑fake materials restrictions)
Subtitle 19 – Same‑day registration & address changes
Subtitle 20 – Disclosure by persons doing public business
Subtitle 21 – Special elections by mail
Subtitle 22 – Disclosure by persons employing a lobbyist
🔍 Examples of Specific Provisions
Absentee ballot timeliness (Subtitle 11): Mail-in ballots are considered timely if delivered by election day or by 10 a.m. the second Friday after, with valid postmarks or voter affidavits (regulations.justia.com, regulations.justia.com, law.cornell.edu, law.cornell.edu, elections.maryland.gov).
Deep-fake restrictions (Subtitle 18): It's prohibited to distribute deep-fake content influencing voters within 90 days of an election unless registered as a political committee .
📚 How to Access the Regulations
Official sources:
Maryland State Board of Elections website provides access via COMAR search and includes regulatory notices, public comments, and links (elections.maryland.gov).
Third-party summaries:
Cornell’s LII and Justia offer navigable outlines of Title 33, organized by subtitle and chapter. These are useful for quick reviews, but may not reflect the most current amendments (law.cornell.edu).
📝 Useful Links & Tools
Maryland SBE COMAR portal – official, up-to-date, searchable regulations
Maryland Register – for tracking notices of proposed changes and public comment periods
Cornell LII / Justia – for helpful outlines and summaries (verify currency)
✅ Need Help With Section-by-Section Details?
Let me know if you want:
A deep dive into a particular subtitle/chapter (e.g. early voting rules, campaign finance limits).
Guidance on how to submit comments or participate in rulemaking.
Clarification of how COMAR Title 33 aligns with Maryland's Election Law Article.
RELATED Blog
0 comments