Maryland State Board of Elections Assures Voters of Mail-in Ballot Security Ahead of Primary

The State Board of Elections (SBE) has provided information regarding the security and processes surrounding mail-in voting as Maryland approaches its primary election. The SBE aims to ensure voter confidence by highlighting the legal, secure, and transparent nature of mail-in ballots and the safeguards in place to prevent duplicate voting. The election administration body emphasized that voting methods, including mail-in voting, are not partisan issues. Following the election, the SBE will conduct a comprehensive review of the entire voting process, including the printing, packing, and distribution of mail-in ballots, to identify areas for improvement.

Beginning June 1, local boards of elections are authorized to start the canvassing process for in-person received mail-in ballots, replacement mail-in ballots, and Print at Home ballots. This canvassing is open to public observation and is overseen by a bipartisan Board of Canvassers. Any original mail-in ballots currently held by local boards will be quarantined and not included in this pre-election day canvass. Once a ballot is canvassed, the voter’s record in the statewide voter registration system is updated, and voters who have opted for notifications will receive an update on their ballot’s status via text or email. Voters can track the status of their replacement ballots on the SBE’s Voter Services website. The State Board of Elections is scheduled to address specific canvassing instructions for cases where only an original mail-in ballot is returned at their June 9 meeting.

To enhance security and ensure clarity, the SBE has implemented additional features on both the ballots and the return envelopes to differentiate original ballots from replacement ballots. Local election boards have been informed and are equipped to easily distinguish between the two during the canvassing process. Each mail-in ballot is equipped with a unique tracking barcode that serves to identify whether it is an original or a replacement. This measure is part of a broader system designed to uphold the principle of one vote per voter.

Before any ballot is presented for canvassing, election officials meticulously review the ballot envelope to confirm adherence to all legal requirements. A critical step in this process involves checking the statewide voter registration database to ensure that the individual voter has not already been credited with voting. If a voter’s record already indicates that they have voted, any subsequent ballot submitted by that individual will not be canvassed. For mail-in ballots that were quarantined and met the legal deadlines for canvassing, further detailed guidelines will be issued after the State Board Meeting on June 9.

Voters who receive a replacement ballot and whose original mail-in ballot envelope is missing a signature for the oath will be notified by their local board of elections. This notification will include instructions on how to rectify the deficiency, with a deadline of 10 a.m. on July 6, which is the final day of the canvass.

The State Board of Elections is strongly advising all affected mail-in voters, including those who may have already returned their original ballots, to vote the replacement ballot. Voters who are still in possession of their original mail-in ballot are instructed not to vote it. Instead, they should use and return the clearly identified replacement ballot to ensure their vote is counted.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the State Board of Elections

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