voter registration, voting, and
access to election-related data.
* Bobbie S. Mack, Chairman * David J. McManus, Jr., Vice Chairman * Rachel T. McGuckian * Patrick H. Murray * Charles E. Thomann
State Administrator of Elections: * Linda H. Lamone
1.1 Message from the Director
The Summary Guide gives you a basic understanding of candidacy and campaign finance law. Maryland Campaign Finance Laws are complicated and require great attention to detail. Failure to comply with the law may result in substantial fines and penalties. Perhaps the most common mistake that people make as candidates, chairmen, or treasurers is underestimating the seriousness and complexity of the task that they have undertaken. This office is dedicated to providing you with the information and resources needed to successfully comply with all of the requirements of the law. I strongly urge you to familiarize yourself with this Summary Guide and to constantly refer to it while you are acting in the capacity of a candidate, chairman, or treasurer.
Finally, my staff and I are always available by telephone, fax, or e-mail to answer your questions.
- Jared DeMarinis
1.2 Definitions
Campaign Finance Law - refers to Title 13 of the Election Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
Campaign Finance Activity - means the raising and spending money in connection with an effort to promote or assist in the promotion of the success or defeat of a candidate, political party, or question.
Campaign Finance Report - means a detailed accounting of contributions, transfers, expenditures, outstanding obligations, and loans, by a political committee as required under § 13-304 of the Election Law Article.
County Board - One of the 24 county boards of elections (includes the Baltimore City Board of Elections).
Election Law Article - Refers to the Election Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
ELECTrack EFS - The electronic campaign finance filing software provided by the State Board of Elections to all political entities.
Party Office - An elected position with a State or local party central committee.
Political Committee - A combination of two or more individuals that assist or attempt to assist in promoting the success or defeat of a candidate, political party, or question. Committees include candidate committees, slates, party central committees, and political action committees (PACs) and must be established through a filing with the State Board.
Person - means an individual, corporation, partnership, business trust or limited liability company.
Principal Political Party - means a political party whose candidate for Governor received the highest or second highest number of votes at the last gubernatorial election.
Public Office - means an elected office in State, county, or Baltimore City government. For example: Governor, Lt. Governor, Comptroller, Attorney General, State Delegates, State Senators, member of the County Council, County Commissioner, County Executive, State's Attorney, Register of Wills, Sheriff, Judge of the Circuit Court, Clerk of the Circuit Court, and Judge of the Orphans Court.
Responsible Officers - means the chairman and the treasurer of a political committee.
State Candidates - means candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, Comptroller, Attorney General, State Senator, State Delegate, and judicial positions (except Judge of the Orphans Court).
Local Candidates - means candidates for all county offices, Judge of the Orphans Court, and Baltimore City offices.
Federal Candidates - means candidates for President, Vice-President, United States Senator, Representatives in Congress, or delegate to a national party convention.
State Board - means the State Board of Elections.
Statement of Organization - means the document signed by the responsible officers and if applicable the authorizing candidate establishing a political committee with the State Board.
1.3 General Information
As a candidate, treasurer, or chairman, you are required to follow Maryland campaign finance laws. These laws dictate how you collect, spend, and report money and other things of value. Accordingly, before beginning any financial activity, you should be familiar with the campaign finance laws and how they have been implemented by the State Board.
This Summary Guide has been prepared to aid you in understanding the law. You should use the Summary Guide as a basic reference tool, not as a substitute for the law itself (a copy of which is included as an appendix to this document). Moreover, the Summary Guide will reference policies and advice given by the Office of Attorney General concerning the implementation and enforcement of the statute.
In addition to the Summary Guide, the ELECTrack EFS User Manual and help feature on the program contain instructions to assist you in properly completing a campaign finance report and how to file amended reports. Please refer to those instructions before filing your report.
Moreover, the State Board periodically sends out the Campaign Finance Newsletter. The newsletter contains important information and updates on the law and reporting requirements. Please take the time to carefully review each newsletter.
Finally, the State Board issues guidance on topics of campaign finance law. The guidance, newsletters, and ELECTrack User Guide are available online.1.4 Municipal Elections Not Covered*
Maryland election law does not regulate the conduct of municipal elections (except in Baltimore City). Accordingly, the candidacy and campaign finance provisions described in this Summary Guide do not apply to municipal campaigns or candidates. Generally, a political committee established at the State Board may not be used to support a municipal candidate. Contact the municipality for applicable reporting and registration requirements.
* A municipality is any city other than Baltimore City.
1.5 Division of Candidacy and Campaign Finance Staff
- Jared DeMarinis, Director
- Ruth Maynard
- Victoria Molina
- Ebony Parran
- Victorica Smith
1.6 Information Technology Staff
- Vincent Omenka, Director of Information Technology
- Kurt Snyder
- Natasha Walker
- Daniel O'Connell
1.7 County Boards of Elections
For a list of county Board of Elections offices please refer to the list provided on this website.
1.8 Declaratory Rulings
An interested person may petition the State Board for a declaratory ruling on the manner in which the Board would apply any of the following on the facts set forth in the petition:
- A Board regulation;
- A Board order; or
- A statute that the Board enforces.
The petition must be in writing and filed with the State Administrator. The petition must contain the following information:
- Name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner,
- A detailed statement of the facts underlying the questioned applicability of the stated regulation, order, or statute; and
- Pose the question of whether or in what manner the stated regulation, order, or statute applies to the facts contained in the petition.
Upon receipt of a petition, the State Administrator will mail the petitioner a notice of filing, indicating the date the petition was received. Within 60 days after the petition is submitted, the State Board shall consider the petition and issue a written declaratory ruling as requested, or notify the petitioner in writing of the reasons for not issuing a declaratory ruling.
A declaratory ruling binds the State Board, the local boards, and the petitioner on the facts set forth in the petition.