Election Law - Absentee Ballots - Signature Requirements and Verification
Sponsor: Robert B. Long (District 6)Committee: Ways and MeansSubject: ElectionsStatus: Hearing 2/13 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Nov 13, 2024)
What this bill does
Official synopsis
Prohibiting a local board of elections from removing an absentee ballot from a return envelope or ballot/return envelope or counting the ballot unless the return envelope or ballot/return envelope is signed by the voter and, except under certain circumstances, a witness and the local board verifies the voter's signature; and providing that the witness signature requirement does not apply to active duty uniformed services members serving overseas or their spouses or dependents who live overseas.
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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.
Testimony (40)
MGA witness listFAV 25FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 12UnfavorableINFO 1Information only
| Position | Witness | Organization | Testimony |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAV | Hale, Terry | Cecil County Councils Office | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Price, Suzanne | Concerned Citizen | Position only |
| FAV | Kaminsky, Jay | Voices For Freedom | Oral |
| FAV | DOrazio, Peter | Year | Position only |
| FAV | Atkins, Robert | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Delegate Long, R., Delegate Long, R.legislator | Individual | Oral |
| FAV | Ditraglia, Frank | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Elbourn, James | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Ennis, Ella | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Fallon, Patricia | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Gross, Kenneth | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Harper, Katja | Individual | Oral |
| FAV | Lang, Alan | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Love, William | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Meyerovich, Mark | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Morsberger, David | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Pedersen, Stacy | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Rosa, Richard | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Sacks, Dave | Individual | Oral |
| FAV | Sirkel, Robin | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Sullivan, Katherine | Individual | Oral |
| FAV | Volkmar, Leslie | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Williams, Peggy | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | mcavoy, vince | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | sirkel, jess | Individual | Position only |
| UNF | Drayton, Morganlobbyist | Common Cause MD | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Reynolds-Dominguez, Camilalobbyist | FreeState Justice | Position only |
| UNF | London, Rachel | Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Shapiro, Melanielobbyist | Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence | Position only |
| UNF | Spangler, Adam | Office of Attorney General | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Clark, Tiffany | Office of the Attorney General | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Orman, James | People on the Go Maryland | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Kaplowitz, Richard KAP | Year | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Crespo, Virginialobbyist | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Jasen, Debi | Individual | Position only |
| UNF | Kohn, Linda | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Kolp, Ande | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FWA | Fletcher, Michael | None | Written (PDF) |
| FWA | Fink, Nelda | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| INFO | Gudger, John Michael | Maryland Association of Election Officials | Written (PDF) |
Organizations on record
Common Cause MDUNF 1
Concerned CitizenFAV 1
FreeState JusticeUNF 1
NoneFWA 1
Voices For FreedomFAV 1
YearFAV 1UNF 1
Registered lobbyists who testified
UNFShapiro, MelanieMaryland Network Against Domestic ViolenceRegistered for: Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence