The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland Requires Immediate Removal of Deceased Voters from Registration Lists
Last action · February 23, 2026: Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m.Sponsor: Mary Beth Carozza
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Would Do
Local Maryland election directors must immediately remove registered voters from the statewide registration list upon receiving official death reports, replacing a prior two-week notice and objection period.
Alters how quickly voter rolls are updated when individuals pass away, establishing mandatory state oversight and potential funding penalties for local election boards that fail to comply.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
local boards of elections
Local boards and their election directors must immediately remove deceased voters without a two-week waiting period and face potential fund withholding or audits if noncompliant.
State Board of Elections
The State Board is authorized and required to issue noncompliance findings, monitor corrective action plans, withhold discretionary funds, and mandate staff retraining.
registered voters
Registered voters have their voter registration records updated or canceled immediately upon official notification of death, with provisions for restoration if reported in error.
Key Facts
- Election directors of local boards must immediately remove a registered voter from the statewide voter registration list upon receiving a death report from the Maryland Department of Health, the Social Security Administration, or an official vital statistics agency of another state.
- The prior requirement to mail a notice and allow a two-week objection window before removing a deceased voter from the rolls has been eliminated.
- If an election director discovers that a voter was erroneously removed as deceased, the director must restore the voter to the registration list or refer the matter to the local board for a hearing.
- The State Board of Elections must issue written findings, require a corrective action plan with deadlines, and monitor implementation if a local board fails to comply with immediate removal procedures.
Show all 6 facts
- If a local board fails to substantially comply for more than two months, the State Board may withhold discretionary election administration funds, mandate staff retraining, or refer the board to the Office of Legislative Audits.
- This Act takes effect on June 1, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if someone is mistakenly removed from the voter rolls as deceased?
What penalties can local election boards face for noncompliance?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently filed. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Feb 23, 2026SenateHearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m.
- Feb 23, 2026SenateHearing canceled
- Feb 10, 2026SenateHearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m.
- Feb 6, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Removal of Notice Period
The bill eliminates the previous two-week warning and objection period for deceased voter removals, shifting to immediate cancellation.
Connected Entities
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools