Ch. 33                                     1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

CHAPTER 33
(House Bill 92)

AN ACT concerning

Election Laws - Polling Places - Electioneering

FOR the purpose of repealing certain provisions that prohibit certain electioneering
activity within a certain radius of a polling place in certain subdivisions of the State;
and generally relating to illegal electioneering at polling places.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article 33 - Election Code
Section 24-23(a)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1993 Replacement Volume and 1995 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article 33 - Election Code

24-23.

(a) The following offenses shall be punished as in this section provided. For any
person:

(1)     Wilfully to destroy or deface any ballot or, except as provided in this
article, to take or remove any ballot outside of the building in which voting occurs, before
the close of the polls; or

(2)     Wilfully to delay the delivery of any ballot; or

(3)     On or before the day of any election to have or retain in his possession
any official ballot printed for said election unless such possession by him is necessary or
appropriate and designed for the purpose of carrying out the true intent and meaning of
this article; or

(4)     [(i)] To canvass, electioneer or post any campaign material in the
polling place or beyond a line established by signs posted in accordance with this
paragraph. At each polling place, 2 election judges, 1 from each principal political party,
shall be designated by the election board and, acting jointly, shall post signs outlining a
line around the entrance and exit of the building closest to that part of the building in
which voting occurs. The line shall be located as near as practicable to 100 feet from the
entrance and exit and shall be established after consideration of the configuration of the
entrance and the effect of placement on public safety and the flow of pedestrian and
vehicular traffic. The signs shall contain the following or comparable language: "No
Electioneering Beyond this Point".

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