Ch. 22                                      2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

CHAPTER 22
(Senate Bill 313)

AN ACT concerning

Election Law - Parties Using an Open Primary - Notice to State Board

FOR the purpose of requiring a political party that chooses to permit voters not
affiliated with the party to vote in the party's primary election to provide certain
notice to the State Board of Elections.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article — Election Law
Section 8-202

Annotated Code of Maryland
(2003 Volume)

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

Article - Election Law

8-202.

(a)     A principal political party, as determined by the statement of registration
issued by the State Board under § 3-509(b) of this article:

(1)     shall use the primary election to:

(i) nominate its candidates for public office; and

(ii) elect all members of the local central committees of the political
party; and

(2)     may use the primary election in the year of a presidential election to
elect delegates to a national presidential nominating convention.

(b)     Except for a nominee for President or Vice President, the name of a
nominee of a principal political party may not appear on the ballot in a general
election if the individual has not:

(1)     been nominated in the primary election; or

(2)     been designated to fill a vacancy in nomination in accordance with
Subtitle 5 of this title.

(C) IF A POLITICAL PARTY CHOOSES TO PERMIT VOTERS NOT AFFILIATED
WITH THE PARTY TO VOTE IN THE PARTY'S PRIMARY ELECTION, THE CHAIRMAN OF
THE PARTY'S STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE SHALL SO NOTIFY THE STATE BOARD AT
LEAST 6 MONTHS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE PRIMARY ELECTION.

- 1026 -