Maryland § 1-303.1

§ 1-303.1.

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

        (2)    “Baltimore City centralized booking facility” means the centralized booking facility in Baltimore City that is operated by the Division of Pretrial Detention and Services in the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

        (3)    “Election–related materials” means documents and other items associated with the registering for and voting in an election, including:

            (i)    absentee ballot applications;

            (ii)    absentee ballots; and

            (iii)    voter registration applications.

        (4)    “Eligible voter” means an individual who:

            (i)    is incarcerated at the Baltimore City centralized booking facility; and

            (ii)    has the right to vote under State law.

    (b)    The State Board shall adopt regulations in collaboration with the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to provide the following at the Baltimore City centralized booking facility in accordance with § 2–501 of the Correctional Services Article:

        (1)    a secure, designated ballot drop box for election–related materials; and

        (2)    written notifications on how and when eligible voters may use the ballot drop box.

    (c)    (1)    The State Board shall provide the ballot drop box under subsection (b) of this section to the Baltimore City centralized booking facility in time to allow eligible voters sufficient opportunity to submit election–related materials before any election–related deadlines.

        (2)    The local board of elections for Baltimore City shall provide staff to collect:

            (i)    election–related materials submitted to the ballot drop box on at least a weekly basis; and

            (ii)    the ballot drop box after an election–related deadline.

        (3)    The local board of elections for Baltimore City shall distribute the election–related materials collected from the ballot drop box to the State Board or a local board, as appropriate and in a timely manner.

    (d)    On or before January 1 each year, the local board of elections for Baltimore City shall submit a report to the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the House Appropriations Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on the following information submitted to the ballot drop box, disaggregated by each weekly collection from the ballot drop box and by the State Board or the local board that is the intended recipient of the election–related materials:

        (1)    the number of absentee ballot applications received and accepted;

        (2)    absentee ballots received and accepted; and

        (3)    other election–related materials received.