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Note: This article is not intended to serve as a guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact theirstate election agencies for further information.

In order to get on the ballot in Maryland, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines.These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Maryland. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates,click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contactstate election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Seestate election laws

Year-specific filing information

2026

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2026 U.S. Congress elections andMaryland elections, 2026

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Maryland in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maryland, clickhere.

Governor

The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Maryland in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maryland, clickhere.

State House

The table below details filing requirements for Maryland House of Delegates candidates in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maryland, clickhere.

State Senate

The table below details filing requirements for Maryland State Senate candidates in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maryland, clickhere.

For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

Process to become a candidate

See statutes:Election Law, Title 5 of the Annotated Code of Maryland

For principal party candidates

A candidate for federal, statewide, or state legislative office seeking the nomination of aprincipal political party in a primary election must submit to the Maryland State Board of Elections a certificate of candidacy, which notes the office being sought, the year of the election, the name and address of the candidate, and includes a statement verifying that the candidate satisfies the legal requirements for candidacy for the office being sought. A candidate for statewide or state legislative office must also submit a financial disclosure form to the Maryland State Ethics Commission.^[1][2]

A principal party candidate must pay a filing fee. Fees vary according to the office being sought and are established by statute. Fees are detailed in the table below.^[3]

All required paperwork and filing fees must be submitted to the appropriate office by 9 p.m. on the last Tuesday in February of the election year. It should be noted that the certificate of candidacy must be submitted in person (or by certified mail, personal messenger, or delivery service if the candidate is unable to file in person due to illness, military service, or temporary absence from the state).^[1][4]

For non-principal party candidates

Non-principal party candidates file paperwork in two phases. First, a candidate must submit a declaration of intent to the Maryland State Board of Elections. This form must be filed by the last Tuesday in February of the election year. A filing fee does not have to be paid at this time.^[1][5]

By 5 p.m. on the first Monday in August of the election year, the candidate must submit to the Maryland State Board of Elections a certificate of nomination signed by the officers of the candidate's party (non-principal parties may determine for themselves the methods by which they nominate candidates). The candidate must also submit at this time the same financial disclosure form as principal party candidates. Non-principal party candidates must likewise pay the same filing fees as principal party candidates.^[1][5]

For independent candidates

Independent candidates file paperwork in two phases. First, a candidate must submit a declaration of intent to the Maryland State Board of Elections. This form must be filed no later than the first Monday in July.^[1][6][7]

By 5 p.m. on the first Monday in August of the election year, the candidate must submit a certificate of candidacy to the Maryland State Board of Elections and a financial disclosure form to the Maryland State Ethics Commission. The candidate must also submit to the Maryland State Board of Elections a petition signed by either 10,000 registered voters, or 1 percent of the total number of voters who are eligible to vote for the office being sought by the candidate, whichever is less. Independent candidates must also pay the same filing fees as party candidates.^[1][6]

For write-in candidates

A write-in candidate for either the primary or general election who intends to have his or her votes tallied must file a certificate of candidacy and a financial disclosure form. The deadline for filing these materials with the appropriate office is the earlier of the following:^[4]

• seven days after a total expenditure of at least $51 is made to promote the candidacy by the candidate's campaign finance entity
• 5 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding the day of the election

Petition requirements

See also:Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

See statutes:Election Law, Title 6 of the Annotated Code of Maryland

In some cases, political parties and/or candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process to gain access to the ballot. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining topetitions andcirculators inMaryland.

Format requirements

Forms for all petitions are prescribed by and can be obtained from the Maryland State Board of Elections. Each page of a petition containing signatures must include an affidavit by the circulator verifying that he or she personally witnessed each signature.^[8][9]

Signature requirements

In addition to his or her signature, a petition signer must include his or her printed name, an address, and the date signed. Signers must be registered voters of the county specified on the signature page.^[9]

Circulation requirements

Circulators must be at least 18 years old when signatures are made to the petition. No residency requirement for circulators is established in the relevant state statutes.^[9]

Contact information

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also:State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Maryland can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Maryland Local Boards of Election

Click here for a list

Maryland State Board of Elections

Physical Address: 151 West Street, Suite 200

Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6486

Annapolis, MD 21401-0486

Phone: 410-269-2840

Toll free: 800-222-8683

Fax: 410-974-2019

Email:info.sbe@maryland.gov

Website:http://www.elections.state.md.us/

Secretary of State

16 Francis St.

Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Phone: 410-974-5521

Fax: 410-974-5190

Email:dlWebmaster_sos@maryland.gov

Website:https://sos.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Maryland State Ethics Commission

45 Calvert Street, Third Floor

Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Phone: 410–260–7770

Toll free: 1–877–669–6085

Fax: 410–260–7746

Email:Jennifer.Allgair@Maryland.gov

Website:http://ethics.maryland.gov/

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email:clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website:https://www.eac.gov

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Do you need information about elections inyour area? Are you looking foryour local election official?Click here to visit theU.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Term limits

State executives

See also:Maryland state executive official elections, 2014,State executives with term limits andStates with gubernatorial term limits

Gubernatorial term limits are established inArticle 2, Section 1, of the Maryland Constitution. State executive term limits inMaryland are as follows:

• Thegovernor is limited to two successive terms.
• Thelieutenant governor may serve a total of two terms with the current governor. There is no specific limit on how many terms one may serve as lieutenant governor in Maryland.
• Theattorney general has no term limits.
• Thestate treasurer is elected by the General Assembly and has no term limits.
• Thestate comptroller is not subject to term limits.

State legislators

See also:State legislatures with term limits

There are no term limits for Maryland state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

See also:List of United States Representatives from Maryland andList of United States Senators from Maryland

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation fromMaryland.

State legislative partisanship

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the state legislature ofMaryland.

Maryland State Senate

Maryland House of Delegates

Related legislation

The table below lists bills related to ballot access requirements for candidates that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Maryland. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official bill name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Sponsor party
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page onBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

The Ballot Bulletin

TheBallot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from ourElection Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Recent issues

Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

• The Ballot Bulletin: November 21, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 14, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 7, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 31, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 24, 2025

Subscribe

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See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Maryland
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in Maryland
• Maryland elections, 2024
• Campaign finance requirements in Maryland
• Counties in Maryland
• List of United States Representatives from Maryland
• List of United States Senators from Maryland
• Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
• State executives with term limits
• States with gubernatorial term limits
• State legislatures with term limits

External links

Official state and federal links

• Maryland State Board of Elections
• Maryland State Ethics Commission
• Federal Election Commission
• Maryland State Board of Elections, "Candidacy"

Other information

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• ThirdPartyPolitics.us – Blog about American third party and independent politics
• National Voter Outreach – Political consulting firm that specializes in organizing petition signature drives

Footnotes

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policy Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Redistricting policy Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Recount laws Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for political candidates Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for presidential candidates Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for political parties Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Electoral systems Single-winner system •Multi-winner system •Block voting system •Plurality voting system •Majority voting system •Top-two primary •Blanket primary •Open primary •Closed primary •Semi-closed primary •Top-four primary •Ranked-choice voting (RCV) •STAR voting •Approval voting •Fusion voting