{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-election-law-16-304","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Election Law § 16–304","heading":"","body":"(a) In a polling place on election day, an election judge may not willfully and knowingly:\n(1) permit a ballot or ballots to be placed into a ballot receptacle prior to the time for voting; or\n(2) place a ballot in a ballot receptacle unless the ballot is offered by a properly registered voter or is a provisional ballot placed with other provisional ballots of the same character.\n(b) A person may not:\n(1) cause or permit a ballot, including a provisional ballot, to be cast or deposited in a ballot receptacle, voting device, or other receptacle designed for the collection of ballots other than by a person entitled under this article to cast a ballot; or\n(2) substitute, alter, add, or remove a submitted ballot from a ballot receptacle, voting device, or other receptacle designed for the collection of ballots, except when instructed to do so by the election director.\n(c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment for not less than 1 year nor more than 5 years.","path":["Article - Election Law"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gel\u0026section=16-304","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:57:47Z","sha256":"492e58def4142eb84c3aa19826ead8d84776f2d97df44c1e21c0c8629e300f0e","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-election-law-16-303","next":"us-md/md.-code-election-law-16-401"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}