{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-election-law-16-904","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Election Law § 16–904","heading":"","body":"(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.\n(2) (i) “Election official” means:\n1. the State Administrator;\n2. a member of the State Board;\n3. an employee of the State Board;\n4. counsel to the State Board;\n5. a county election director appointed under § 2–202 of this article;\n6. a member of a local board;\n7. an employee of a local board;\n8. counsel to a local board; or\n9. an election judge.\n(ii) “Election official” includes:\n1. an individual who takes the oath prescribed in Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution to assist in administering an election; and\n2. a page as defined in § 10–401 of this article.\n(3) “Electronic communication” has the meaning stated in § 3–805 of the Criminal Law Article.\n(4) “Harm” includes:\n(i) serious injury; and\n(ii) serious emotional distress.\n(5) “Immediate family member” includes:\n(i) a parent;\n(ii) a spouse; and\n(iii) a child.\n(6) “Threat” includes:\n(i) an oral threat;\n(ii) a threat made by electronic communication; and\n(iii) a threat in any written form, whether or not the writing is signed, or if the writing is signed, whether or not it is signed with a fictitious name or any other mark.\n(b) A person may not knowingly and willfully make a threat to harm an election official or an immediate family member of an election official because of the election official’s role in administering the election process.\n(c) A person may not knowingly send, deliver, part with, or make for the purpose of sending or delivering a threat prohibited under subsection (b) of this section.\n(d) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both.","path":["Article - Election Law"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gel\u0026section=16-904","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:57:47Z","sha256":"66171d49778b715768e1702e281b098f84b74c906b6e9c703d8366f8b5f2ef37","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-election-law-16-903","next":"us-md/md.-code-election-law-16-1001"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}