HB 745
Department of Legislative Services
Maryland General Assembly
2021 Session
FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
Third Reader - Revised
House Bill 745 (Delegate Luedtke)
Ways and Means Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Election Law - Early Voting Centers
This bill adjusts the voter registration-based requirements for the number of early voting
centers in each county, resulting in a greater number of early voting centers in certain
counties. The bill also modifies provisions that govern (1) the designation of the location
of early voting centers and (2) the optional establishment of one additional early voting
center in each county (in addition to the required centers).
Fiscal Summary
State Effect: General fund expenditures increase by $100,000 annually beginning in
FY 2022, by $105,000 annually beginning in FY 2024, and by $120,000 annually
beginning in FY 2026. Revenues are not affected.
(in dollars) FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026
Revenues $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
GF Expenditure 100,000 100,000 105,000 105,000 120,000
Net Effect ($100,000) ($100,000) ($105,000) ($105,000) ($120,000)
Note:() = decrease; GF = general funds; FF = federal funds; SF = special funds; - = indeterminate increase; (-) = indeterminate decrease
Local Effect: Local government expenditures increase collectively by $830,000 annually
beginning in FY 2022, by $900,000 annually beginning in FY 2024, and by $1.1 million
annually beginning in FY 2026. This bill imposes a mandate on a unit of local
government.
Small Business Effect: None.
Analysis
Bill Summary/Current Law: The required number of early voting centers in each county
is modified as shown in Exhibit 1.
Exhibit 1
Early Voting Centers
Current Law Under the Bill
Registered Voters Early Voting Registered Voters Early Voting
In a County Centers* In a County Centers*
<125,000 1 <50,000 1
125,000-200,000 3 50,000-100,000 2
200,000-300,000 4 100,000-200,000 3
300,000-450,000 7 200,000-300,000 5
>450,000 11 300,000-400,000 7
400,000-500,000 9
500,000-600,000 11
≥600,000 13
*Under current law and under the bill, counties may establish one additional early voting center (in addition
to the required centers).
The bill modifies requirements relating to the designation of each early voting center in a
county. Under current law, the State Board of Elections (SBE) designates each early voting
center in a county in collaboration with the local board of elections in that county. Under
the bill, the local board in each county, subject to the approval of SBE, must designate each
early voting center in that county. The bill also adds a new requirement that, when
determining the location of an early voting center, a local board take into account:
accessibility of the early voting center to historically disenfranchised communities,
including cultural groups, ethnic groups, and minority groups;
proximity of the early voting center to dense concentrations of voters;
accessibility of the early voting center by public transportation;
ensuring equitable distribution of early voting centers throughout the county; and
maximizing voter participation, including through the use of community centers and
public gathering places as locations for early voting centers.
HB 745/ Page 2
The bill also modifies the existing authorization for each county to establish one additional
early voting center in addition to the required centers. Under current law, an additional
early voting center may be established if SBE, in collaboration with the local board, and
the governing body of the county agree to establish an additional early voting center. Under
the bill, an additional early voting center may be established if, first, the local board and
the governing body of the county agree to establish an additional early voting center and,
then, SBE approves the establishment of the additional early voting center.
State and Local Fiscal Effect: General fund expenditures increase by $100,000 annually
beginning in fiscal 2022, by $105,000 annually beginning in fiscal 2024, and by $120,000
annually beginning in fiscal 2026, due to costs of additional voting equipment and voting
equipment transportation for additional early voting centers. SBE shares voting system
costs with the local boards of elections pursuant to Chapter 564 of 2001.
Local government expenditures increase collectively by $830,000 annually beginning in
fiscal 2022, by $900,000 annually beginning in fiscal 2024, and by $1.1 million annually
beginning in fiscal 2026, due to the costs of additional voting equipment and voting
equipment transportation (shared with the State), and operating costs, for additional early
voting centers.
The estimate assumes that the optional early voting centers provided by various counties
in the 2020 general election are continued in future elections in the absence of the bill. The
estimate assumes, based on voter registration levels and past voter registration growth in
the various counties, that (1) 14 additional early voting centers are established for the
2022 elections; (2) a net of 1 additional early voting center (for a total of 15) is established
for the 2024 elections (2 are added in 2024 and 1 that was added for 2022 is no longer
considered a cost of the bill in 2024 since it is assumed to be added under current law in
2024); and (3) 2 more (for a total of 17) additional early voting centers are established for
the 2026 and future elections, as shown below:
Anne Arundel – 2 early voting centers added in 2022;
Baltimore City – 1 early voting center added in 2022;
Baltimore – 2 early voting centers added in 2026;
Calvert – 1 early voting center added in 2022;
Cecil – 1 early voting center added in 2022;
Charles – 1 early voting center added in 2022 (but considered to no longer be a cost
of the bill by 2024 since it is assumed to be added under current law in 2024);
Frederick – 1 early voting center added in 2024;
Harford – 1 early voting center added in 2024;
Montgomery – 2 early voting centers added in 2022;
Prince George’s – 2 early voting centers added in 2022;
HB 745/ Page 3
St. Mary’s – 1 early voting center added in 2022;
Washington – 2 early voting centers added in 2022; and
Wicomico – 1 early voting center added in 2022.
The cost estimates are based on average operating costs of early voting centers for counties
in different tiers of voter registration populations (Baltimore, Montgomery, and
Prince George’s counties in the top tier; Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City in the
next tier; etc.) across primary and general elections, along with information provided by
SBE regarding amounts of equipment used per early voting center by the different counties
in 2018. The average operating costs per early voting center are based on past early voting
cost information collected by the Department of Legislative Services, adjusted using more
recent information provided by certain local boards of elections. Actual operating costs
may be somewhat lower in primary election years and higher in general election years,
because of lower and higher expected voter turnout, respectively.
This estimate is based on costs for the State’s current voting system, the contract for which
extends through the 2022 elections. Actual voting system costs associated with this bill
may vary from this estimate depending on how costs of the statewide voting system change
for the 2024 and future elections.
Additional Information
Prior Introductions: None.
Designated Cross File: None.
Information Source(s): State Board of Elections; Baltimore City; Anne Arundel, Carroll,
Frederick, and Montgomery counties; Department of Legislative Services
Fiscal Note History: First Reader - February 15, 2021
rh/hlb Revised - Correction - February 23, 2021
Third Reader - March 24, 2021
Revised - Amendment(s) - March 24, 2021
Analysis by: Scott D. Kennedy Direct Inquiries to:
(410) 946-5510
(301) 970-5510
HB 745/ Page 4
Statutes affected: Text - First - Election Law - Early Voting Centers - Number Required: 10-301.1 Election Law
Text - Third - Election Law - Early Voting Centers: 10-301.1 Election Law