Maryland Statutes § 16-904 Threatening an election official
Statute Text
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
(i)
"Election official" means:
1.
the State Administrator;
2.
a member of the State Board;
3.
an employee of the State Board;
4.
counsel to the State Board;
5.
a county election director appointed under §
2-202
of this article;
6.
a member of a local board;
7.
an employee of a local board;
8.
counsel to a local board; or
9.
an election judge.
(ii)
"Election official" includes
an individual who takes the oath prescribed in Article I, §
9
of the Maryland Constitution to assist in administering an election.
(3)
"Electronic communication" has the meaning stated in §
3-805
of the Criminal Law Article.
(4)
"Harm" includes:
(i)
serious injury; and
(ii)
serious emotional distress.
(5)
"Immediate family member" includes:
(i)
a parent;
(ii)
a spouse; and
(iii)
a child.
(6)
"Threat" includes:
(i)
an oral threat;
(ii)
a threat made by electronic communication; and
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
History
Added by 2024 Md. Laws, Ch. 21 , Sec. 1 , eff. 4/9/2024 .
Added by 2024 Md. Laws, Ch. 20 , Sec. 1 , eff. 4/9/2024 .