Baltimore, Maryland, Question E, Police Department Charter Amendment (November 2024)

Baltimore Question E
Election date November 5, 2024
Topic Local charter amendments and Local law enforcement
Status Approved
Type Referral

Baltimore Question E was on the ballot as a referral in Baltimore on November 5, 2024. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported establishing the Baltimore City Police Department as an agency of the mayor and city council.

A "no" vote opposed establishing the Baltimore City Police Department as an agency of the mayor and city council.

A simple majority was required to approve the measure.

Election results

Baltimore Question E
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		162,084	78.12%
No		45,384	21.88%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question E was as follows:

“

Question E is for the purpose of establishing the Baltimore City Police Department as an agency of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore. The Police Commissioner is established as the head of the Department and is appointed by the Mayor subject to confirmation under Art. IV, Sec. 6 (a) of the Charter. The Commissioner's powers are enumerated and include determining and establishing the form and organization of the Department; assigning staff and resources, instituting systems for evaluations of members and setting policy with respect to the general operations of the Department. The purpose and powers of the Department are also determined. The Department shall have the duty to preserve the peace, detect and prevent crime, enforce the laws of the State and the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore as well as apprehend and arrest individuals who violate or are lawfully accused of violating the law. The Department will preserve the order at public places but must discharge its duties and responsibilities with dignity and in a manner that will inspire public confidence and respect. The duties of police officers are also established and the procedure for the creation of police districts is established.

”

Path to the ballot

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing body of Baltimore

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Maryland

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Maryland.

How to vote in Maryland

Poll times

In Maryland, all polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

According to the Maryland State Board of Elections, to register to vote in Maryland, one must be a United States citizen and Maryland resident who is at least 16 years old. Although a 16-year-old can register to vote, he or she cannot vote in an election unless he or she will be 18 at the time of the next general election (i.e., 17-year-olds are permitted to vote in primary elections, so long as they'll be 18 by the time of the corresponding general election).

Maryland allows same-day voter registration during the early voting period and on Election Day.

Voters may register online, by mail, or in person at one of the following locations:

• Local board of elections
• The State Board of Elections
• Local Department of Health office
• Maryland Department of Human Services local offices
• Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) offices
• Local Area Agency on Aging offices
• MTA Paratransit Certification Office
• All public institutions of higher education
• Recruitment offices of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Marriage license offices
• Offices for students with disabilities at all Maryland colleges and universities

Automatic registration

Maryland automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Motor Vehicle Administration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Maryland has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Maryland allows same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

Maryland law requires 21 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Mayland does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

Several local jurisdictions in Maryland permit noncitizens to vote in at least some local elections. These jurisdictions maintain separate voter registration systems for noncitizen voters. See here for more information.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The voter lookup page, run by the Maryland Board of Elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Maryland does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases.

A voter will be asked to show ID in the following circumstances:

• The voter registered by mail and did not provide proper identification;
• The voter’s identity is challenged; or
• The voter registers to vote during early voting or changes his or her address during early voting.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2024. Click here for the Maryland Attorney General's voting information page to ensure you have the most current information.

“

A Maryland Driver's License or other Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) issued identification A student ID card that contains a photo An employee ID card that contains a photo A passport or other government issued ID, OR, if you do not have those forms of ID: a utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck that shows your name and address and is less than 3 months old. If you are showing ID because you are voting for the first time, your name and address on the document must match the information on the voter registration roll.

”

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2024
• Local charter amendments on the ballot

Maryland

• Maryland 2024 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Maryland
• Baltimore, Maryland

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas