Maryland Question 1, Legislative Authority over State Budget Amendment (2020)

Maryland Question 1
Election date November 3, 2020
Topic State and local government budgets, spending and finance
Status a Approved
Type Constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature
List of Maryland measuresMaryland Question 1Maryland Question 2Submit

Maryland Question 1, the Legislative Authority over State Budget Amendment, was on the ballot in Maryland as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 3, 2020. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supports authorizing the Maryland General Assembly to increase, decrease, or add items to the state budget as long as such measures do not exceed the total proposed budget submitted by the governor.

A "no" vote opposes authorizing the Maryland General Assembly to increase, decrease, or add items to the state budget, thereby maintaining that the state legislature can only cut from the budget and not add to it.

Election results

Maryland Question 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		2,033,605	74.67%
No		689,975	25.33%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

What did Question 1 change?

See also: Constitutional changes and State budget process in Maryland

Question 1 authorized the Maryland General Assembly to increase, decrease, or add items to the state budget as long as such changes do not make the budget exceed the total proposed budget submitted by the governor. At the time of the election, the Maryland General Assembly received a budget proposal from the governor and was not allowed to add expenditures to it or reapportion expenditures. The assembly could only reduce the state’s operating budget.

At the time of the election, the governor could not veto the operating budget bill.

The amendmenttook effect with fiscal year 2024.

How did Question 1 get on the ballot?

See also: Path to the ballot, Legislative support, and Legislative opposition

Question 1 was introduced as Senate Bill 1028 on February 14, 2020. On March 17, 2020, the state Senate passed SB 1028 along party lines with 30 Democrats voting in favor and 15 Republicans voting against. On March 18, 2020, the state House passed the amendment along party lines with 95 Democrats voting in favor and 38 Republicans voting against. One Democrat, Del. Geraldine Valentino-Smith, joined Republicans in voting against the amendment. Similar bills had been introduced in the legislature in 2010-2012 and 2015-2019 but did not pass.

Text of measure

Ballot question

The ballot question was as follows:

“

The proposed amendment authorizes the General Assembly, in enacting a balanced budget bill for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter, to increase, diminish, or add items, provided that the General Assembly may not exceed the total proposed budget as submitted by the Governor. (Amending Article II Section 17 and Article III Sections 14 and 52 of the Maryland Constitution) [ ] For the Constitutional Amendment [ ] Against the Constitutional Amendment

”

Constitutional changes

See also: Article II and Article III of the Maryland Constitution

The measure amended section 17 of Article II and sections 14 and 52 of Article III of the state constitution. The following underlined text was added, and struck-through text was deleted:

Note: Hover over the text and scroll to see the full text.

Article II

Text of Section 17:

(a) To guard against hasty or partial legislation and encroachment of the Legislative Department upon the co-ordinate Executive and Judicial Departments, every Bill passed by the House of Delegates and the Senate, before it becomes a law, shall be presented to the Governor of the State. If the Governor approves he the bill, the governor shall sign it, but if not he the bill. Except for the budget bill, if the Governor disapproves the bill, the governor shall return it with his objections to the House in which it originated, which House shall enter the objections at large on its Journal and proceed to reconsider the Bill. Each House may adopt by rule a veto calendar procedure that permits Bills that are to be reconsidered to be read and voted upon as a single group. The members of each House shall be afforded reasonable notice of the Bills to be placed on each veto calendar. Upon the objection of a member, any Bill shall be removed from the veto calendar. If, after such reconsideration, three-fifths of the members elected to that House pass the Bill, it shall be sent with the objections to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if it passes by three-fifths of the members elected to that House it shall become a law. The votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively.

(b) If any Bill presented to the Governor while the General Assembly is in session is not returned by him the Governor with his objections within six days (Sundays excepted), the Bill shall be a law in like manner as if he the Governor signed it, unless the General Assembly, by adjournment, prevents its return, in which case it shall not be a law.

(c) Any Bill presented to the Governor within six days (Sundays excepted), prior to adjournment of any session of the General Assembly, or after such adjournment, shall become law without the Governor's signature unless it is vetoed by the Governor within 30 days after its presentment.

(d) Any Bill, except the budget bill, vetoed by the Governor shall be returned to the House in which it originated immediately after the House has organized at the next regular or special session of the General Assembly, other than in extraordinary session convened under subsection (G) of this section. The Bill may then be reconsidered according to the procedure specified in this section. Any Bill enacted over the veto of the Governor, or any Bill which shall become law as the result of the failure of the Governor to act within the time specified, shall take effect 30 days after the Governor's veto is over-ridden, or on the date specified in the Bill, whichever is later. If the Bill is an emergency measure, it shall take effect when enacted. No such vetoed Bill shall be returned to the Legislature when a new General Assembly of Maryland has been elected and sworn since the passage of the vetoed Bill.

(e) The Except for the budget bill, the Governor shall have power to disapprove of any item or items of any Bills making appropriations of money embracing distinct items, and the part or parts of the Bill approved shall be the law, and the item or items of appropriations disapproved shall be void unless repassed according to the rules or limitations prescribed for the passage of other Bills over the Executive veto.

(f) (1) The Governor may approve or disapprove items in the budget bill as provided in this subsection.

(2) The Governor may veto only items relating to the Executive Department that have been increased or added by the General Assembly. The Governor may not veto any other items in the budget bill.

(3) If the Governor vetoes an item that had been increased by the General Assembly and the General Assembly does not override the veto under subsection (G) of this section, that item shall revert to the proposed appropriation submitted by the Governor. The proposed appropriation shall then be law immediately without further action by the Governor.

(4) If the Governor vetoes an item that had been added by the General Assembly and the General Assembly does not override the veto under subsection (G) of this section, that item shall be void.

(5) Items not disapproved by the Governor shall be law immediately without further action by the Governor.

(G) (1) If the Governor vetoes an item in the budget bill, the General Assembly may convene in extraordinary session within 30 days after the date of the veto to consider whether to override the veto. If the General Assembly wishes to consider whether to override the Governor's veto of an item in the budget bill, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates jointly shall issue a proclamation specifying the date on which to convene in extraordinary session.

(2) (I) The budget bill shall be returned by the Governor to the house in which it originated, and each vetoed item shall be considered individually.

(II) If three-fifths of the members elected to that house vote to override the veto of an item, it shall be sent to the other house for consideration.

(III) If three-fifths of the members of that house vote to override the veto of the item, that item shall revert to the appropriation originally passed by the General Assembly. The appropriation as originally passed shall then become law immediately, without further action by the Governor or the General Assembly.

Article III

Text of Section 14: The General Assembly shall meet on the second Wednesday of January, nineteen hundred and seventy-one, and on the same day in every year thereafter, and at no other time, unless convened by joint proclamation of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates under Section 17 (G) of Article II of this constitution or by Proclamation of the Governor. A The Governor shall issue a Proclamation convening the General Assembly in extraordinary session must be issued by the Governor if a majority of the members elected to the Senate and a majority of the members elected to the House of Delegates join in a petition to the Governor requesting that he the Governor convene the General Assembly in extraordinary session, and the Governor shall convene the General Assembly on the date specified in the petition. This section does not affect the Governor's power to convene the General Assembly in extraordinary session pursuant to Section 16 of Article II of this Constitution.

Text of Section 52:

(1) The General Assembly shall not appropriate any money out of the Treasury except in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(2) Every appropriation bill shall be either a Budget Bill, or a Supplementary Appropriation Bill, as hereinafter provided.

(3) On the third Wednesday in January in each year, (except in the case of a newly elected Governor, and then not later than ten days after the convening of the General Assembly), unless such time shall be extended by the General Assembly, the Governor shall submit to the General Assembly a Budget for the next ensuing fiscal year. Each Budget shall contain a complete plan of proposed expenditures and estimated revenues for said fiscal year and shall show the estimated surplus or deficit of revenues at the end of the preceding fiscal year. Accompanying each Budget shall be a statement showing: (a) the revenues and expenditures for the preceding fiscal year; (b) the current assets, liabilities, reserves and surplus or deficit of the State; (c) the debts and funds of the State; (d) an estimate of the State's financial condition as of the beginning and end of the preceding fiscal year; (e) any explanation the Governor may desire to make as to the important features of the Budget and any suggestions as to methods for reduction or increase of the State's revenue.

(4) Each Budget shall embrace an estimate of all appropriations in such form and detail as the Governor shall determine or as may be prescribed by law, as follows: (a) for the General Assembly as certified to the Governor in the manner hereinafter provided; (b) for the Executive Department; (c) for the Judiciary Department, as provided by law, as certified to the Governor; (d) to pay and discharge the principal and interest of the debt of the State in conformity with Section 34 of Article III of the Constitution, and all laws enacted in pursuance thereof; (e) for the salaries payable by the State and under the Constitution and laws of the State; (f) for the establishment and maintenance throughout the State of a thorough and efficient system of public schools in conformity with Article 8 of the Constitution and with the laws of the State; and (g) for such other purposes as are set forth in the Constitution or laws of the State.

(5) The Governor shall deliver to the presiding officer of each House the Budget and a bill for all the proposed appropriations of the Budget classified and in such form and detail as he shall determine or as may be prescribed by law; and the presiding officer of each House shall promptly cause said bill to be introduced therein, and such bill shall be known as the "Budget Bill." The Governor may, with the consent of the General Assembly, before final action thereon by the General Assembly, amend or supplement said Budget to correct an oversight, provide funds contingent on passage of pending legislation or, in case of an emergency, by delivering such an amendment or supplement to the presiding officers of both Houses; and such amendment or supplement shall thereby become a part of said Budget Bill as an addition to the items of said bill or as a modification of or a substitute for any item of said bill such amendment or supplement may affect.

(5a) The Budget and the Budget Bill as submitted by the Governor to the General Assembly shall have a figure for the total of all proposed appropriations and a figure for the total of all estimated revenues available to pay the appropriations, and the figure for total proposed appropriations shall not exceed the figure for total estimated revenues. Neither the Governor in submitting an amendment or supplement to the Budget Bill nor the General Assembly in amending the Budget Bill shall thereby cause the figure for total proposed appropriations to exceed the figure for total estimated revenues, including any revisions, and in the Budget Bill as enacted the figure for total estimated revenues always shall be equal to or exceed the figure for total appropriations.

(6) The General Assembly shall not amend the Budget Bill so as to affect either the obligations of the State under Section 34 of Article III of the Constitution, or the provisions made by the laws of the State for the establishment and maintenance of a system of public schools or the payment of any salaries required to be paid by the State of Maryland by the Constitution thereof; and the.

(6A) In enacting a balanced budget bill each fiscal year as required under this section, the General Assembly may amend the bill by increasing or diminishing the items therein relating to the General Assembly, and by increasing or diminishing the items therein relating to the judiciary, but except as hereinbefore specified, may not alter the said bill except to strike out or reduce items therein, provided, however, that the salary or compensation of any public officer shall may not be decreased during his the Public Officer's term of office,; and such bill, when and as passed by both Houses, shall be a law immediately without further action by the Governor. when passed by both houses, the budget bill shall be presented to the Governor for approval or disapproval according to Section 17 of Article II of the Constitution.

(6B) In enacting a balanced budget bill as required under this section for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter, the General Assembly may amend the bill by increasing, diminishing, or adding items therein relating to the General Assembly, by increasing, diminishing, or adding items therein relating to the Judiciary, and by increasing, diminishing, or adding items relating to the Executive Department, provided that the total of the appropriation for the Executive Department approved by the General Assembly does not exceed the total proposed appropriation for the Executive Department submitted by the Governor. The salary or compensation of any Public Officer may not be decreased during the Public Officer's term of office. When passed by the both houses, the budget bill shall be a law immediately without further action by the Governor.

Ballot summary

The following ballot summary was published on the Maryland Secretary of State's website:

“ This proposed constitutional amendment would alter the State’s budget process. Under current provisions of the State Constitution, the Governor annually submits for approval by the General Assembly a proposed operating budget, which contains the planned funding levels for all three branches of State government – the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches. In approving the operating budget, the General Assembly may not increase or add funding for the Executive Branch, but it may increase funding for the Legislative and Judicial Branches. Except for expenditures required by the State Constitution, the General Assembly may decrease funding in the operating budget for each of the three branches of State government. Once the General Assembly approves the operating budget, it becomes law immediately without further action by the Governor. Under this proposed constitutional amendment, the General Assembly, beginning with the 2023 Legislative Session, would be authorized to increase or add funding in the operating budget, so long as the total level of funding approved by the General Assembly for the Executive Branch does not exceed the total level of funding proposed by the Governor for the Executive Branch. The Governor would be authorized to use a line item veto to reject an individual budget item where the General Assembly increased or added funding to the Governor’s proposed budget for the Executive Branch. The General Assembly would be authorized to override such a veto with a three-fifths vote of the membership in each chamber. If the Governor vetoes a budget item that was increased by the General Assembly and the General Assembly does not override that veto, then the level of funding for that item would revert back to the amount proposed by the Governor. If the Governor vetoes a budget item that was added by the General Assembly and the General Assembly does not override that veto, then that item becomes void. ”

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2020

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state legislature wrote the ballot language for this measure. The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 13, and the FRE is 23. The word count for the ballot title is 65, and the estimated reading time is 17 seconds. The FKGL for the ballot summary is grade level 10, and the FRE is 42. The word count for the ballot summary is 307, and the estimated reading time is 1 minute and 21 seconds.

Support

Legislative support

• In the Maryland House of Delegates, 30 of the 32 House Democrats voted in favor of Question 1. In the Maryland State Senate, 95 of the 98 Senate Democrats voted in favor of the amendment.

Supporters

Officials

• Maryland Senate President William Ferguson IV (D)
• State Senator Jim Rosapepe (D)
• Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D)
• Maryland State Representative Marc Korman (D)

Arguments

• Maryland State Delegate Marc Korman (D): "It's important to get it on the ballot this year because I don't want it to be entrenched in who they think the governor is going to be. ... I don't want to have that debate about gubernatorial politics, which is why we put it on the ballot this year when that's not an issue and we know this governor is term-limited." Korman also said, "We are the only state that doesn't let the legislature increase funds in one place if we decrease them elsewhere."
• Maryland State Senator Jim Rosapepe (D): "This is about balancing the state budget in two ways: making sure that it’s fiscally balanced, but also balanced between the responsibility of the governor and the responsibility of the legislature."
• Roy Meyers, professor of political science and affiliate professor of public policy at UMBC, and Warren Deschenaux, former executive director of the General Assembly’s Department of Legislative Services: "The strong executive budget adopted over a century ago has outlived its usefulness. Rebalancing the executive and legislative powers of the operating budget will allow citizens and legislators to propose modifications to the governor’s budget, requiring the governor to engage with those proposals. It will allow more voices to be heard and make it more likely that the competition for the state’s limited budgetary resources will allocate funds where they are most needed. We encourage you to vote 'for the constitutional amendment.'"
• Robert Malone, executive director of The Arc Prince George’s County: "It’s important to note that Question 1 is not a budget-busting amendment. If enacted, the General Assembly will have the ability to move funds between budget items, but not to increase the budget’s overall size. The ballot question would also give the governor, for the first time, the authority to veto specific line items in the budget, ensuring a more collaborative approach to state spending. ... With this amendment, we will allow legislators to have a stronger role in budgeting. These legislators represent diverse communities and bring a range of priorities and points of view to establishing a budget. That is inherently a more democratic process than allowing one person to have an outsize role in spending."

Opposition

Legislative opposition

• In the Maryland House of Delegates, 38 of the 42 House Republicans voted against the amendment. In the Maryland State Senate, all 15 Senate Republicans voted against the amendment.

Opponents

Officials

• Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R)
• Maryland State Senator Edward R. Reilly (R)
• Maryland State Representative Nicholaus Kipke (R)
• Maryland State Representative Geraldine Valentino-Smith (D)

Organizations

• Americans for Tax Reform

Arguments

• Maryland Delegate Matt Morgan (R): "The language is misleading- this has nothing to do with a balanced budget. This legislation transfers budgetary power from the Governor, who is elected statewide to a few legislators that control the levers of power. This is the stuff you might see on the House of Cards." Morgan also said, "This is 100% a back door power grab by the Democrat-controlled legislature, a legislature that has bankrupted the state twice in Maryland history. The bill allows the Legislature to sidestep the Governor's budget by giving themselves more power. This is a backdoor attempt to shift money from other areas of the budget to pay for Kirwan and to fund other areas of the state they control politically. It's wrong, and they are trying to sneak it through while no one is watching."
• Maryland Delegate Michael Malone (R): "[The] constraint on [the assembly] reallocating funds causes friction between our Democrat-dominated legislature and Republican governor. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has taken a fair amount of heat for not 'releasing' funds, most memorably to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, that the legislature inappropriately reallocated. ... Why, at the last minute and during a crisis, were we voting on a bill that doesn’t take effect for four years? ... Why include confusing language suggesting a balanced budget requirement when Maryland already has one?"
• Maryland State Representative Nic Kipke (D): "Currently, Maryland's political climate is such that it's dominated by legislators from primarily the center of the state, where the governor is elected statewide. And I think that having the governor able to look at things from a statewide perspective is helpful to make sure that all of Maryland's priorities are being fulfilled."

Campaign finance

The campaign finance information on this page reflects the most recent scheduled reports that Ballotpedia has processed, which covered through January 20, 2021.

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Maryland ballot measures

Ballotpedia identified one committee—Marylanders for Question 1—registered in support of Question 1. The committee reported $325,000.00 in contributions.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$325,000.00	$0.00	$325,000.00	$323,993.76	$323,993.76
Oppose	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total	$325,000.00	$0.00	$325,000.00	$323,993.76	$323,993.76

Support

The following chart contains the committees registered in support of Question 1.

Committees in support of Question 1
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Marylanders for Question 1	$325,000.00	$0.00	$325,000.00	$323,993.76	$323,993.76
Total	$325,000.00	$0.00	$325,000.00	$323,993.76	$323,993.76

Top donors

The following chart lists the top donors to the committees supporting Question 1:

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
National Education Association	$300,000.00	$0.00	$300,000.00
American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees	$25,000.00	$0.00	$25,000.00

Opposition

Ballotpedia did not identify any committees registered in opposition to Question 1.

Methodology

To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.

Media editorials

See also: 2020 ballot measure media endorsements

Ballotpedia identified the following media editorial boards as taking positions on Question 1. If you are aware of a media editorial board position that is not listed below, please email the editorial link to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Support

• The Baltimore Sun Editorial Board: "This proposed amendment to the state Constitution would alter that balance of power to give lawmakers a bigger say — but with an important check: The governor would, in return, have the power of a line-item veto so that spending the executive saw as wasteful or unnecessary could advance only with a three-fifths override vote from the state legislature. Nor could legislators increase overall spending; they’d still have to approve a balanced budget. ... For these reasons, we urge a vote 'for' the proposed constitutional amendment that would go into full effect in the next gubernatorial term beginning in Fiscal 2024 and put Maryland in line with budget practices in the 49 other states."
• The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Marylanders should vote yes on Questions 1 and 2, both of which, if approved, could redound to the benefit of taxpayers. ... Question 1 would grant state lawmakers the same budgetary powers enjoyed by their counterparts elsewhere — namely, to shift and target spending priorities. That would end a system, devised in 1916 by reformers who imagined governors were nobly above the partisan fray while legislators were irredeemable spendthrifts. Today, Maryland is the only state in which lawmakers are powerless to transfer funds or add items to the governor’s annual budget, though they may cut money from one program and plead that it be moved elsewhere."

Opposition

• Capital Gazette Editorial Board: "Statewide Question 1 would expand legislative authority over the state budget. If approved, it would authorize the General Assembly to increase, decrease, or add items to the budget as long as they do not exceed the total proposed budget submitted by the governor. This is an overreach by Democrats who control the General Assembly. Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, has used his powers to limit spending, wisely sometimes and sometimes in a way that seemed vindictive. But the current balance provides a bulwark against overspending by a legislature controlled by a single party for decades. Vote no on Question 1."

Background

State budget process in Maryland prior to the amendment

See also: Maryland state budget and finances

At the time of the election, the governor set revenue estimates and submitted a proposed balanced budget to the Maryland General Assembly by the third Wednesday in January or by the 10th day of the legislative session if it is the first year of a newly elected governor. The assembly could not add to the budget or rearrange items to spend more in a certain area and less in another; the assembly may only reduce the operating budget. The governor did not have the power to veto an operating budget bill, and the operating budget became effective with no action required by the governor. With the consent of the assembly, the governorcould amend or supplement the budget to correct an oversight, provide funds contingent on passage of pending legislation or, in the case of an emergency.

Maryland Appropriations Budget, Amendment 2 (1916)

See also: Maryland Appropriations Budget, Amendment 2 (1916)

The Maryland Appropriations Budget Amendment, also known as Amendment 2, was on the November 7, 1916, ballot in Maryland as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, where it was approved by a vote of 68% to 32%. The measure regulated the making of appropriations by the general assembly by creating a budget system. The text of the measure can be read here.

Balanced Budget Amendment of 1974

See also: Maryland Requirements for a Balanced Budget, Question 3 (1974)

The Maryland Requirements for a Balanced Budget Amendment, also known as Question 3, was on the November 5, 1974, ballot in Maryland as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, where it was approved by a vote of 73% to 27%. The measure imposed requirements for a balanced budget. The measure required the budget bill as submitted by the governor to the general assembly to contain appropriations not in excess of total estimated revenues. The full text of the amendment can be found here.

Previous proposals

Since 2000, the amendment had been proposed 12 times, including this bill. The previous proposals never garnered the three-fifths vote needed to place the amendment on the ballot.

Budget conflicts in Maryland

Fiscal year 2020

On January 17, 2019, Governor Larry Hogan (R) proposed a budget of $46.6 billion for fiscal year 2020. Although the state legislature cannot add or move funds around within the governor's proposed budget, the legislature may pass bills that enact restricted funding for future years. For example, the General Assembly passed a bill requiring the 2020 budget to include an increase of $347 million in education funding.

The budget was introduced as House Bill 100 on January 18, 2019. On March 18, 2019, it passed in the Maryland House of Delegates in a vote of 122-13, with five absent and one not voting. On March 22, 2019, the Maryland State Senate passed HB 100 in a vote of 46-0, with one absent. The budget adopted by the state legislature reduced Governor Hogan's proposed budget by $155.7 million.

On July 3, 2019, Governor Hogan refused to release $245 million appropriated by the legislature arguing that "no additional fenced-off money will be added to or spent by the administration." Hogan said that he would have his administration find money in the budgets of state agencies to fund affected programs and would not spend any of the money dedicated from the budget.

Fiscal year 2016

In August 2016, Governor Larry Hogan objected to spending $6.1 million for Maryland's Aging Schools Program, which was part of an $80 million sum restricted by the state legislature for specific projects. The legislature stipulated in the appropriations bill that all $80 million must be spent or none of it could. Governor Hogan did not release the $80 million fenced off by the legislature and instead said he would shift other money in the budget to fund the projects he did support that would have received funding from the $80 million sum.

Matthew Clark, a spokesman for the governor, said, "Governor Hogan has repeatedly said he would not play politics with budget items and that the legislature's tactic of fencing off dollars for critical programs like public safety, lead remediation, addiction services and state highway funding are the kinds of stunts that Marylanders have come to resent." In response, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D) said, "The legislature has a role. There are three branches of government. For the governor to continue to ignore that is an affront to the constitutional process and the role the General Assembly has to play."

Party control in Maryland

See also: Maryland General Assembly

Democrats maintained control of the Maryland State Senate from 1990 to 2018. Senate Democrats held their largest majority following the 1990 elections when Democrats held a 33-seat advantage. Throughout the period, Democrats usually controlled between 32 and 40 seats, while Republicans controlled between 7 and 15 seats. During the period, Democrats also held more than the 29 seats required to override a gubernatorial veto.

Democrats maintained control of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1990 to 2018. House Democrats held their largest majority following the 1990 elections when Democrats held a 91-seat advantage. Throughout the period, Democrats usually controlled between 91 and 116 seats, while Republicans controlled between 25 and 50 seats. During the period, Democrats also held more than the 85 seats required to override a gubernatorial veto.

Democrats controlled the governor's office from 1992 to 2002 and again from 2007 to 2014. Republicans held the governor's office from 2003 to 2006. Republican Governor Larry Hogan assumed office in 2015. Hogan was term-limited. His term ended in January 2023.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Maryland Constitution

To put a legislatively referred constitutional amendment before voters, a 60 percent vote is required in both the Maryland State Senate and the Maryland House of Representatives.

Question 1 was introduced as Senate Bill 1028 on February 14, 2020. On March 17, 2020, the state Senate passed SB 1028 in a vote of 30-15. On March 18, 2020, the state House passed the amendment in a vote of 95-39.

Vote in the Maryland State Senate March 17, 2020
Requirement: Three-fifths (60 percent) vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 29  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	30	15	2
Total percent	63.83%	31.91%	4.26%
Democrat	30	0	2
Republican	0	15	0

Vote in the Maryland House of Representatives March 18, 2020
Requirement: Three-fifths (60 percent) vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 85  a
	Yes	No	Not voting
Total	95	39	7
Total percent	67.38%	27.66%	4.96%
Democrat	95	1	3
Republican	0	38	4

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Maryland

Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Maryland.

How to cast a vote in Maryland

The information below covers regular voting policies in the state. Information may have not applied to the election on November 3, 2020, because of temporary changes in response to coronavirus. Click here to read about changes made for the 2020 elections. 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 requirements 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. 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

2020 measures

• 2020 ballot measures
• Budgets on the ballot

Maryland

• Maryland ballot measures
• Maryland ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Maryland Senate Bill 1028
• 2020 Ballot Questions