The Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE) is considering the purchase of a new voting system to be used beginning with the 2028 Presidential Election cycle, and is inviting the public to see the technology firsthand.

As part of the state’s procurement and certification process, SBE will host three days of in-person public demonstrations of a proposed voting system developed by Election Systems & Software (ES&S). The demonstrations will showcase both the ballot marking device and precinct-based tabulator, allowing attendees to review system functionality, ease of use, and overall voter experience.

These sessions are an opportunity for local officials, stakeholders, and residents to ask questions and provide feedback before any final decisions are made.

Details:

Date and Time: March 23–25, 2026; 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily

Location (rotating across three sites):

• Baltimore County – Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor
• Montgomery County – Hilton Garden Inn Rockville-Gaithersburg
• Queen Anne’s County – Hilton Garden Inn Kent Island Marina

Please be advised that these demonstrations are designed to give participants a hands-on look at the proposed voting system. This will include:

• Ballot marking process
• Tabulation and scanning functionality
• Accessibility features
• Overall voter experience

SBE will also collect public input and feedback, which may inform Maryland’s final decision on whether to move forward with the system.

Additionally, the demonstrations are free and open to the public. While reservations are not required, attendees are encouraged to RSVP in advance to help organizers plan for space. Link to RSVP

For those unable to attend in person, demonstration videos will be made available upon request after March 25, email info.sbe@maryland.gov for more details.

Counties play a key role in administering elections. These demonstrations offer an important opportunity to ensure that any new system works effectively across Maryland’s diverse jurisdictions.