The Maryland State Board of Elections this week approved public guidance explaining how local election boards will handle original and replacement mail-in ballots during the 2026 gubernatorial primary election.

The guidance follows the mailing of more than 437,000 replacement ballots after election officials discovered that some voters may have received ballots associated with the wrong political party. Because election officials could not determine precisely which voters received incorrect ballots, the State sent replacement ballots to a large group of affected voters.

The new guidance establishes a clear process for local boards as they prepare to canvass and count returned ballots.

As previously reported on Conduit Street, election officials have urged voters to complete and return the replacement ballot rather than the original ballot mailed earlier this spring.

Under the approved procedures, a replacement ballot will take precedence if the same voter returns both an original and a replacement ballot. Similarly, if a voter casts a provisional ballot in person after returning an original ballot, the provisional ballot will take precedence during canvassing.

The guidance also addresses situations where voters return only the original ballot.

In those cases, local election boards will review the ballot to determine whether it matches the voter’s party registration and election district.

If the original ballot matches the voter’s registration and district, and election officials do not receive a replacement ballot, local boards can count the original ballot. If the original ballot does not match the voter’s registration or district, local boards will reject it.

The guidance also addresses situations where voters return only the original ballot.

In those cases, local election boards will review the ballot and compare it against the voter’s registration and election district.

If the original ballot matches the voter’s registration and district, and election officials do not receive a replacement ballot, local boards can count the original ballot. If the original ballot does not match the voter’s registration or district, local boards will reject it.

The guidance also addresses situations involving nonpartisan contests, such as school board elections. In limited circumstances, local boards may count votes cast in those races even when they cannot count other portions of the ballot.

The State Board unanimously approved the guidance after election staff developed a simplified framework to help voters and local election boards understand how canvassing will work this year.

The procedures establish a consistent process across counties while ensuring that each voter casts only one ballot and local boards count only valid votes.

Maryland voters will head to the polls on June 23. Voters who have not yet returned a ballot can track its status, review voting options, and access additional election information through the State Board of Elections.

Visit the State Board of Elections website for more information.