The Maryland State Board of Elections is sending replacement mail-in ballots to all voters who requested them by May 6 for the June 23, 2026 Gubernatorial Primary after discovering a printing and coding error by its ballot vendor.
Some voters received ballots for the wrong political party due to the error. Because the vendor could not determine which voters received correct ballots and which did not, election officials decided the best way to protect the integrity of the mail-in voting process was to issue replacement ballots to everyone who had requested one.
Voters who will receive a replacement ballot began getting notification postcards on Monday, May 18. Those who have signed up for email or text alerts from the State Board of Elections will also be notified through their preferred method of contact.
Production of the replacement ballot packets began on May 19, with mailings scheduled to be completed no later than May 29. Ballots will be sent on a rolling basis as they are produced. The replacement ballot envelopes will be clearly marked “REPLACEMENT BALLOT INSIDE” to help voters distinguish them from the original ballots.
Voters who receive a replacement ballot should destroy their original ballot and return only the new one using the envelope marked for replacement ballots. Special instructions will be included with the replacement packet.
The State Board of Elections has systems in place to ensure that only one ballot per voter is counted. These safeguards are designed to maintain the accuracy of the canvass even when replacement ballots are issued.
Election officials have created a dedicated webpage with more information for voters at vote.md.gov/2026replacementmib. Voters can visit the site to check if they will be affected and to review frequently asked questions.
The State Board of Elections is reminding voters to rely on official government sources for election information and to be cautious of unofficial or misleading communications. Additional details about the 2026 Primary Election are available at vote.md.gov/vote2026.
