ANNAPOLIS — Today, June 1 marks the first day that mail-in ballots will be canvassed for the 2026 Gubernatorial Primary Election. Local boards of elections can begin the process of opening, reviewing, and counting ballots that have been returned by Monday, June 1.
According to Maryland law, local boards of elections may meet eight business days prior to the start of Early Voting – June 11 – to begin canvassing mail-in ballots that have been returned. Members of the public may observe the canvass.
Additional canvassing days may take place after this time, but are not to be held on Primary Election Day, June 23. All mail-in ballots postmarked on or before June 23 will be canvassed. Results of the canvass are not made public until after polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Local boards post on their websites the dates, times and locations of their canvasses. For more information about a local board’s canvassing timeline, please contact the local board. To learn more about the vote canvassing process in Maryland, visit SBE’s canvassing webpage.
“Mail-in voting is a legal, secure, and transparent method to cast your vote in this election,” said State
Administrator Jared DeMarinis. “June 1 is the first day in a transparent and deliberative process to canvass every eligible mail-in ballot and ensure a free, fair, and secure electoral process. Please remember to rely on the Maryland State Board of Elections and your local election officials as your trusted sources of information.”
Mail-In Ballot Delivery Update
The state’s mail-in ballot vendor sent replacement ballots beginning May 22 to all voters who requested mail-in ballots prior to May 14. Each ballot packet contains detailed instructions for voting and submitting a mail-in ballot. Additionally, impacted voters must remember to dispose of their original ballot and to vote the replacement ballot.
Replacement ballots can be returned via drop box, at an early voting center during early voting, at a polling place on Election Day, at a local board of elections or postmarked no later than June 23. Locations can be found by visiting vote.md.gov/vote2026.
Additional information about Maryland’s Primary Election, including deadlines to return your voted ballot, can be found at vote.md.gov/vote2026 or by downloading the free Go Vote Maryland! app from the Google Play store or the Apple store.