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State Coverage  ›  Maryland  ›  Run for office

How to run for office in Maryland.

The short, plain-English version: what you can run for, how to get on the ballot, and the official Maryland resources that are the final word. Then, when you're qualified, Motion51 gets your voters on a map and your volunteers knocking.

Running this cycle, or getting ready for the next one? The first step comes before any filing deadline: know your voters. Motion51 puts your voter file on a map, free, so you can start finding your supporters now.

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The short version

Maryland holds partisan primaries. Most party candidates file a Certificate of Candidacy and pay a filing fee that depends on the office; unaffiliated and minor-party candidates instead qualify by petition for the general election.

Offices you can run for
Federal (U.S. House and Senate); statewide (Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller); the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates; county and municipal offices; and judicial seats.
How to get on the ballot
File a Certificate of Candidacy and a Financial Disclosure statement with the appropriate election office and pay the filing fee for the office. Petition candidates file a petition with the required signatures — a statewide unaffiliated candidate needs 10,000. Documents and the fee may be mailed but must be received by the deadline (postmarks don't count).
Who runs candidate filing
Maryland State Board of Elections — Candidacy & Campaign Finance

This is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. Filing deadlines and fees change every election cycle and vary by office; the official Maryland resources below are the final word. When in doubt, the elections authority is right and we're wrong.

Find your Maryland county

Every county runs its own filing office and its own local races. See all 24 Maryland counties and Baltimore City, each with its election office, fees, deadlines and local facts.

Official Maryland candidate resources

Start here for the exact deadlines, fees, forms, and signature counts for your office and cycle. Note: 2026 filing has closed in most states, so these resources govern the standing rules; check the official calendar for your next filing window.

Once you're on the ballot, Motion51 runs your field game.

Get your district's voter file loaded, cut into walkable turf, and onto an app your volunteers use at the door. Maryland is fully available; see how to get your voter file.

Get your Maryland voter file →

Talk to us about your Maryland race

Tell us what you're running for and we'll help you go from "qualified" to "knocking doors": voter file loaded, turf cut, volunteers set up.

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