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Trump’s Voter Suppression Order Unwelcome in Maryland

General Assembly must respond by passing state Voting Rights Act, other key reforms by April 7
Annapolis – With only one week to go before legislative session ends April 7, Common Cause Maryland is encouraging state lawmakers to reassert their right to control Maryland elections in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order, which attempts to override state and federal voting laws.
The SAVE Act, federal legislation that would make it harder for millions of eligible Americans to vote, will also be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives this week.
“These aren’t the first federal attacks on our voting rights, and they certainly won’t be the last. The state legislature must immediately pass the Maryland Voting Rights Act and other key reforms like the Maryland Data Privacy Act to protect Marylanders’ data and access to the ballot box. This executive order shows the urgency of this moment and the need for state level action now — we hope the legislature takes our freedom to vote seriously and acts accordingly,” said Joanne Antoine, Executive Director of Common Cause Maryland.
Last week, President Trump released an executive order that attempts to put the White House in charge of Maryland elections by dictating how ballots can be counted and how to verify eligible voters.
The executive order would:
  • Enact a national voter ID law, requiring voters show their birth certificate or passport to vote;
  • Restrict absentee voting by forcing states to reject any mail ballots not received by Election Day, even if they were postmarked before;
  • Expose sensitive voter data information to DOGE;
  • Allow federal law enforcement to meddle in state elections;
  • Punish states that don’t comply by taking away their federal elections funding, jeopardizing our local election offices’ ability to run secure, fair, accessible elections.
The Maryland General Assembly can take immediate action to protect voters from these federal attacks on voting rights by passing:
  • The Maryland Voting Rights Act (MDVRA), a package of bills that build on the federal VRA by establishing critical protections at the state level for Black and Brown voters.
    • SB 342 would prevent racial vote dilution, a practice that occurs when electoral practices weaken the voting strength of voters of color.
    • HB 983 would expand language assistance for voters who have a limited understanding of English so all voters, no matter which language they speak, can participate in our democratic process.
  • The Maryland Data Privacy Act (SB 977), legislation that would block ICE from accessing state and local agency databases without a warrant. This critical legislation would protect municipal voter registration data which, in some municipalities, contains noncitizens’ data, including that of minor voters where the voting age has been lowered to 16 years old.
For more information about Common Cause Maryland’s efforts to protect Marylanders’ voting rights, visit commoncause.org/maryland/.
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