Annapolis, Maryland Public Records

Maryland offers online voter registration at elections.maryland.gov/voter_registration, where eligible citizens can register or update information using a Maryland driver's license or MVA-issued ID card. Registration closes 21 days before any election. Voters must be U.S. Citizens, at least 16 to pre-register (18 to vote), and residents of Maryland and their county. The state automatically registers eligible voters during driver's license transactions unless they decline. The city operates under a mayor-council government, holding municipal elections in odd-numbered years. November 2025 will bring the next Annapolis municipal election, when voters select the mayor and all eight city council members - one from each ward - to four-year terms. Current Mayor Gavin Buckley, first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021, faces election again in 2025. Information about candidates, campaign finance reports, and local ballot questions appears at www.annapolis.gov/elections and through the county Board of Elections. Municipal elections use the same polling places and voter registration as county and state contests, administered by the Anne Arundel County Board under contract with the city. Residents can find their assigned polling location using the Maryland State Board of Elections tool at elections.maryland.gov/voting/where.html by entering their residential address. Maryland provides eight days of early voting before each election at designated centers, including sites typically located at county libraries and community centers. The county board website lists all early voting locations with specific dates and hours. Under Maryland's Public Information Act, extensive election records are publicly accessible. Registered voter lists can be purchased from the State Board of Elections for legitimate purposes, though individual voting history remains confidential. Campaign finance reports for city, county, and state candidates are searchable through the Maryland State Board of Elections system at campaignfinance.maryland.gov, displaying contributions, expenditures, and financial activity for all registered committees. Candidate filings, including nomination petitions and financial disclosure statements, are available from the respective Board of Elections. Precinct-level results for all races are published on the Anne Arundel County Board website after certification, with detailed breakdowns by ward and precinct. In the November 2024 presidential election, Anne Arundel County reported approximately 63% voter turnout among registered voters, with over 220,000 ballots cast from approximately 350,000 registered voters. The county trended slightly Democratic, consistent with Maryland's overall political lean, though the city proper typically votes more heavily Democratic than the county as a whole. On November 3, 2026, voters will participate in the Maryland gubernatorial election, as governors serve four-year terms with elections in midterm years. The ballot will also include races for Maryland Comptroller, Attorney General, all 47 seats in the Maryland House of Delegates, and half of the 47-seat Maryland State Senate. At the Anne Arundel County level, the Anne Arundel County Executive position will be contested (four-year term), along with all seven County Council seats. U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen's seat is not up in 2026 (next election 2028), but Maryland's eight U.S. House seats will all be contested, with the city falling primarily in the 3rd Congressional District. Depending on ward, local voters will also elect state delegates representing Districts 30A, 30B, or 33, and state senators from Districts 30 or 33. Residents should verify specific district assignments through the Board of Elections as redistricting may affect boundaries. Maryland voters can request absentee ballots (called mail-in ballots) online at elections.maryland.gov/voting/absentee.html or by submitting a paper application to the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections. Applications must be received by the Tuesday before Election Day. Any registered voter may request a mail-in ballot without providing a reason. Voted ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within 10 days after the election, or can be deposited in official ballot drop boxes located throughout Anne Arundel County until 8:00 PM on Election Day. The state has implemented permanent mail-in ballot status, allowing voters to automatically receive ballots for all future elections if they choose.