Maryland’s Dirty Voter Rolls

In a state where Democrats have long held political dominance, Maryland’s elections officials are facing intensifying scrutiny over what many see as systemic failures in maintaining voter integrity. With the Department of Justice now eyeing potential violations and Republican leaders preparing a federal lawsuit, the quiet confidence of the Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE) is cracking under bipartisan pressure—though not without protest.

Let’s cut through the spin.

A Reckoning for Bloated Voter Rolls?

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division recently sent a formal letter to Maryland elections officials questioning the state’s compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The trigger? A 2023 state audit that uncovered glaring flaws: deceased voters still on the rolls, duplicate registrations, and delayed reporting of double voting. If that sounds familiar, it’s because these are precisely the vulnerabilities Republicans have warned about for years—only to be dismissed as conspiracy theorists.

But now, even the Biden DOJ is paying attention. That should raise eyebrows across the aisle.

Republicans Demand Accountability

Days after the DOJ’s inquiry, a legal warning came from Consovoy McCarthy, a firm representing the Republican National Committee, the Maryland GOP, and party leaders like Nicolee Ambrose and Kate Sullivan. Their letter alleges that Maryland’s voter rolls are not just inaccurate—they’re “implausible.”

In counties like Montgomery and Howard, registration numbers exceeded the number of eligible adult citizens between 2019 and 2023. According to the GOP-led complaint, this violates federal law and opens the door for fraudulent or duplicate voting. And the facts aren’t easily brushed aside: the numbers come straight from state data, not partisan blogs.

The demand is clear—clean up the voter rolls before the 2026 election.

State Officials Defend the Status Quo

Jared DeMarinis, Maryland’s State Elections Administrator, remains defiant. He claims the issues are overblown, citing only 268 duplicate records out of 4.1 million registered voters—about 0.00645%. But critics argue that any amount of voter fraud, no matter how “statistically insignificant,” undermines the legitimacy of the entire process. That’s especially true when the state failed to promptly report potential double voting after the 2020 election—a delay highlighted by the Office of Legislative Audits.

And it’s not just Republicans raising concerns. The DOJ's interest suggests a broader failure of compliance, regardless of party affiliation.

Pattern of Evasion?

This isn’t the first legal storm Maryland’s election board has faced. In 2024, Maryland Election Integrity LLC and United Sovereign Americans sued the state, citing tens of thousands of NVRA and Help America Vote Act (HAVA) violations. They highlighted:

• 79,392 faulty registrations (including duplicates and invalid dates)
• 62,075 voting system anomalies in 2020
• 27,623 additional violations in 2022

A federal judge tossed the case for lack of standing—not because the claims were disproven, but because the plaintiffs couldn’t show direct harm. Convenient, but hardly reassuring.

More telling was a March 2025 ruling by Judge Matthew J. Maddox, who struck down an SBE rule that obstructed public access to voter registration data. Backed by Judicial Watch, the ruling reinforced that transparency in voter rolls is not optional—it’s a right protected by law.

Election Integrity or Election Theater?

Predictably, left-leaning organizations like Common Cause Maryland and the Brennan Center are crying foul, accusing Republicans of trying to suppress votes and spread “disinformation.” But when registration rates outpace the adult population, and internal audits flag double-voting risks, it’s not paranoia—it’s math.

Meanwhile, the SBE clings to reassurances: ballot drop box cameras, pre-election testing, and post-election audits. All well and good—but if the base data (the voter roll) is corrupted, the systems built on it are already compromised.

What’s at Stake?

With the 2026 midterms looming, Maryland has a choice: fix the system now or invite chaos later. Public trust in elections isn’t restored with slogans—it’s earned through action. Republicans aren’t asking for miracles. They’re asking for clean rolls, accurate records, and basic accountability.

In a post-2020 America where questions of election legitimacy still hang heavy, Maryland can’t afford to coast on partisan assumptions of security. The DOJ’s involvement should serve as a wake-up call.

If you can’t clean your voter rolls, you can’t run a credible election.

MDBayNews will continue to track this developing story as federal investigators weigh next steps and Republican attorneys prepare what could become one of the most significant election integrity cases in Maryland’s recent history.

For those who say “there’s no problem here,” the numbers—and now, the subpoenas—beg to differ.