Maryland AI laws for political campaigns

Yes. Chapter 444 of 2026 (SB 141), effective June 1, 2026, adds Election Law 16-905: a person may not knowingly or with reckless disregard create, use, or disseminate a deepfake (AI or other digitally made realistic but false image, audio, or video of a person) to produce materially false information when the person intends to influence or impede a voter's decision to vote or how to vote for a candidate or ballot issue, to misrepresent voter registration, voting methods, results, or election officials' duties, or to sway petition signing, and the act results or is intended to result in harm to a voter, potential voter, or petition. Violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to 5 years and $5,000. Maryland has no AI labeling rule for political ads; adding a label is not a statutory defense, though content that is clearly not deceptive would not meet the elements. The same law lets the State Administrator correct election misinformation, seek court orders removing it from online platforms, and subpoena records, and lets the State Board sue for its correction costs. Key law (SB 141 (2026), Chapter 444 (cross-file HB 145), Md. Code, Election Law 16-905 (new) and 2-110 (amended)).

Maryland does not prescribe exact wording. Chapter 444 of 2026 (SB 141), effective June 1, 2026, adds Election Law 16-905: a person may not knowingly or with reckless disregard create, use, or disseminate a deepfake (AI or other digitally made realistic but false image, audio, or video of a person) to produce materially false information when the person intends to influence or impede a voter's decision to vote or how to vote for a candidate or ballot issue, to misrepresent voter registration, voting methods, results, or election officials' duties, or to sway petition signing, and the act results or is intended to result in harm to a voter, potential voter, or petition. Violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to 5 years and $5,000. Maryland has no AI labeling rule for political ads; adding a label is not a statutory defense, though content that is clearly not deceptive would not meet the elements. The same law lets the State Administrator correct election misinformation, seek court orders removing it from online platforms, and subpoena records, and lets the State Board sue for its correction costs.

Criminal: Misdemeanor; fine up to $5,000, imprisonment up to 5 years, or both. Civil: Separately, the State Board of Elections may sue a person, campaign, PAC, or entity that created, used, or spread election disinformation (or misinformation with reckless disregard) to recover its costs of public correction, plus court costs and attorney fees, on clear and convincing evidence (Election Law 2-110).

anytime. It covers images, audio recordings, and video recordings intentionally created or manipulated with generative AI or other digital technology to realistically but falsely depict a person.

Maryland has no AI-specific calling statute, but three election laws reach AI voice calls. Automated or prerecorded oral communications are "campaign material" (Election Law 1-101), so they must carry an authority line (Election Law 13-401). Election Law 16-201 makes it a crime to influence a voter's decision whether to vote through fraud, threats, or intimidation, and since 2024 "influence" includes deception and trickery regardless of medium. The new deepfake crime (Election Law 16-905, effective June 1, 2026) covers AI-cloned voices in calls that falsely depict a person to sway or suppress votes. Maryland's telemarketing laws (including the 2023 Stop the Spam Calls Act) apply to sales calls, not political calls, so federal TCPA rules govern consent for AI or prerecorded calls to cell phones. Under federal law, the FCC ruled in February 2024 that AI-generated voices are "artificial" voices under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, so prerecorded or AI voice calls to cell phones need prior express consent, and every such call must identify the caller at the start.

Yes. HB 333 (2024), Chapter 126, Election Disinformation and Improper Influence Related to Voting: Requires the State Board of Elections to run a public portal for reporting election misinformation and disinformation, review submissions, issue corrections, and refer cases to the State Prosecutor. SB 141 (2026), Chapter 444, State Administrator powers against election misinformation, including deepfakes: On a credible report of election misinformation or disinformation, including a deepfake, the State Administrator must publicly correct it and may seek an injunction to remove it from online platforms (but not against platforms for third-party content) and subpoena records about who spread it and to whom. The State Board may sue the responsible person, campaign, or PAC for its correction costs.

This tracker counts 5 Maryland AI laws touching politics and elections as of October 5, 2026: 1 on elections, 2 on AI or artificial voice calls, 2 on voting and election officials.

HB 740 (2025) (Election Law: Campaign Materials, Disclosure of Use of Synthetic Media): Died in House committee (hearing 2025-02-11); no 2026 AI ad disclosure bill passed. HB 525 and SB 361 (2025) (Influencing a voter by dissemination of a deepfake): Failed in 2025 (SB 361 passed the Senate 39 to 8; HB 525 stalled in Senate Rules); enacted in revised form as SB 141 in 2026.