Committee amends bill allowing late party affiliation for unaffiliated voters, then holds it for further review

Senate Bill 132, originally an emergency bill, would have authorized unaffiliated voters to change their voter registration to affiliate with a political party during early voting before a primary. Senator Kagan offered an amendment extending that authorization to unaffiliated voters who appear at precinct polling places on election day and removed the emergency status (effective Jan. 1, 2027).

Sponsor Kagan framed the change as expanding participation: "There are almost a million Marylanders who are unaffiliated," she said, arguing that many districts are decided in primaries and unaffiliated voters currently lack access to those contests. Committee members debated whether late affiliations would complicate candidate outreach and campaign targeting close to election day. The committee took a roll-call on the Kagan amendment; the amendment carried seven to three.

Nut graf: The amendment broadens access for unaffiliated voters to affiliate and vote in closed primaries up to election day, but members flagged operational issues for campaigns and elections administrators and asked the sponsor to consider holding the bill for further technical review.

Ending: After debate the sponsor agreed to hold the bill pending additional consideration and to return later with language and clarifications.