The Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE), through Administrator Jared DeMarinis, expressed disappointment that President Trump’s Executive Order did not address misinformation and voter intimidation. This assertion is concerning. The SBE has repeatedly suggested that misinformation and voter intimidation are significant issues in Maryland, yet there is no publicly available evidence supporting these claims. If such threats truly exist, then the SBE has an obligation to present concrete data to the public. Are they withholding critical information from Maryland voters? A full report detailing the extent of these alleged issues must be released immediately.
While we acknowledge the SBE’s right to disagree with aspects of the Executive Order, it is disappointing that the agency failed to publicly commend its commitment to enforcing existing laws that ensure election security. The integrity of our elections should be a shared priority, regardless of political perspectives. President Trump’s Executive Order reinforces the necessity of safeguarding our elections from fraud—something we would hope the SBE could find common ground on, rather than deflecting to unrelated concerns.
Finally, the SBE’s not so veiled assertion—both in the director’s issued statement and during this afternoon’s Maryland State Board meeting—that it is bound only by existing laws and therefore not obligated to comply with this Executive Order is deeply troubling in light of its past actions. This is the same agency that readily embraced President Biden’s Executive Order 14091 as justification for expanding mail-in voting and deploying drop boxes—two voting methods that significantly undermine chain-of-custody safeguards under the guise of increasing “access.” Such a selective and inconsistent application of executive authority raises serious questions about the SBE’s impartiality and its commitment to maintaining the integrity of Maryland’s elections.
Marylanders deserve transparency, accountability, and an elections board that prioritizes security and trust in the electoral process. We call on the SBE to clarify its stance and ensure that the integrity of our elections remains its foremost priority.
Maryland State Board of Elections 3.27.25 Official Statement Below
