MD HB44

Circuit court judges in Maryland would be elected on a nonpartisan basis, with candidates prohibited from being nominated by political parties or by petition

All registered voters in a county could vote in primary elections for circuit court judge candidates, regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof

Candidates receiving the most votes in the primary (twice the number of seats available) would advance to the general election, where the top vote-getters equal to the number of open seats would win

Circuit court judge candidates would appear on ballots without party labels or any distinguishing marks indicating party affiliation

Effective date: October 1, 2025