Maryland candidate filing & campaign-finance deadlines
Official 2026 report due dates for Maryland state candidates file with Maryland State Board of Elections (Candidacy and Campaign Finance Division).
2 more deadlines follow in this cycle.
Electbase emails you before every deadline — 14, 7, and 2 days out — and stays current as the official schedule changes.
Get deadline remindersIncluded in every Electbase plan · See pricingThis page also covers Maryland candidate-filing (ballot access) deadlines for 2027–2028 — the process of becoming a qualified candidate, distinct from the campaign-finance reporting below. Here's how to run for office in Maryland: what to file, when, and with whom.
7 report deadlines for the 2026 cycle.
These are the campaign-finance report due dates a Maryland state candidate files with Maryland State Board of Elections (Candidacy and Campaign Finance Division) for the 2026 election cycle, stored verbatim from the official schedule. The 2026 primary is Jun 23, 2026.
| Due | Type | Report | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual/Year-end | MD 2026 Annual Report Annual report due the third Wednesday in January (January 21), covering through January 14, 2026. Coverage begins the day after the prior report's end. |
— – Jan 14, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | MD Pre-Primary Report 1 First pre-primary report, due the 5th Tuesday before the June 23 primary, covering January 15 – May 12, 2026. |
Jan 15, 2026 – May 12, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | MD Pre-Primary Report 2 Second pre-primary report, due the 2nd Friday before the primary, covering May 13 – June 7, 2026. |
May 13, 2026 – Jun 7, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | MD Pre-General Report 1 First pre-general report, due the last Tuesday in August, covering June 8 – August 18, 2026. |
Jun 8, 2026 – Aug 18, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | MD Pre-General Report 2 Second pre-general report, due the 2nd Friday before the November 3 general, covering August 19 – October 18, 2026. |
Aug 19, 2026 – Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Post-election | MD Post-General Report Post-general report, due the 2nd Tuesday after the general, covering October 19 – November 10, 2026. |
Oct 19, 2026 – Nov 10, 2026 | |
| Annual/Year-end | MD 2027 Annual Report Next-cycle annual report (per the official schedule, due January 27, 2027) closing out 2026 activity, covering November 11, 2026 – January 13, 2027. |
Nov 11, 2026 – Jan 13, 2027 |
Shaded rows are deadlines that have already passed.
Good to know
2026 gubernatorial cycle (Governor + full General Assembly). Reports may be filed until 11:59 pm via MD CRIS. A committee with under $1,000 in aggregate activity may file an Affidavit of Limited Contributions and Expenditures instead (deadlines unchanged). The 2026 Annual report's coverage begins the day after the prior report's end (committee-dependent). Excluded conditional reports on the same official schedule: the Spring Report (new committees only, Apr 21), the Central Committee Report (candidates for central committees, Jul 14), and the Ballot Issue Report (ballot-issue committees, Oct 9). Committees tied to a different election (e.g. some Baltimore City offices) follow a different schedule.
Maryland candidate-filing deadlines — 2027–2028.
Deadlines to become a qualified candidate for office in Maryland — declarations of candidacy, nominating petitions, and related ballot-access filing requirements — compiled from Maryland State Board of Elections. Distinct from the campaign-finance report deadlines above.
2027
Municipal
Municipal officers, school board members (various jurisdictions)
Candidacy method: Nonpartisan · Deadline type: Nonpartisan filing
Files with: Municipality-specific or school district office
Maryland State Board of Elections Candidacy and Elections pages, individual municipal charters and school district procedures · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
The filing deadline for Municipal officers, school board members (various jurisdictions) in Selected municipalities and school districts (not yet called) for the 2027 Off-Cycle Municipal and School Board Elections (various jurisdictions) is not yet a confirmed date (election not yet scheduled); check with Municipality-specific or school district office. Source: Maryland State Board of Elections, municipal governments, school district boards.
2028
Federal
U.S. President
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Maryland State Board of Elections
Maryland Election Law Article, Title 5, Section 5-303 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
Filing for U.S. President in Statewide for the 2028 Maryland Presidential Primary Election (Apr 25, 2028) closes Jan 21, 2028 at 9:00 PM America/New_York. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Maryland General Assembly.
U.S. House of Representatives — All districts (MD-1 through MD-8)
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Maryland State Board of Elections
Fee: $100
Maryland Election Law Article, Title 5, Section 5-303 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Maryland Presidential Primary Election (Apr 25, 2028) closes Jan 21, 2028 at 9:00 PM America/New_York. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Maryland General Assembly.
U.S. Senate
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Maryland State Board of Elections
Fee: $100
Maryland Election Law Article, Title 5, Section 5-303 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. Senate in Statewide for the 2028 Maryland Presidential Primary Election (Apr 25, 2028) closes Jan 21, 2028 at 9:00 PM America/New_York. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Maryland General Assembly.
U.S. President
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Files with: Maryland State Board of Elections
Fee: $100 · Signatures: Valid signatures of registered voters per federal requirements; Maryland law requires certain petition signatures per state procedures
Maryland State Board of Elections Candidacy Information and 2026 General Election Calendar · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. President in Statewide for the 2028 Maryland General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 7, 2028 at 5:00 PM America/New_York. Source: Maryland State Board of Elections.
U.S. House of Representatives — All districts (MD-1 through MD-8)
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Files with: Maryland State Board of Elections
Fee: $100 · Signatures: Valid signatures of registered voters per federal requirements
Maryland State Board of Elections Candidacy Information and 2026 General Election Calendar · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Maryland General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 7, 2028 at 5:00 PM America/New_York. Source: Maryland State Board of Elections.
U.S. Senate
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Files with: Maryland State Board of Elections
Fee: $100 · Signatures: Valid signatures of registered voters per federal requirements
Maryland State Board of Elections Candidacy Information and 2026 General Election Calendar · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. Senate in Statewide for the 2028 Maryland General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 7, 2028 at 5:00 PM America/New_York. Source: Maryland State Board of Elections.
U.S. President, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate — All applicable
Not yet published. Write-in deadline is the earlier of: (1) 7 days after a campaign finance entity spends $51 or more promoting the candidacy; or (2) 5:00 p.m. on the 7th day preceding the start of early voting for the election. Early voting dates for 2028 general election not yet published.
Filing authority: Maryland State Board of Elections.
Next check: Sep 15, 2028.
Maryland Election Law Article, Title 5, Section 5-303 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
The official filing deadline for U.S. President, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate in Statewide for the 2028 Maryland General Election (Nov 7, 2028) has not yet been published; check with Maryland State Board of Elections. Source: Maryland General Assembly.
Municipal
Mayor, City Council, and Municipal Officers
Candidacy method: Nonpartisan · Deadline type: Nonpartisan filing
Files with: Municipal Clerk (jurisdiction-specific)
Maryland Election Law Article Title 5 (general statutory framework) and individual municipal charters · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
The filing deadline for Mayor, City Council, and Municipal Officers in General-law and charter municipalities (statewide framework) for the 2028 Maryland General Election (Nov 7, 2028) is not yet a confirmed date (awaiting local confirmation); check with Municipal Clerk (jurisdiction-specific). Source: Maryland General Assembly and municipal governments.
School Board
School Board Members (Board of Education)
Candidacy method: Nonpartisan · Deadline type: Nonpartisan filing
Files with: County Board of Elections or School District Office (jurisdiction-specific)
Maryland Education Law Article, Title 3, Section 3-1002, and local board election procedures · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
The filing deadline for School Board Members (Board of Education) in Maryland Independent School Districts (statewide framework) for the 2028 Maryland General Election is not yet a confirmed date (election not yet scheduled); check with County Board of Elections or School District Office (jurisdiction-specific). Source: Maryland General Assembly and individual school district boards.
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Electbase compiles these dates from official state sources as a workflow aid. It is not legal advice. Confirm every deadline with your filing authority before you rely on it.
Last updated August 27, 2026