Section 16-401 - Offenses relating to petitions. - Maryland Statutes

§ 16-401. Offenses relating to petitions.
 

(a)  In general.- A person may not willfully and knowingly: 

(1) give, transfer, promise, or offer anything of value for the purpose of inducing another person to sign or not sign any petition; 

(2) request, receive, or agree to receive, anything of value as an inducement to sign or not to sign any petition; 

(3) misrepresent any fact for the purpose of inducing another person to sign or not to sign any petition; 

(4) sign the name of any other person to a petition; 

(5) falsify any signature or purported signature to a petition; 

(6) obtain, or attempt to obtain, any signature to a petition by fraud, duress, or force; 

(7) circulate, cause to be circulated, or file with an election authority a petition that contains any false, forged, or fictitious signatures; 

(8) sign a petition that the person is not legally qualified to sign; 

(9) sign a petition more than once; or 

(10) alter any petition after it is filed with the election authority. 

(b)  Each violation a separate offense.- Each violation of this section shall be considered a separate offense. 

(c)  Penalty.- A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to the penalties provided in Subtitle 10 of this title. 
 

[An. Code 1957, art. 33, § 16-401; 2002, ch. 291, §§ 2, 4.]