Maryland HOAs: Understanding House Bill 1534

A quick note before you read: This overview is informational, not legal advice. Always consult your association’s attorney for guidance specific to your bylaws, state laws, and the selection of any specific vendor.

Maryland's New Election Law (HB 1534 / SB 758)

Effective October 1, 2025, a major update to Maryland's law (House Bill 1534 / Senate Bill 758) introduces mandatory new requirements for how condominiums (Title 11) and homeowners associations (Title 11b) conduct elections for their governing bodies (e.g., board of directors, officers).

One of the the law's primary changes is that key elections, such as a Board of Directors vote, must now be overseen by an independent party (also referred to as an independent inspector). This change is intended to safeguard the integrity of the election, prevent conflicts of interest, and increase transparency and member trust in the voting process.

The Independent Inspector: Role and Requirements

The independent party is responsible for overseeing the entire election process from start to finish.

What the Independent Inspector Does:

• Verifies voter eligibility.
• Secures and safeguards the paper and electronic ballots.
• Supervises the vote counting.
• Resolves any disputes.
• Certifies the final election results.

Who Can Be an Independent Inspector:

The inspector must be a neutral, independent party. The law allows for:

• A third-party vendor, which could include a service provider like ElectionBuddy.
• A commercial technology/online voting platform hired by the association.
• Property management that is owned by the association.
• Another unit or lot owner (provided they meet strict non-conflict, non-campaigning, and member approval requirements).

Who Cannot Be an Independent Inspector:

To ensure neutrality, the following are prohibited from serving as the independent party:

• A current board member or a candidate in the election.
• Representatives of the condominium's or HOA's property management company.
• Anyone else with a conflict of interest.

Crucially, the decision to appoint a third-party vendor like ElectionBuddy to serve as the official independent inspector should be made based on the opinion of the HOA's legal counsel to ensure the specific services offered fully comply with the law's independence requirements.

Requirements for Online Voting Platforms

For Maryland associations holding online elections, the voting platform used must meet specific criteria. A platform like ElectionBuddy can be used to fulfill these technical requirements, which include:

• The ability to verify voter identity.
• Administration by a third party (fulfilling the independent party rule).
• The ability to ensure anonymity when required.
• Providing audit-friendly election results that can be certified by the independent inspector.

How Associations Should Prepare

With these new requirements, associations should plan to do the following in advance of their next election:

1. Consult Your Association's Attorney: Understand exactly how HB 1534 applies to your community, your bylaws, and the process for appointing an inspector.
2. Appoint Your Inspector: Secure a qualifying independent inspector, which, subject to your legal counsel's opinion, could be a third-party vendor like ElectionBuddy, well in advance of your election.
3. Confirm Platform Readiness: Ensure your chosen voting platform provides the necessary reporting and features for your appointed independent inspector to oversee and certify the vote.

Want to learn more about how ElectionBuddy provides the features needed for compliant, inspector-certified HOA votes? Contact us today.