Before You Can Vote Republican in the Upcoming Primary … You Must Be Registered Republican

By Lynne Denicolis RWBC Legislative Committee

Do you have Republican candidates you are excited to support? Have you told them you’ll be voting for them?

That’s great, but there’s a critical detail many voters in Maryland don’t realize: You cannot vote for Republican candidates in the Primary Election unless you are registered as a Republican.

How Maryland’s Primary Works (And Why It Matters)

Maryland has a closed primary system. That means:

• If you are registered Republican, you can vote in the Republican primary

• If you are registered Democrat, you can vote in the Democrat primary

• If you are Unaffiliated or Independent, you cannot vote for Republican or Democrat candidates in the primary

• You will only be able to vote for non-partisan races, such as School Board

  
  

A Real-World Example

At a recent fundraiser, attendees included Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and Unaffiliated voters. Nearly 10% of those in attendance were NOT eligible to vote in the Republican Primary. These were people who support Republican candidates—but unless they change their registration, they won’t be able to vote for them when it matters most.

Why This Is Critical

Many Republican races in the June 2026 Primary Election will be very close. If your candidate does not win in June, they will NOT appear on the ballot in November.

What You Need to Do

To vote in the Republican Primary:

• You must be registered as a Republican

• The deadline to change your party affiliation is June 2, 2026

• You can update your registration:

  • Online at: https://elections.maryland.gov

  • Or by submitting a voter registration application

After updating, you should receive a new voter card, check it to confirm your party affiliation is Republican.

Bottom Line

If you want a say in who appears on the ballot in November… you must vote in the Primary.

And to do that in Maryland—you must be registered Republican.

Don’t Sit This One Out

Check your registration.

Make the change if needed.

And most importantly—VOTE.

Every vote matters.Your vote counts.Your candidate is counting on you.