Solution to Provide Signatures on Mail-in Ballot Oath via Text Message

The Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE) is seeking a technology solution to enable voters to cure mail-in ballot oath signatures via text message for the 2026 statewide elections. This procurement aims to develop a comprehensive digital platform that allows election officials to facilitate ballot verification through mobile communication when a voter's mail-in ballot lacks a required signed oath. The solution must integrate with all 24 local boards of elections and provide a seamless, user-friendly method for voters to electronically submit their missing ballot signatures. The contract opportunity was posted on April 23, 2025, with proposals due by May 8, 2025, indicating a relatively tight procurement timeline. The primary deliverable is a robust text messaging system that can securely capture and validate voter signatures, ensuring compliance with the Maryland General Assembly's 2023 mandate that voters have a texting option to cure ballot deficiencies.

While specific set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise requirements are not explicitly stated in the procurement details, the solution will need to meet stringent security and data protection standards given its interaction with sensitive election infrastructure. The system must be capable of statewide deployment, suggesting a vendor with significant technological capabilities and experience in government elections technology. No incumbent vendors are mentioned, which implies this may be a novel procurement for a newly legislated requirement. The solution will likely require integration with existing election management systems and voter registration databases. Although no specific budget range is provided, the statewide scope and critical nature of election processes suggest this will be a substantial contract that requires sophisticated technological capabilities and robust security protocols to ensure the integrity of the ballot curing process.