Elections

ELECTION INFORMATION


About City Elections

The City of Frederick holds partisan elections for the Mayor and five-member Board of Aldermen every four years. 2025 is an election year, with the next general election scheduled for November 4, 2025.

Provisions Regarding Elections

The City's provisions regarding elections are located in Article V of the Charter and Chapter 7 of the City Code. Recently updated versions of Article V and Chapter 7 can be viewed online:

View the Rules Regarding Write-in Votes (PDF).

Financial Disclosure Regulations

Candidates are also subject to financial disclosure regulations under the City's Ethics Law (see Section 21-5 of the City Code).

Candidate Requirements

To qualify as a candidate for Mayor or Alderman, you must be a legal resident of The City of Frederick for at least one year immediately preceding the general election date and a registered voter of the City.

A candidate must establish a campaign finance entity by filing a Statement of Organization upon or before filing for candidacy. No campaign finance entity may receive or disburse any money or other thing of value until it has been established in accordance with the requirements of Section 7-14 of the City Code.

Campaign finance reports must be filed in accordance with Section 7-22 of the City Code. The Campaign Finance Report form must be used.

Candidate Filing

Statement of Organization and Candidacy Forms must be filed at City Hall, 101 N Court Street, Frederick, Maryland 21701 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding City holidays. Please contact Phyllis Hane at 301-600-2575 or phane@cityoffrederickmd.gov to arrange a time while City Hall is closed due to the pandemic. 

Democratic and Republican candidates may file for candidacy from January 4, 2021 through July 6, 2021 to appear on the primary election ballot. A certificate of candidacy and financial disclosure statement are required at time of filing.

A candidate who is not affiliated with a political party, as defined by Maryland law, must be nominated by petition by July 1, 2021 to appear on the general election ballot (see Charter Section 16). A certificate of candidacy and financial disclosure statement must also be filed.

"Other" Political Parties

Candidates affiliated with any political party, as defined by Maryland law, other than Democrat or Republican, must be nominated in accordance with that party's bylaws by August 2, 2021 to appear on the general election ballot (see Charter Section 6(c)). A certificate of candidacy and financial disclosure statement must also be filed.

View Candidate Forms.

Campaigning

An authority line is required on all published or distributed campaign materials. Political signs may not be placed in public right-of-ways or within 100 feet of polling places on election days.