What is the abbreviation for Maryland, and what region is it in?

Maryland's two-letter postal abbreviation is MD. The U.S. Census Bureau places it in the South region, in the South Atlantic division, and about 6.18 million people lived there in the 2020 census.

When did Maryland become a state, and what number state was it?

Maryland became the 7th state on April 28, 1788, when its convention ratified the U.S. Constitution. It was one of the original 13 colonies.

Who was Maryland named after?

Maryland was named for Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I of England, who granted the colony's charter to Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, in 1632. The Calverts founded the colony in 1634 partly as a refuge for English Catholics, and its 1649 Toleration Act protected freedom of worship for Christians.

What is the capital of Maryland, and has it always been the capital?

Annapolis has been the capital since 1694, when it replaced St. Mary's City. The Maryland State House, in use since 1772, is the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use. It also served as the U.S. capitol from November 1783 to August 1784, when George Washington resigned his commission there and Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War.

What states border Maryland?

Maryland borders Pennsylvania to the north, along the Mason-Dixon line, Delaware to the east, and Virginia and West Virginia to the south and west, where the Potomac River forms much of the border. It also surrounds most of Washington, D.C. The Chesapeake Bay nearly splits the state in two, and its eastern shore reaches the Atlantic Ocean.

Did Maryland give land for Washington, D.C.?

Yes. In 1791 Maryland and Virginia ceded land to create the federal capital district. Virginia's portion, south of the Potomac River, was returned to Virginia in 1846, so all of today's District of Columbia was originally Maryland land.

What are Maryland's nicknames and symbols?

Maryland is called "The Old Line State," after the Maryland Line, the state's regular troops in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, and also "The Free State." Its state bird is the Baltimore oriole, its flower is the black-eyed Susan, its tree is the white oak, and its crustacean is the blue crab.

How many representatives and electoral votes does Maryland have?

Based on the 2020 census, Maryland has 8 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, the same as before, which gives it 10 votes in the Electoral College.

U.S. State7th State • April 28, 1788

Maryland MD

"The Old Line State"

Birthplace of the national anthem, the nation's capital, and two of America's greatest abolitionists, Maryland is where American history was made, over and over again.

State Debt - FY2024

$25.9 billion

Total state government debt outstanding at the close of fiscal 2024, including long-term bonds and short-term borrowing across state agencies and public universities.

Tax Revenue - FY2024

$30.9 billion

Total Maryland state tax collections in fiscal 2024, led by the individual income tax ($11B) and the general sales tax ($6.9B).

Borrowing

Maryland issues general obligation bonds backed by a dedicated statewide property tax, along with transportation revenue bonds, sold to investors in the tax-exempt municipal market. The state uses a formal debt affordability process to cap issuance. The state reported about $1.1 billion in interest on its debt in fiscal 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State Government Finances.

6.2M

Population

7th

State (1788)

US Cybersecurity Hub

200mi

Chesapeake Bay Length

Maryland's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Hey there, Maryland. On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, you're choosing a governor and lieutenant governor, the comptroller, the attorney general, your member of the U.S. House, your state legislators, county officials, and judges, plus three statewide ballot questions.

This is a midterm election, halfway through the president's term, and nationally it decides who controls Congress for the next two years. Gov. Wes Moore faces Dan Cox in a rematch of 2022. Maryland has no U.S. Senate race this year.

The biggest question on the ballot is Question 3, on congressional redistricting; it survived two lawsuits and was rewritten by the state Supreme Court in September.

Key dates and how voting works are right below. Use the buttons above to open each race. Facts first; the decision is yours.

Checked against official sources on October 5, 2026

Key Dates

Key Dates
Last day to register to vote ahead of time	Tuesday, October 13
Early voting, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, including the weekend	October 22 to 29
Last day to request a mail-in ballot by mail, online, or drop box (to have it mailed)	Tuesday, October 27
Election Day: polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; mail ballots postmarked or in a drop box by 8 p.m.	Tuesday, November 3

How Voting Works in Maryland

Register by October 13 online, by mail, or at the MVA. Missed it? Maryland has same-day registration during early voting and on Election Day; bring a document that proves where you live, like an MVA ID, paycheck, or utility bill.

Early voting runs October 22 to 29, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, at any early voting center in your county.

Any voter can vote by mail. Request your ballot by October 27 to have it mailed (or by October 30 to download it), then mail it postmarked by Election Day or put it in a drop box by 8 p.m.

On Election Day, polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Most voters don't need ID to vote. Find your polling place and sample ballot through the State Board of Elections.

Sources & Further Reading

…

Maryland's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

The biggest question on the ballot is Question 3, on congressional redistricting; it survived two lawsuits and was rewritten by the state Supreme Court in September.

Key dates and how voting works are right below. Use the buttons above to open each race. Facts first; the decision is yours.

Checked against official sources on October 5, 2026

Key Dates

Last day to register to vote ahead of time

Tuesday, October 13

Early voting, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, including the weekend

October 22 to 29

Last day to request a mail-in ballot by mail, online, or drop box (to have it mailed)

Tuesday, October 27

Election Day: polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; mail ballots postmarked or in a drop box by 8 p.m.

Tuesday, November 3

How Voting Works in Maryland

Early voting runs October 22 to 29, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, at any early voting center in your county.

Any voter can vote by mail. Request your ballot by October 27 to have it mailed (or by October 30 to download it), then mail it postmarked by Election Day or put it in a drop box by 8 p.m.

On Election Day, polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Most voters don't need ID to vote. Find your polling place and sample ballot through the State Board of Elections.

Maryland's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Key Dates

How Voting Works in Maryland

📚 Sources & Further Reading

Maryland's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Key Dates

How Voting Works in Maryland

📚 Sources & Further Reading

Sources & Further Reading

Sources & Further Reading