"It makes it easier and more accessible to register to vote," said Raquel Guillory, a spokeswoman for Gov. Martin O'Malley. "More and more people are doing their business and their daily activities online — it's very easy, and it's very efficient."
Online registration requires a driver's license or state identification card. A copy of the applicant's signature is also pulled from Motor Vehicle Administration's driver's license database as part of the registration process.
Maryland isn’t the only state that is turning to the Internet to find additional ways for its residents to register to vote. In July, Washington state announced that it will provide the option for people to use Facebook to register to vote. The application — developed by Microsoft and supported by the state — requires the user to allow it permission to use his or her name and date of birth, and the user must provide a driver’s license or state identification card number, just as in other voter registration processes.