Maud Olivier joined the Socialist Party in 1981,[2] was elected to the list of the mayor of Les Ulis, Paul Loridant in 1983[3] and became first deputy in 2001. After the death of Jean-Marc Salinier, general councilor, on January 20, 2002, she was elected the general councilor from Les Ulis in May 2002 in a by-election. In 2004, she obtained the vice-presidency in charge of sports.[4] During the legislative elections of 2007, candidate in the fifth constituency of Essonne, she lost, obtaining 49.75% of the votes against outgoing candidate Pierre Lasbordes.[5]
During the cantonal elections of 2008, she was elected in the first round with 50.49% of the votes,[6] the same year during the municipal elections, her list came first in the second round with 48.03% of the votes,[7] ensuring her 27 seats out of the 35 of the city council.[8]
In 2011, she was assigned the vice-presidency against discrimination and for the promotion of equality.[9] That same year, during the senatorial elections, she was fourth (unelected) on the left-wing union list led by Jean-Vincent Placé[10] which won 31.20% of the vote and two elected.[11]
The 2012 legislative elections enabled her to win the fifth constituency with 54.81% of the vote in the second round against the UMP candidate mayor of Bièvres Hervé Hocquard.[12] In accordance with the rule of multiple mandates, she resigned from the post of mayor of Les Ulis and the municipal council of the municipality in July 2012 and left her place to her fourth assistant Sonia Dahou (PS).[13] During the 2017 legislative elections, Maud Olivier was eliminated in the first round with 10.46% of the vote, finishing behind the Republican candidate Laure Darcos and the representative of the presidential party En Marche! Cédric Villani, who won in the second round.[14]