Exhibit 99(b)

C123456789 000004 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext MR A SAMPLE DESIGNATION (IF ANY) 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext ADD 1 Electronic Voting Instructions ADD 2 ADD 3 You can vote by Internet or telephone! ADD 4 Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! ADD 5 Instead of mailing your proxy, you may choose one of the two voting ADD 6 methods outlined below to vote your proxy. VALIDATION DETAILS ARE LOCATED BELOW IN THE TITLE BAR. Proxies submitted by the Internet or telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 7, 2009. Vote by Internet · Log on to the Internet and go to www.envisionreports.com/pbksspec · Follow the steps outlined on the secured website. Vote by telephone · Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the United States, Canada & Puerto Rico any time on a touch tone telephone. There is NO CHARGE to you for the call. Using a black ink pen, mark your votes with an X as shown in X • Follow the instructions provided by the recorded message. this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas. Special Meeting Proxy Card 123456 C0123456789 12345 IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. + A Proposals — The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR Proposals 1 and 2. For Against Abstain            For Against Abstain 1. The approval of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as 2. The approval of the adjournment of the Special Meeting, if of December 18, 2008, among M&T Bank Corporation necessary, to permit Provident Bankshares Corporation to (“M&T”), Provident Bankshares Corporation and First Empire solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the State Holding Company, a wholly owned direct subsidiary of Special Meeting to constitute a quorum or to approve the M&T (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which Provident Bankshares Agreement and Plan of Merger. Corporation will merge with and into Merger Sub, and the transactions contemplated thereby. B Non-Voting Items Change of Address — Please print new address below. C Authorized Signatures — This section must be completed for your vote to be counted. — Date and Sign Below Please sign exactly as your name appears on this card. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give your full title. If shares are held jointly, each holder should sign. Date (mm/dd/yyyy) — Please print date below. Signature 1 — Please keep signature within the box. Signature 2 — Please keep signature within the box. C 1234567890 J N T MR A SAMPLE (THIS AREA IS SET UP TO ACCOMMODATE 140 CHARACTERS) MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND 0 2 A V 0 2 0 7 5 3 1 MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND + <STOCK#> 01032E

IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. Proxy — Provident Bankshares Corporation Special Meeting of Common Stockholders April 8, 2009 10:00 A.M, Local Time THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS The undersigned hereby appoints Dennis A. Starliper and Robert L. Davis, or either of them, with full power of substitution, to act as proxies for the undersigned, and to vote all shares of common stock of Provident Bankshares Corporation (the “Company”) owned of record by the undersigned at the Special Meeting of Common Stockholders, to be held at 250 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, Maryland on April 8, 2009 at 10:00 A.M., and at any and all adjournments thereof, as stated on the reverse side. The undersigned acknowledges receipt from the Company prior to the execution of this proxy of a Notice of Special Meeting of Common Stockholders and the Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated February 17, 2009 for the Special Meeting. This proxy will be voted as directed, but, if no instructions are specified, this proxy will be voted “FOR” each of the listed proposals. If any other business is presented at the special meeting, including whether or not to adjourn the meeting, this proxy will be voted by the proxies in their best judgment. At the present time, the board of directors knows of no other business to be presented at the special meeting. PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN ON THE REVERSE SIDE, AND PROMPTLY MAIL THIS PROXY IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PREPAID ENVELOPE.

C123456789 000004 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext MR A SAMPLE DESIGNATION (IF ANY) 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext ADD 1 Electronic Voting Instructions ADD 2 ADD 3 You can vote by Internet or telephone! ADD 4 Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! ADD 5 Instead of mailing your proxy, you may choose one of the two voting ADD 6 methods outlined below to vote your proxy. VALIDATION DETAILS ARE LOCATED BELOW IN THE TITLE BAR. Proxies submitted by the Internet or telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 7, 2009. Vote by Internet · Log on to the Internet and go to www.envisionreports.com/pbksspec · Follow the steps outlined on the secured website. Vote by telephone · Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the United States, Canada & Puerto Rico any time on a touch tone telephone. There is NO CHARGE to you for the call. Using a black ink pen, mark your votes with an X as shown in X • Follow the instructions provided by the recorded message. this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas. Special Meeting Proxy Card 123456 C0123456789 12345 IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. + A Proposals — The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR Proposals 1 and 2. For Against Abstain            For Against Abstain 1. The approval of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as 2. The approval of the adjournment of the Special Meeting, if of December 18, 2008, among M&T Bank Corporation necessary, to permit Provident Bankshares Corporation to (“M&T”), Provident Bankshares Corporation and First Empire solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the State Holding Company, a wholly owned direct subsidiary of Special Meeting to constitute a quorum or to approve the M&T (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which Provident Bankshares Agreement and Plan of Merger. Corporation will merge with and into Merger Sub, and the transactions contemplated thereby. B Authorized Signatures — This section must be completed for your vote to be counted. — Date and Sign Below Please sign exactly as your name appears on this card. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give your full title. If shares are held jointly, each holder should sign. Date (mm/dd/yyyy) — Please print date below. Signature 1 — Please keep signature within the box. Signature 2 — Please keep signature within the box. C 1234567890 J N T MR A SAMPLE (THIS AREA IS SET UP TO ACCOMMODATE 140 CHARACTERS) MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND 0 2 H V 0 2 0 7 5 3 3 MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND + <STOCK#> 0103HF

IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. Proxy — PROVIDENT BANKSHARES CORPORATION PLAN PARTICIPANTS Special Meeting of Common Stockholders April 8, 2009 10:00 A.M, Local Time Proxy Solicited by Board of Directors for Special Meeting The undersigned hereby instructs the 401(k) Plan Trustee to vote all shares of common stock of Provident Bankshares Corporation (the “Company”) credited to my account in the 401(k) Plan at the Special Meeting of Common Stockholders to be held at 250 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, Maryland, on April 8, 2009 at 10:00 A.M., local time, and at any and all adjournments thereof, as stated on the reverse side. The undersigned acknowledges receipt from the Company prior to the execution of this proxy of a Notice of Special Meeting of Common Stockholders and the Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated February 17, 2009 for the Special Meeting. PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND PROMPTLY MAIL THIS PROXY IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE. (Items to be voted appear on reverse side)