Passed 3d of
Jan. 1800.

Persons named
appointed com-
missioners, &c.

* 1798, ch. 115.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Who shall
meet, &c.
 
 
 

County courts
to meet, &c.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Two to be a
quorum, &c.
 
 
 

Penalty for ne-
glect, &c.
 
 

Warrant to go
to the sheriff, 
&c.

                                         CHAP. L
An ACT to regulate elections.     Lib. JG. No. 3. fol. 287.
                                        A Supplement ch. 76.

BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the persons herein after named shall
be and they are hereby appointed and authorised, or a majority of them, or a majority of the
survivors of them, in each county, commissioners to lay off the county for which they are appointed
into the number of districts which by the act, * entitled, An act to alter, abolish and repeal, certain
parts of the constitution and form of goernment of this state as are therein mentioned, such county
is divided into, carefully making the several districts as nearly equal as possible, having regard to
population, extent, and the convenience of the voters; and each election district shall be numbered
by said commissioners, and known thereafter by such number; and also to make choice of a place in
each district, at which the elections shall be held, as nearly central as shall be practicable, having
regard to the circumstances aforesaid, and the accommodation of persons attendant upon such elec-
tion; and the said commissioners shall, on or before the fifteenth day of July next, deliver to the clerk of the county court of their respective counties a description, in writing, under their hands
and seals, specifying plainly the boundaires and number of each district, and also the place in each
district where the election for such district shall be held, and the said clerk shall record the same in
the records of the county.

II. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the commissioners appointed by virtue of this act shall meet at
the usual place of holding the county court in their respective counties on the first Monday of April
next, for the purpose of performing the duties imposed by this act, and the commissioners or com-
missioners so meeting may adjourn from time to time, and from place to place, until the whole is
completed.

III. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the county court of each county shall meet between the fifteenth day of July and the fifteenth day of August next, on such day as the judge of the district shall deter-
mine for each respective county in his district, and appoint three persons for each election district,
resident therein, who, or a majority, or any one of whom in case of the non-attendance of the other
two, shall be the judges or judge of the election for such district from the time of their appointment
until a new appointment; and the said court shall, every year thereafter, at their spring term, ap-
point judges as aforesaid in each election district for holding elections therein until displaced by a 
new appointment; and the said judges, or such of them as shall attend the said election, shall be con-
servators of the peace during the continuance thereof, and shall have power and authority to pre-
serve the peace, and to commit offenders for any breach thereof, in like manner as any justice of the
peace for such county; and in case any of the said judges shall die, resign, remove out of the district,
or become otherwise in the opinion of said court disqualified to act as judge, the said court may, at
any meeting thereafter, appoint a person as judge in his place; and at every appointment of a judge
or judges as aforesaid, the clerk of the county court shall record the same, and make out a warrant
therefor; and the clerk shall, within five days thereafter, deliver every such warrant to the sheriff of
his county; and it shall be the duty of the sheriff, within ten days after receiving the same, to
deliver the same to the person or persons so appointed, or leave it at his or their last place of abode,
under the penalty of fifty dollars on the clerk or sheriff respectively who shall neglect this duty.

IV. AND BE IT ENACTED, That any two or more judges of such court shall be a quorum to make
the said appointments, but if only two judges shall meet, and not be able to agree on any fit person
or persons to fill the said appointments, then the said judges shall cast lots for a proper person or per-
sons to fill said appointment, and he or they in whose favour the said lot shall fall shall be the person
or persons to be appointed judge or judges of the election for the district.

V. AND BE IT ENACTED, That any judge so appointed, who shall not attend at nine o'clock of
the morning of the day for holding any election in his district, shall forfeit fifty dollars for every such
neglect, unless prevented by sickness, or other sufficient cause in the opinion of the court and jury
before whom the prosecution therefor shall be heard, tried and determined.

VI. AND BE IT ENACTED, That in case of an election of delegates, or a delegate or a representa-
tive in congress, to fill a vacancy, the warrant for such election shall go to the sheriff of the county
or counties where the election is to be held, who shall appoint the day for holding the same, of which
ten days notice at the least, (exclusive of the day of notice and the day of election,) shall be given
by said sheriff, and the said sheriff shall serve a copy of the said warrant on each of the judges in
                                                                                                                                      each