HOI!

votes cast shall be for the adoption of the Constitution, it
shall go into effect on the first day of November, eighteen
hundred and sixty-four.

SOLDIERS' VOTE

Section J. Any of the qualified voters of this State, who
shall be absent from the county or city of his residence by
reason of being in the military service of the United States
so as not to be able to vote at home, on the adoption or rejec-
tion of this Constitution, or for all State officers elected on
general ticket, and for Presidential electors, and for members
of Congress, at the election to be held on the Tuesday next
after the first Monday in November, eighteen hundred and
sixty-four, shall be entitled to vote at such elections as follows:
A poll shall be opened in each Company of every Maryland
Regiment in the service of the United States, or of this State,
on the day appointed by this Convention, for taking the vote
on the new Constitution, or on some day not more than five
days thereafter, at the quarters of the commanding officer
thereof, and voters of this State belonging to such Company
who shall be within ten miles of such quarters on the day of
election, may vote at such poll; the polls shall be opened at
eight o'clock, A. M., and close at six o'clock P. M.; the com-
missioned officers of such Company or such of them as are
present at the opening of the polls, shall act as Judges, and
any one officer, shall be competent so to act, and if no officer
be present, then the voters in such company present, shall
elect, two of the voters present to act as Judges of the election;
before any votes are received, each of the Judges shall take
an oath or affirmation, that he will perform the duties of
Judge according to law. will prevent fraud and observe and
make proper return thereof, and such oath the Judges may
administer to each other; the election shall be by ballot, and
any voter may vote in writing either "for the new Constitu-
tion or against the new Constitution. "

Sec. 2. The Judges may swear any one offering to vote, or
to his being a legal voter of this State. The Judges shall
take down on a poll book or list the names of all the voters
as their votes are taken, and the tickets shall be placed in a
box as taken; after the polls are closed, the tickets shall be
counted and strung on a thread, and the Judges shall make
out a certificate, which they shall sign, addressed to the Go-
vernor, in which they shall state that they have taken the
oath hereby prescribed, and shall certify the number of votes
taken, and the number of votes for and against the Constitu-
tion. the said certificates shall be accompanied with the