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While the first sentence of what is 7-A
or the first phrase does say that the mu-
nicipal corporation shall have some flexi-
bility in terms of establishing their pro-
cedures, it would insist that if the Gen-
eral Assembly did act, it would have to
act by public general law, which I assume
would have to be uniform in its application
to all municipalities. If at some point, the
General Assembly decided that non-resi-
dent property ownership was valid for an
important municipality this right could be
extended to all municipalities by public
general law.
This also eliminates, it seems to me, the
elements of eligibility or the limitations on
the elements for eligibility that we have
established in section 1, age, residence, and
citizenship. It would be possible to add to
that list literacy or anything else that the
General Assembly saw fit to do.
Of course, again, this is only a permis-
sive grant to the General Assembly and it
seems to me that the limitations on what
are really elements to be considered are
properly a concern of this body and there-
fore should be established in the Constitu-
tion.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak in favor of the amend-
ment?
Delegate Bamberger?
Before you speak, I think we should
number the amendment to be consistent so
instead of 7-A, it will be Amendment No. 8.
Delegate Bamberger.
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: I rise to
offer an amendment to Amendment A. It
has not been printed, but if I state it, I
think Delegate Gullett will accept it.
As 1 understand the language of lines 9,
10, and 11, the municipal corporation could
establish a voting age which was lower
than the voting age for state and county
elections, but not higher.
My amendment would strike on line 10
the words "of more" and on line 11, the
words "than nineteen years", and substi-
tute for those words "different from the
voting age requirement for state elections."
The purpose of the amendment is to
make the age requirement for elections in
Maryland uniform.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Gullett, did
you understand the suggestion?
DELEGATE GULLETT: Yes. I talked
to Delegate Bamberger about this, but
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since I talked to him, I have learned that
Rockville, I believe, and some other mu-
nicipalities have an eighteen-year-old vot-
ing age. They would be unhappy to see it
restricted. Municipal corporations have
generally taken advantage of new ideas. I
would not want to restrict that. I do not
think the Committee wanted to either. I
will have to ask Delegate Koss.
THE CHAIRMAN: You do not have to
accept the amendment.
DELEGATE GULLETT: I would prefer
not to. If it were not for the two or three
municipalities, I would accept it.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Bamberger.
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: Mr. Chair-
man, I offer the amendment.
THE CHAIRMAN: Is there any objec-
tion to considering the amendment even
if it is not printed with the understanding
that it will ba printed and placed on your
desk?
The Chair hears no objection.
As the Chair understands the amend-
ment, it would strike from lines 10 and 11,
the words "of more than nineteen years",
and substitute in lieu thereof the words —
will you state them again?
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: "Different
from the voting age requirement for state
elections."
THE CHAIRMAN: Do you need the
word "requirement" there?
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: No, sir.
THE CHAIRMAN: "Different from the
voting age for state elections"?
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: Yes.
THE CHAIRMAN: Will you please see
that somebody begins work immediately on
preparing a printed amendment?
DELEGATE BAMBERGER: Yes.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Bamberger,
with unanimous consent, submits the im-
printed amendment to strike from lines 10
and 11 the words "of more than nineteen
years" and to insert in lieu thereof the
words "different from the voting age for
state elections".
Is there a second?
DELEGATE BYRNES: I second it.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Bamberger
may speak to it. This will be Amendment
No. 8-A.
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