| 1796. |
LAWS of MARYLAND.
|
CHAP.
LXVIII.
Polls to be
kept open one
day, &c.
|
V. And be it
enacted, That the polls in each ward shall be kept open one
day, from eight o'clock in the morning till six o'clock at night, and
no longer,
and when closed, the several judges shall, within three days after
such election,
notify to the persons having the greatest number of legal votes in
their respective
wards that they are duly elected; and they shall make their return,
and deposite
their polls, in the first instance with the present clerk of the commissioners
of
Baltimore-town, and thereafter as shall be directed by ordinance; any
vacancy
happening in the first branch of the city council shall be filled up
without delay
from the ward where such vacancy happened; in such manner as shall
be hereafter
directed by ordinance. |
Second
branch to
consist of
eight members,
&c. |
VI. And be it
enacted, That the second branch shall consist of eight members,
who shall be chosen from the several wards, and no person shall be
eligible
as a member of the second branch, who is not of the full age of twenty-five
years, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the said town
four years
previous to his election, and assessed on the books of the assessor
to the amount
of two thousand dollars; and the members of the second branch shall
continue
in office for the term of two years next succeeding the time of their
election. |
How the
mayor, and
members of
the second
branch, are
to be chosen,
&c. |
VII. And be
it enacted, That the mayor of the said city, and the members
of the second branch of the city council, shall be chosen in the following
manner,
to wit: That each ward, at the time and place of electing the
first branch
of the city council, shall elect, viva voce, one person qualified
to be a member
of the first branch, as elector of the mayor and of the members of
the second
branch of the city council, on the third Monday in January next, and
on the
same day every second year thereafter, who shall, on the third Monday
of February,
one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, and n the same day every
second year thereafter, meet at the court-house, or some other convenient
place
in the said city, and elect, by ballot, a mayor, and eight members
of the second
branch, to serve for two years thereafter; no person shall be eligible
for mayor
who is not of known integrity, experience and sound judgment, twenty-five
years of age, ten years a citizen of the United States, and five years
a resident of
Baltimore-town, or city, next preceding the election; and in case two
or more
persons shall have a equal number of votes for mayor, or members of
the second
branch, the said electors shall determine, by lot, which of the persons,
so having
an equal number of votes, shall be appointed to the office of mayor,
or second
branch of the city council, as the case may require; the said electors
of the
mayor and of the members of the second branch, before they proceed
to elect,
shall swear, or affirm, as the case may be, that they will elect, without
favour,
partiality or prejudice, such person for mayor, and such persons as
members of
the second branch of the city council, as they in their judgment and
conscience
believe best qualified for the said offices, and having the other qualifications
required
by this act; that the said electors shall be judges of the elections,
returns
and qualifications, of their members, but no person shall be elector
of the mayor
and member of the first branch of the city council at the same time;
any vacancy
happening in the electors of the mayor, shall be filled up from the
ward
where such vacancy happened, without delay, in such manner as he shall
be hereafter
directed by ordinance, and any vacancy of the mayoralty happening,
the
same shall be filled up without delay by the electors of the mayor
for the time
being, for the remainder of the term; and all vacancies happening in
the said
second branch shall be filled up by the electors aforesaid. |
First session to
be held, &c. |
VIII. And be it enacted,
That the city council shall hold their first session at
the court-house in Baltimore, or at any other place within said city,
on the second
Monday in February, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, and
they shall meet on the second Monday of February in every year thereafter,
but
the mayor may summon them to convene whenever and as often as it may
appear
to him that the public good may require their deliberations; three
fourths
of the city council shall be a quorum to do business, but a smaller
number may
adjourn from day to day; they may compel the attendance of absent members,
in such manner, and under such penalties, as they may by ordinance
provide; |
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