the number of ballots so cast for or against the adoption of
this Constitution, as well as any blank ballots which may be
cast, to the several clerks of the Circuit Courts of this State,
and to the clerk of the Superior Court of Baltimore City, in
the manner now prescribed by law, in reference to the elec-
tion of members of the House of Delegates, and duplicates
thereof, directly to the Governor; and the several clerks afore-
said shall return to the Governor, within ten days after said
election, the number of ballots cast for or against the Consti-
tution, and the number of blank ballots; and the Governor,
upon receiving the returns from the judges of election, or the
clerks as aforesaid, and ascertaining the aggregate vote
throughout the State, shall, by his proclamation, make known
the same; and if a majority of the votes cast shall be for the
adoption of this Constitution, it shall go into effect on Satur-
day, the fifth day of October, eighteen hundred and sixty-
seven.

ARTICLE XVI.*

THE REFERENDUM.

SECTION 1. (a) The people reserve to themselves power
known as The Referendum, by petition to have submitted to
the registered voters of the State, to approve or reject at the
polls, any Act, or part of any Act of the General Assembly, if
approved by the Governor, or, if passed by the General As-
sembly over the veto of the Governor.

(b) The provisions of this Article shall be self-executing;
provided that additional legislation in furtherance thereof and
not in conflict therewith may be enacted.

SEC. 2. No law enacted by the General Assembly shall take
effect until the first day of June next after the session at which
it may be passed, unless it contain a section declaring such
law an emergency law and necessary for the immediate preser-
vation of the public health or safety, and passed upon a yea
and nay vote supported by three-fifths of all the members
elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assembly;
provided, however, that said period of suspension may be ex-
tended as provided in Section 3 (b) hereof. If before said
first day of June there shall have been filed with the Secre-
tary of the State a petition to refer to a vote of the people any
law or part of a law capable of referendum, as in this Article
provided, the same shall be referred by the Secretary of

*Added by Chapter 678,1914. ratified November 2, 1915.