SEC. 5. (a) The General Assembly shall provide for
furnishing the voters of the State the text of all measures to
be voted upon by the people; provided, that until otherwise
provided by law the same shall be published in the manner
prescribed by Article XIV of the Constitution for the pub-
lication of proposed Constitutional Amendments.

(b) All laws referred under the provisions of this Article
shall be submitted separately on the ballots to the voters of
the people, but if containing more than two hundred words,
the full text shall not be printed on the official ballots, but
the Secretary of State shall prepare and submit a ballot title
of each such measure in such form as to present the purpose
of said measure concisely and intelligently. The ballot title
may be distinct from the legislative title, but in any case the
legislative title shall be sufficient. Upon each of the ballots,
following the ballot title or text, as the case may be, of each
such measure, there shall be printed the words "For the
referred law" and "Against the referred law," as the case may
be. The votes cast for and against any such referred law shall
be returned to the Govenor in the manner prescribed with
respect to proposed amendments to the Constitution under
Article XIV of this Constitution, and the Governor shall
proclaim the result of the election, and, if it shall appear that
the majority of the votes cast on any such measure were cast
in favor thereof, the Governor shall by his proclamation
declare the same having received a majority of the votes to
have been adopted by the people of Maryland as a part of
the laws of the State, to take effect thirty days after such
election, and in like manner and with like effect the Gover-
nor shall proclaim the result of the local election as to any
Public Local Law which shall have been submitted to the
voters of any County or of the City of Baltimore.

SEC. 6.²²⁷ No law, licensing, regulating, prohibiting,
or submitting to local option, the manufacture or sale of
malt or spirituous liquors, shall be referred or repealed
under the provisions of this Article.

ARTICLE XVII.²²⁸

SEC. 1.²²⁹ The purpose of this Article is to reduce the
number of elections by providing that all State and county
elections shall be held only in every fourth year, and at the
time provided by law for holding congressional elections,
and to bring the terms of appointive officers into harmony
with the changes effected in the time of the beginning of
the terms of elective officers. The administrative and judi-
cial officers of the State shall construe the provisions of this
Article so as to effectuate that purpose. For the purpose of
this Article only the word "officers" shall be construed to

include those holding positions and other places of em-
ployment in the State and county governments whose
terms are fixed by law, but it shall not include any appoint-
ments made by the Board of Public Works, nor appoint-
ments by the Governor for terms of three years.

SEC. 2.²³⁰ Vacant.

SEC. 3.²³¹ All State and county officers elected by
qualified voters (except judges of the Circuit Courts, judges
of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City, judges of the
Court of Appeals and judges of any intermediate courts of
appeal) shall hold office for terms of four years, and until
their successors shall qualify.

SEC. 4.²³² The term of office of all judges and other
officers, for whose election provision is made by this
Constitution, shall, except in cases otherwise expressly
provided herein, commence from the time of their Election.
All such officers shall qualify as soon after their election as
practicable, and shall enter upon the duties of their respec-
tive offices immediately upon their qualification.

SEC. 5.²³³ All officers to be appointed by the Gover-
nor shall hold office for the terms fixed by law. All officers
appointed by County Commissioners shall hold office for
terms of four years, unless otherwise duly changed by law.

SEC. 6.²³⁴ The terms of the members of the Board of
Supervisors of Elections of Baltimore City and of the
several counties shall commence on the first Monday of
June next ensuing their appointment.

SEC. 7.²³⁵ Sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this Article do
not apply or refer to members of any elective local board
of education.

SEC. 8.²³⁶ If at any election directed by this Consti-
tution, any two or more candidates shall have the highest
and an equal number of votes, a new election shall be
ordered by the Governor, except in cases specially provided
for by this Constitution.

SEC. 9.²³⁷ In the event of any inconsistency between
the provisions of this Article and any of the other provisions
of the Constitution, the provisions of this Article shall
prevail, and all other provisions shall be repealed or abro-
gated to the extent of such inconsistency.

SEC. 10.²³⁸ Vacant.
SEC. 11.²³⁹ Vacant.
SEC. 12.²⁴⁰ Vacant.
SEC. 13.²⁴¹ Vacant.