228
SEC 6. No law, licensing, regulating, prohibiong,

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malt or spirituous liquors, shall be referred or repealed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.²²⁹

SEC. 1. 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
judicial 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 employment in the State and county govern
ments whose terms are fixed by law, but it shall not include
any appointments made by the Board of Public Works, nor
appointments bv the Governor for terms of three years

SEC. 2.²³¹ Vacant

SEC. 3.²³² All State and county officers elected b}
qualified voters (except judges of the Circuit Courts,
judges of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore C ity, 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."³ 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 Elec
non All such officers shall qualify as soon after their
election as practicable, and shall enter upon the duties of
their respective offices immediately upon their qualifica
tion

SEC. 5. 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. The terms of the members of the Board of
Supervisors of Elections of Baltimore City and of the
several counties stiall commence on the first Monday of
June next ensuing their appointment

SEC. 7.²³⁶ Sections 1,2,3, and 5 of this Article do
not apply or refer to members of any elective local board
of educauon

SEC. 8. If at any election directed bv this Consti
tution, any two or more candidates shall ha\ e the highest
and an equal number of votes, a new election shall be
ordered by the Governor, except in cases specially pro
vidcd fui by tins cuiisululiuii
•^aft
SEC. 9. In the e\ent of any inconsistenc) between
the provisions of this Article and any of the other provi
sions of the Constitution, the provisions of this Article
shall prevail, and all other provisions shall be repealed or
abrogated to the extent of such inconsistency

SEC. 10.²³⁹ Vacant
SEC. II.²⁴⁰ Vacant
SEC. 12.²⁴¹ Vacant
SEC. 13.²⁴² Vacant

ARTICLE XVIII.²⁴³

SEC. 1. Any provision of limited duration adopted
pursuant to Article XIV is set forth below As each expires,
it shall stand repealed, and no further action shall be
required to remove it from the Constitution

244
SEC. 2. (a) For the purpose of implementing the

amendments, proposed by Chapter 523 of the Acts of
1980 (H B 1729) (OLR3623) or (S B 784)
(OLR0746), concerning the creation of a consolidated
Circuit Court of Baltimore City, this section temporarily
is a part of Article IV—Judiciary Department, sees 5,25,
and 26 of the Constitution This section shall expire (in
accordance with Article XIV, sec 1A of the Constitution),
when, under the provisions of subsection (b) of this
section, all of the judges of the Supreme Bench ofBalti
more City who are serving on December 31, 1982 have
completed their then existing terms, or have otherwise
vacated their offices without completing those terms

(b) Each Judge of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore
City, who is in office on December 31, 1982, shall con
tinue in office as a judge of the Circuit Court tor Baltimore
City, for the remainder of the term to which he was
appointed or elected, subject to the provisions of Article
IV, sections 3, 4, 4A, 4B, and 5 of the Constitution