the mayor, recorder and aldermen, of the said city, or any three of them, be
judges of the election, appoint the place in the said city for holding the same, and
may adjourn from day to day (r), if necessary, till the same be finished, so that
the whole election shall be concluded in four days, and shall make return
thereof (s), under their hands, to the chancellor of this state for the time being.
But the inhabitants of the said city shall not be entitled to vote for delegates for
Anne-Arundel county (t).  That the city of Annapolis shall constitute the sixth
election district of Anne-Arundel county for all elections hereafter to be held for sheriffs,
electors of president and vice-president, and electors of the senate of this
state, and for a member of congress, which said elections shall be held by the mayor,
recorder, and aldermen of the said city, or any three or more of them, at such
place within the said city as they may appoint.  That the mayor, recorder, and
aldermen of said city, or a majority of them, authorised to hold elections as aforesaid,
shall make return under their hands and seals, within the time prescribed by
law, of the votes taken by them at any election held in virtue of this act, to the
presiding judges of the other election districts of said county.  That the presiding
judges of the said election districts, in making out their returns, shall compute and
receive as a part of the votes taken at any such election, the returns made to them
by virtue of this act, by the said mayor, recorder and aldermen (u).

    5.  That every free white male citizen of this state, above twenty-one years of
age, and no other (v), having resided twelve months within this state, and six
months in the city of Baltimore, next preceding the election at which he offers to
vote (v), shall have a right of suffrage, and shall vote by ballot (w) in the election
of the said city, in districts (x), and elect, by a majority of votes, two delegates to
the general assembly of this state, qualified as aforesaid (y); but if the said inhabitants
of the city, shall so decrease, as that the number of persons having a
right of suffrage therein shall have been, for the space of seven years successively,
less than one half of the number of voters in some one county in this
state, such city thenceforward shall cease to send two delegates or representatives
to the house of delegates, until the said city shall have one half of the number
of voters in some one county in this state.  And for the purpose of holding
all future elections for delegates, the city of Baltimore shall be laid off into eight
districts.  The number and limits of election districts in the city of Baltimore shall
always be the same as the wards therein (x).

    (r)  In the original words "as aforesaid" were used, referring to the manner of holding the
election, and adjourning from day to day, prescribed in the third section, in the terms which are
now substituted on account of the alteration in that section, which did not extend to the city of
Annapolis.
    (s)  The words " as aforesaid," were used in the original, and referred also to the third section
as it originally stood, by which the sheriff was directed to make his return, under his hand, in
the terms which are now substituted on account of the alteration in that section which did not
extend to the city of Annapolis.
    (t)  The words in the original, " unless they have a freehold of fifty acres of land in the county
distinct from the city," are omitted, the right of such persons having been taken away by November
1809, ch. 38, confirmed by 1810, ch. 49.
    (u)  This part of the section is added as having been made a part of the constitution by the act
of 1816, ch. 252, confirmed by 1817, ch. 149, as referred to in note (k) to the second section.
    (v)  For the omission of the former property qualification, and for the residence required, reference
may be made to notes (a) and (b) to section 2.
    (w)  The manner of electing viva voce was altered by November 1809, ch. 83, confirmed by
1810, ch. 33, to voting by ballot.
    (x)  By the act of 1798, ch. 115, confirmed by 1799, ch. 48, the city of Baltimore was to be
laid off into eight districts, and the last part of the section was made a part of the constitution by
the act of 1817, ch. 51, confirmed by 1818, ch. 87.
    (y)  The words " qualified as aforesaid," originally referred to the second section, and they are
retained as still referring to the same section as altered.  This will include the abolition of the
property qualification effected by the Act of November 1809, ch. 198, confirmed by 1810, ch. 18,
and also the exception of members of congress, &c. under the act of 1791, ch. 80, confirmed by
November 1792, ch. 22, as inserted in section 37.