692

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

good and sufficient reason, to excuse him to attend and act, he

shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof bo-

fore a justice of the peace or in the Circuit Court for Dor-

chester County he shall be fined fifty dollars, and shall stand

Compensa-
tion

committed until both fine and costs are paid. If am vacancy

occur in the office of judge or clerk of election, it shall, if it

occur before the day of election, be filled by appointment by

the Mayor alone. Each judge and each clerk of election who

serves shall receive the sum of one dollar for his services.

To count the
votes.

40. The judges of election at every 'election for Commission-

ers, immediately after the polls are closed, shall count the bal-

lots cast in the ward for which thev were appointed judges, and

the clerks shall tally the votes cast for each candidate, after

which the judges shall make out, on blanks furnished by the

Commissioners, and sign a certificate setting out the whole num-

ber of votes cast in said ward, and also the number of votes cast

for each candidate. The certificate shall state that the person

receiving the highest number of votes is elected Commissioner

from that ward. As the ballots are counted, thev shall be

strung by one of the judges, and when the counting is finished,

the said ballots, together with the tally sheets and poll books,

shall be put in the ballot-box, and the box shall then be securely

locked, and the judges' certificate, the key to the ballot-box and

the ballot-box shall be delivered to the return judge, who within

three hours after the closing of the polls, shall return the said

ballot-box, key and certificate to the Commissioners or to the

B[ ] and
intimidating;

Town Clerk for the Commissioners. Any person who bribes.

coerces or intimidates any voter or attempts to bribe, coerce or

intimidate any voter at any election held under the direction of

the Commissioners of Cambridge, shall be guilty of a misde-

meanor, and on conviction thereof before any justice of the

peace, or in the Circuit Court for Dorchester County, shall be

fined for each and every offense not less than twenty-five dol-

lars and costs, and shall be confined in the county jail until

both fine and costs are paid.

Mayor to ad-
minister

51. All officers of said town, except the Mayor, whether

oaths

elected or appointed, before they enter upon the duties of the

office to which they are elected or appointed, shall take the oath

required by Article 1, Section 6, of the Constitution of Mary-

land, before the Mayor, who is hereby authorized to administer

all official oaths and to administer an oath to any person who

may desire to give testimony before the Commissioners, or who

may be summoned by the Commissioners, on any subject, if the

Mayor or two Commissioners shall demand that such testimony

be given on oath, and any person who shall refuse or fail to

appear when summoned, or who shall refuse to answer any

relevant or pertinent question, or who shall answer falsely any

question, or make any false statement on oath before the Com-

missioners or a majority of them, or before the Mayor, shall be

guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof before any

justice of the peace, or in the Circuit Court for Dorchester

County, shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars and