1058 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [Ch. 680]

as he believes, and that each signature to the paper appended
is a genuine signature of the person whose name. it purports
to be. Within ten days from the date of filing such petition
the city register shall examine and from the voters registered
ascertain whether or not said petition is signed by the requi-
site number of qualified electors, and if necessary, the board
of aldermen shall allow him extra help for that purpose; and
he shall attach to said petition his certificate showing the
result of said examination. If by the city register's certifi-
cate the petition is shown to he insufficient it may be amended
within ten days from the date of said certificate. The city
register shall, within ten days after such amendment, make
like examination of the amended petition, and if his certifi-
cate shall show the same to be insufficient, it shall be returned
to the person filing the same, without prejudice, however, to
the filing of a new petition to the same effect. If the petition
shall be deemed to be sufficient, the city register shall submit
the same to the board of aldermen without delay. If the
petition shall be found to be sufficient, the board of aldermen
shall order and fix a date for holding the said election, not.
less than thirty days or more than forty days from the date
of the city register's certificate to the board of aldermen that
a sufficient petition is filed. The board of aldermen shall make
or cause to be made publication of notice and all arrangements
for holding such election, and the same shall be conducted,
returned and the result thereof declared, in all respects as are
other city elections. So far as applicable, except as otherwise
provided herein, nominations hereunder shall be made without
the intervention of a primary election by filing with the city
register at least ten (10) days prior to said special election, a
statement of candidacy accompanied by a petition signed by
electors entitled to vote at said special election equal in num-
ber to at least ten per centum of the entire vote for all can-
didates for the office of mayor at the last preceding general
municipal election, which said statement of candidacy and
petition shall be substantially in the form set out in section
172 of this act, so far as the same is applicable substituting
the word "special" for the word ''primary" in such statement
and petition, and stating therein that such person is a candi-
date for election instead of nomination. The ballot to be used
at such special election shall be as far as practicable in the
same general form as the ballot to "be used at a general election,
except as herein otherwise provided and said ballot shall be in
substantiallv the following; form: