1272 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [Ch. 770]

three persons and no more, possessing the qualifications for
Town Commissioners of La Plata, as prescribed in this act,
and no other words, letters, figures, signs or symbols shall be
printed or written upon said ballots; no other ballot than those
herein prescribed shall be received or counted by the judges
of election. The ballots shall be received by the judges, one of
whom shall place' the ballot in a box provided for that pur-
pose, and another of whom shall write upon paper provided
for the purpose the name of each voter whose ballot is received;
immediately after the close of the poll the ballots shall be taken
from the box, one by one, counted and tallied by the judges of
election ; the papers containing the names of the voters and
tallies as aforesaid, shall constitute a part of the returns of the
judges of any election. The three candidates or persons voted
for at any election, receiving the highest number of legal votes
cast shall be declared Town Commissioners of La Plata elected
at that election. Should there be a tie vote between any can-
didates at any election held under the provisions of this act.
the judges of said election shall determine and declare, if it
should be necessary, which of such candidates shall be returned
elected Town Commisioner or Town Commissioners of La
Plata and they shall make their returns accordingly. Any
candidate or candidates for Town Commissioners of La Plata
or any other voter of the said town of La Plata feeling him-
self or themselves aggrieved at the result of said election as
declared charging frand or irregularity on the part of the
election officials in the allowing of persons to vote not entitled
to vote or in refusing the right to vote to persons entitled to
vote or in the manner of conducting said election; or in the
counting of the said ballots; or in the making of the returns of
said election, or in doing any other act to defeat the will of
the qualified voters or attempting to vote at any election for
Town Commissioners for said town of La Plata, may appeal
from the decision of the judges of election within thirty days
from the day of the holding of any such election to the judges
of the Circuit Court for Charles County; and said judges of
the Circuit Court for Charles County are given jurisdiction
to hear and determine all such contests. The manner of appeal
shall be by petition accompanied by an affidavit of the peti-
tioner or petitioners setting forth the grounds of appeal and
the said Circuit Court for Charles County shall proceed forth-
with in a summary way and with or without answer, plead-
ing or technically to take testimony orally or otherwise to hear
and determine the matter of said contest and declare who was
or were the duly elected Town Commissioner or Town Com-