1506 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [Ch. 790]

than three consecutive months without satisfactory excuse, or
otherwise, shall be filled by vote of the council until the next
annual town election.

Ibid. sec. 5.

539. That the qualifications for member of the council shall
be as follows: That he be a voter of said town as above pre-
scribed and a citizen of the State of Maryland, a bona fide
property owner, or the husband of such, within the corporate
limits, and must have resided within said limits for a period
of not less than one year next preceding the election in which
he is a candidate for such office. The council shall meet in
some convenient place in said town on or before the first Mon-
day in June next .succeeding their election, and as often there-
after as the duties of their office may require, but meeting
not less than once every month. Failure of the council to
meet as herein prescribed shall not work a forfeiture of this
charter, and meetings not held in due time may be held as
soon thereafter as practicable. A majority of the council shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
1906, ch. 795, sec. 6.

540. That the council shall annually, on or before the first
Monday in April appoint three judges of election, who shall
appoint a clerk, and said judges shall conduct an election by
ballot, in accordance with the provisions of section 537 of this
act, the polls to be opened at five o'clock P. M. and close at
nine o'clock P. M., or at such other hours as the people at
any election may determine upon for the future. The Mayor
and other members of the council shall be liable to presentment
and indictment in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County
for wilful failure to do any act or to perform any duty required
by this sub-title of this article or by the ordinances or by-laws
that shall be passed relating to the holding of town elections,
and, upon conviction, shall be liable to fine or imprisonment or
both, in the discretion of the court. The judges and clerk shall
make their returns to the council, and also, in the case of
election of Mayor, to the clerk of the Circuit Court for Mont-
gomery County, but said judge and clerk shall receive no
compensation for their services. Not more than two of said
judges of election shall be of the same political party. In
case of a tie vote for any official or officials at any election the
council shall order a new election, upon giving ten days' notice
thereof, by posting a copy of said notice in not less than three
conspicuous places in said town and by publication of the same
in the official journal of the town or in some newspaper pub-
lished in Montgomery county.