462 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [Ch. 228]

Such statement shall also set forth that the same is as full and
explicit as the affiant is able to make it.

No person shall be deemed elected to any elective office under
the laws of this State, or enter upon the duties thereof, or
receive any salary or emoluments therefrom, until he shall have
filed the statement provided for in this section of this article;
and no officer authorized by the laws of this State to issue com-
missions or certificates of election shall issue a commission or
certificate of election to any person claiming to be elected to any
office, until such statement as aforesaid shall have been made,
verified and filed by such person with such officer.

Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the
provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and,
upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than three hun-
dred dollars nor more than two thousand dollars, or imprisoned
for not more than two years, or both fined and imprisoned, in
the discretion of the Court.

Ten days after the period above ascertained for the filing of
said original statement shall have expired the officer with whom
the same is by this section required to be filed shall notify the
proper prosecuting officer of his county or Baltimore City, as
the case may be, of the failure to file such statement on the
part of any candidate, and within fifteen days thereafter such
prosecuting officer shall proceed to prosecute for such offense.

The provisions of this section, including the provisions with
respect to the time of filing said reports, shall be mandatory
and not directory and must be strictly performed as above pre-
scribed.

173. At any time within thirty days after any election or
primary election held under the laws of this State, any defeated
candidate at such election, or any ten duly qualified voters at
such election, may present to the Circuit Court of any county,
or to the Superior Court of Baltimore City, a petition setting
forth under oath that corrupt practices, contrary to the pro-
visions of any section of this article, were committed at or
preliminary to such election, within the county or city afore-
said, naming the successful candidate or candidates as defend-
ants, and praying that the facts alleged may be inquired into.
The Court, upon said petition and the affidavit or affidavits
filed therewith, shall promptly order such reasonable notice of
such petition to be given to the defendant or defendants, and
require him or them, within as short a time as may be reason-
able, to answer, show cause or otherwise defend as the Court
may deem just and reasonable, upon the petitioners giving
security for costs in such sum of money as the Court shall deem