894 ELECTIONS. [ART. 33

box. They shall deliver all the ballot-boxes so sealed as aforesaid to
the clerks of the circuit court for their respective counties, or to the
board of police commissioners of Baltimore city, as the case may be, who
shall put them in a secure place to which the public shall in no case have
access, and shall safely keep them for the space of six months from the
day of such delivery, at which time, unless previously notified to produce
the same to be used in evidence in some contested election or judicial
or legislative investigation then pending, said board of supervisors
shall destroy or cause to be destroyed said ballots and poll-books, also
all of the said tallies and statements or returns, and shall record in the
same book a certificate of the fact.

Where the boxes have been kept as required, the ballots may be examined
by the court in case of a contest. Leonard v. Woolford, 91 Md. 627.

Canvassing Boards.

1904, art. 33, sec. 77. 1896, ch. 202, sec. 72. 1906, ch. 544, sec. 77.

79. It shall be the duty of the said county commissioners, clerks of
court, mayor, register of wills and supervisors of elections, respec-
tively, to keep safely, under lock and key, the said original statements
or returns and tally-sheets until the board of canvassers for the county
or city, as the case may be, shall have assembled and been organized
according to law, as hereinafter provided; whereupon the clerks of
court, county commissioners, mayor, register of wills and supervisors
of elections shall immediately deliver or transmit to such board of can-
vassers the said statements or returns and tally-sheets in the sealed
envelopes.

Ibid. sec. 78. 1S96, ch. 202, sec. 73.

80. The supervisors of elections shall constitute a board of can-
vassers for their county or city, as the case may be.

Ibid. sec. 79. 1896, ch. 202, sec. 74.

81. On the Thursday next following every election between the hours
of 12 o'clock noon and 1 o'clock in the afternoon, the board of county
canvassers shall meet at the usual place for holding the circuit court for
the county, and the board of canvassers for Baltimore city shall meet
at the usual place for holding the superior court, and shall, respectively,
elect a chairman and secretary from their number. Each member of
the board shall take an oath, which shall be administered and recorded
by the clerk of the said court, to truly canvass, add up and declare the
votes as required by law. At their first meeting a majority of the
whole board shall be a quorum. If a majority shall not attend on the
Thursday aforesaid, the canvassers present shall adjourn to the next day,
when they shall meet again between the same hours, and the canvassers
then attending, although less than a majority of the whole number,
shall organize themselves as a board, and shall perform the duties
required by law, and all questions arising in the course of their proceed-