WASHINGTON COUNTY. 4753

1892, ch. 36, sec. 159D.

238. Each of said officers of registration, before entering upon the
duties of his office, shall take and subscribe the oath or affirmation pre-
scz-ibed in the sixth section of the first article of the constitution of this
State; the said oath or affirmation shall be taken and subscribed by each
officer of registration appointed to act under the provisions of this act,
before the clerk of the Circuit Court for Washington County; said re-
spective oaths or affirmations shall be entered and subscribed in a test
book, to be by said clerk provided for that purpose.

1892, ch. 36, sec. 159B. 1896, ch. 27, sec. 159E.

239. The term of office of each and every person so appointed to act
as an officer of registration in any registration district of said city of
Hagerstown, shall commence immediately upon his qualifying as such
officer of registration and shall continue until the appointment and qualifi-
cation of his successor, unless such officer shall be sooner removed from
office for incompetency or misconduct, or become disqualified by sickness
from performing the duties of his office; in case it is made known to or
found out by the Governor, that any officer of registration appointed by
him for said city of Hagerstown, is or may be unable to perform his
duties under this article, within the time appointed for the performance
of the same, the Governor shall have power to appoint a capable assistant
to said officer of registration, to serve until the registry or registries of
voters or lists of qualified and registered voters, then in charge of the
said officer of registration, shall be completed; such assistant officer of
registration, so to be appointed, shall possess the same qualifications re-
quired by the officer of registration whom he may be appointed to assist,
and shall possess all the powers of said officer, but in all controverted
questions, when both officers are present, in which the opinion of the
officer and assistant of registration may differ, the decision of the principal
officer of registration shall prevail.

1892, ch. 36, sec. 159F.

240. Each and every person appointed as aforesaid, to act as an officer
of registration, whether as principal or assistant officer, shall qualify as
such officer of registration forthwith, and shall perform the duties of the
office for which he was appointed for the time for which he was appointed,
unless removed from office for incompetency or misconduct, or because
disqualified by sickness. Any officer of registration who, being duly
appointed, shall fail or refuse to qualify forthwith, or who, having quali-
fied, shall fail or refuse to perform any of the duties of his said office,
shall be liable to a penalty of five hundred dollars, to be recovered by
indictment in a court having jurisdiction of the subject matter.

1892, ch. 36, sec. 159G. 1920, ch. 312, sec. 159G.

241. The Mayor shall cause the books to be prepared at the expense
of the City of Hagerstown, which shall be necessary for the use of the