640 ELECTIONS—REGISTRATION. [ART. 33.

or election precinct, he shall have the right to appeal forthwith
from such decision or action to the judges or to a judge of the
circuit court for the county in which such election district or
election precinct is situated, in which such matter of complaint
arose, or to one of the judges of the supreme bench of Baltimore
city, if such election precinct in which such matter of complaint
arose is situated in said city, by petition, verified by his oath or
affirmation, at any time before the time appointed by law for
delivering the poll-book or list of qualified and registered voters,
of such election district or election precinct to which his petition
may relate, to the judges of election of such election district or
election precinct. Such petition shall fully state the matter
whereof complaint is made. There shall be filed therewith, as
exhibits, certified copies of all the entries in the proper registry
of voters or list of quaiified and registered voters of such elec-
tion district or election precinct, which relate to the subject-mat-
ter of said petition, and the officers of registration of such elec-
tion district or election precinct, and the clerk of the circuit
court for the county in which such election district or election
precinct is situated, or the clerk of the superior court of Balti-
more city, if such election precinct is situated in said city, shall
be named in and made defendants to said petition. Such judges
or judge, if such petition or such petition and exhibits show
prima facie cause of complaint, shall order a summons to be
issued forthwith to said officers of registration and to said clerk,
directing them to appear and answer forthwith, upon oath or
affirmation, and in person or otherwise, as said judges or judge
may direct; said officers of registration shall not be required to
appear in person upon any day appointed by this article for the
performance of their duties under this article, but at such times
may appear by counsel. If the said judge or judges, after con-
sidering said petition and answer or answers, and hearing such
testimony as may be adduced for or against said petition, shall
determine that said petitioner ought to be registered in such
election district or election precinct, or has been unlawfully re-
fused registration in such election district or election precinct, or
that the name of such petitioner has been unlawfully stricken
from br incorrectly entered in the registry of voters of such
election district or election precinct, or unlawfully omitted from