ART. 33.] ELECTIONS—KEEPING OP BALLOT-BOX. 667

from, and the ballot-box delivered to the chief judge of the elec-
tion or his associate of the same political party, and the key
thereof to the minority judge of election for safe keeping, until
as hereinafter provided; thereupon the judges of election shall
all write their names on a strip of paper of sufficient length for
the following purpose; said strip shall be pasted over the key-
hole of the ballot-box, in such manner that the signatures shall
extend across the opening of the lid, and so that when the key is
inserted it will tear the paper so pasted over the keyhole; such
paper shall be securely fastened to the box with sealing-wax or
other adhesive material. Within three days after an election,
and sooner, if practicable, the ballot-box and the key thereof in
the city of Baltimore shall be returned and delivered to the
board of police commissioners of Baltimore, and in the counties
to the clerk of the circuit court for the county, who shall safely
keep the same for the space of six months from the day of such
delivery, at which time said ballot-box shall be opened by said
board of police commissioners or clerks, as the case may be, in
the presence of one or more judges of the orphans' court, and in
said presence said ballots shall be destroyed; and the said police
commissioners of the city of Baltimore shall record among the
minutes of their office, and the clerks of the counties among the
land records of their office, a "certificate of said fact, signed by
said judge or judges.

P. G. L., (1860,) art. 35, sec. 41. 1844, ch. 284, sec. 6. 1888, ch. 112.

80. The ballot-box, after it has been locked and sealed at the
close of an election and the count of the ballots, shall not again
be opened until after the expiration of six months from its de-
livery to the board of police commissioners of Baltimore city, or
to the clerks of the courts aforesaid, except in case of a judicial
investigation or a contested election, as hereinafter provided, and
then only on an order to the officer or officers having charge
thereof from some one of the courts of Baltimore city, or from
the circuit court for the counties, or some one of the judges
thereof, as the case may require, and then only on such terms
and conditions, and subject to such restriction as the said courts,
or judges shall in said order prescribe and determine.