ART. 33] " CANVASSING BOARDS. 267

1896, ch. 202.

71. The board of supervisors of elections, upon receiving a
ballot-box and the key thereof, shall note the condition of the
seal or stamp on each box, and make an entry of the facts touch-
ing the same in a book to be kept by them, together with the
name of the officer who delivered the 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 pre-
viously notified to produce the same to be used in evidence in
some contested election or judicial or legislative investigation
then pending, the said board of supervisors shall, in the presence
of one or more judges of the orphans' court, destroy said ballots
and poll-books, also all of the said tallies, including those deliv-
ered to the register of wills, and shall record in the same book a
certificate of the fact signed by said judge or judges.

Canvassing Boards.

Ibid.

72. It shall be the duty of the said county commissioners,
clerks of court and mayor, respectively, to keep safely under lock
and key the said original statements or returns 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
and mayor shall immediately deliver or transmit to such board of
canvassers the said statements or returns in the sealed envelopes.

Ibid.

73. The supervisors of elections shall constitute a board of
canvassers for their county or city, as the case may be.

Ibid.

74. 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 hold-
ing the circuit court for the county, and the board of canvassers