96

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

Said strips shall be pasted over the key hole of the ballot

Ballot box

box in such manner that the signatures shall extend across

to be
sealed,

the opening of the lid, and so that when the key is inserted,

it will tear the paper so pasted over the key hole of the ballot

box in such papers, shall be securely fastened to the box

with sealing wax or other adhesive material ; within one day

alter an election and on said election day if practicable, the

ballot box and the key thereof shall be delivered to the clerk

of the Circuit Court for Washington 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 clerk and said ballots destroyed ; during which space

of six months said ballot box shall not be opened except

when ordered by the Court in a judicial investigation or

contested election ; the presiding judges of election, or in

case of inability to attend, shall within one day after each

election under the penalty of five hundred dollars meet in the

office of the clerk of the Circuit Court for Washington County,

with the books of the polls and the certificates the afore-

said judges so assembled shall cast up the whole vote of all

the wards if an election be held for an officer to be voted for

by all citizens of Hagerstown, and for the respective wards

when an officer has been voted for by the voters of such

respective wards, and shall then make out a plain, fair and

distinct statement and certificate of the number of votes

which shall have been given for each candidate for each of

the officers voted for at said election, and the same shall

then be filed with the clerk of the said court, the form of

Certificate

, said certificate shall be as follows : To —— whereas, an

of result

election for —— was held on the —— of —— , in the year

—— , in the city of Hagerstown, and in the wards designated

by number —— , conformably to the laws of the State of

Maryland aud the charter of Hagerstown, and whereas we

the subscribers, attending judges at the close of election in

said districts, having thus assembled in the office of the

clerk of the Circuit Court for Washington County with the

books of the polls, on which are endorsed the several certifi-

cates agreeably to law, and having cast up the whole number

of votes given in said wards according to the certificates

made out on the day of election by the judges, it appears

that —— has the greatest number of legal vote for —— ,

whereupon we do determine, declare and return, that the

said —— is duly elected.

Given under our hands this —— day of —— , in the year

—— , immediately upon receiving and filing said certificate,

said clerk shall notify the persons chosen of their election in.

accordance with the return of the judges.