582 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 341

for and against such election. At the end of such statements
or returns there shall be a certificate that the same are cor-
rect in all respects, and said certificate shall be signed by all
the judges and clerks of such election making the count and
preparing the return. The statement or return shall be given
to the custody of the Town Supervisor.

43M. (Refusal to sign Return.) In case any deputy judge,
or clerk shall decline to sign any such returns, he shall make
a statement of his reasons for such refusal in duplicate, which
shall include a statement as to which part of the return is
correct, sign each of said duplicate copies of his reasons,
and such statements shall be inclosed with the returns. Each
of the above mentioned returns or statements, together with
one of the statements of declination, if any there be, shall
be inclosed in an envelope which shall be then securely sealed
and each of the deputy judges and clerks shall write his name
across the fold thereof. One of said envelopes shall be di-
rected to the Mayor of Bladensburg, and the other to the
Town Clerk and the supervisor of election shall take charge
of these envelopes and deliver them to the respective parties
to whom they are addressed at the time hereinafter men-
tioned.

43N. (Holding Ballots.) The deputy judges and clerks of
election shall put back in the respective ballot boxes used at
said election the ballots taken therefrom, and shall seal said
ballot boxes by pasting a strip of paper over the slit, upon
which slip the deputy judges and clerks of election shall sign
their names so that the boxes may not be opened without
destroying said seal. The ballot boxes containing the ballots
shall be kept by the supervisor of election for thirty days
from the date of said election, unless there is a recount, or
contest in which case they shall be kept until said recounting
or contest is finally concluded. After the thirty days has
elapsed, or the recount or contest has been concluded, the
supervisor of election shall open said ballot boxes and de-
stroy said ballots.

43-O. (Report of Election Returns.) The Town Council
shall on the first Wednesday after each election held under
the provisions of this sub-title convene to receive the returns
of election. When said meeting has been called to order,
the supervisor of election shall attend and present to the
Town Council and to the Town Clerk the returns of election
respectively addressed to them. The Town Council shall then
examine said returns and if they find them to be signed by
all the judges and clerks of election, and identical, they