WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor Ch. 89

election prior to the time the polls close, any person registered and otherwise qualified
to vote may apply, IN PERSON OR THROUGH A DULY AUTHORIZED AGENT,
AS AUTHORIZED IN PARAGRAPH (4) OF THIS SUBSECTION, WHO APPEARS
IN PERSON, at the office of the board of supervisors of elections for an emergency
absentee ballot if the [person:] VOTER IS

[(i) Is] within the provisions of § 27-1 [(a)] of this article OR
ELIGIBLE FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT UNDER § 3-21A OF THIS ARTICLE[;

(ii) Is unable to be present at the polls as a result of illness or
accident occurring after the time for making application for an absentee ballot;

(iii) Is unable to be present at the polls because of a death or serious
illness in the person's immediate family, about which the person becomes aware after
the time for making application for an absentee ballot; or

(iv) Is required to be absent on the day of an election from the county
or Baltimore City where the person is registered to vote for any reason of which the
person becomes aware after the time for making application for an absentee ballot].

(2) The application shall be made under penalty of perjury but without
formal oath, setting forth the reason why the voter is unable to be present at the polls
on the day of the election.

(3) Upon receipt of the application, the board, if satisfied that the person
cannot, in fact, be present at the polling place on the day of the election, shall issue to
the applicant, or his duly authorized agent, an absentee ballot which shall be marked by
the voter, placed in a sealed envelope, and returned to the board.

(4) If the applicant does not apply in person, the applicant shall designate
a voter registered in the same county or Baltimore City as agent for the purpose of
delivering the absentee ballot to the voter, and the agent shall execute an affidavit
under penalty of perjury that the ballot was delivered to the voter who submitted the
application, was marked by the voter in the agent's presence, was placed in a sealed
envelope in the agent's presence, and returned, under seal, to the board by the agent.

(5) Any emergency absentee ballot received by the board shall be
considered timely if received in accordance with Section 27-9(c).

(b) Any registered voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness,
disability, or inability to read the English language or write may be given assistance by
a person of the voter's choice, not to include the voter's employer or agent of that
employer or officer or agent of the voter's union. Any person rendering assistance
pursuant to this subsection shall execute a certification to be included in the
instructions prescribed by § 27-8 of this article.

27-4.

[Except for persons described in §§ 27-1 (a) and 27-2 (a-1),] EXCEPT AS
PROVIDED IN SECTION 27-2 OF THIS ARTICLE, a qualified voter desiring to vote
at any election as an absentee voter shall make application in writing to the board for an

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