334

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

conduct of elections, and they shall have charge of, and make
provisions for, all elections, general, special, local, municipal,
State and county, and for all others of every description, to
be held in such city or county, or any part thereof, at any
time; all questions shall be decided by a majority of the board,
unless otherwise expressly provided in this article; provided,
however, that in any incorporated city or town in this State
(other than the city of Baltimore) in which the municipal or
charter elections thereof are now regulated by the Public Local
Laws of the State, the conduct of such municipal or charter
elections shall continue to be so regulated as heretofore, and
such Public Local Laws shall continue in force therein.

REGISTRATION.

Judges of
election to
act as regis-
ters.

14. Each judge of election in the city of Baltimore and each
of the two judges of election appointed before the first day of
July in the counties, as provided in section 7, shall also be an
officer of registration in the district or precinct for which he
shall be appointed, and the judges so appointed, when duly
qualified, shall for their respective districts or precincts, collect-
ively, constitute the board of registry thereof. Said officers of
registration and each of them, in addition to the power herein-
after conferred upon them as judges of election, shall have
during the respective times of the appointed sittings of said
board of registry authority to keep the peace and to preserve
order and enforce obedience to their lawful commands at and
around their places of registration; to keep ' the access to such
place open and unobstructed; to prevent and suppress riots,
tumult, violence and disorder, any violation of this article and
all other improper practices at and around their place of regis-
tration tending to intimidation or to the obstruction of their
work; they may compel, by summons or attachment, the pres-
ence of witnesses before them for any purpose connected with
the duties of their office, and may commit for trial any person
committing at or around their place of registration any breach
of the peace or other offense forbidden by this article; they
shall have the power to issue any of said summonses, attach-
ments, or commitments when sitting in any county of this
State, to the sheriff of said county or to any constable thereof,
and when sitting in the city of Baltimore, to marshal of police
or to any police officer of said city; all such process shall be
served by said respective officers in the same manner as if they
were issued by a court of record having jurisdiction of the
subject-matter, or by a justice of the peace exercising police