LLOYD LOWNDES, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

indelible pencils and stationery required for such election; and
the supervisors of elections of the several counties shall, within
the same period prior to every election, make up into sealed
packages for each precinct the two registers for said precinct,
together with the cards of instruction and the key of the
ballot-box for such precinct, having first placed in the ballot-
box one of the sealed packages of ballots for said precincts,
the specimen ballots, the two poll-books and all blanks, indeli-
ble pencils and stationery required for such elections, and shall
deliver the said packages and ballot-boxes, properly addressed,
to the sheriff of the county, and the said Board of Police
Commissioners and sheriff shall, respectively, receipt therefor,
and shall deliver or cause the same to be delivered to the
judges of election of the respective precincts at or before the
opening of the polls on the day of election. The several
boards of supervisors shall keep a record of the time when
such deliveries are made by them and of the particulars
thereof.

361

55. The judges of election, and each of them, shall have
authority to keep the peace, and to cause any person to be
arrested for any breach of the peace, or for any breach of the
election laws, or any interference with the progress of an elec-
tion, or of the canvass of the ballots; and it shall be the duty
of all officers of the law present to obey the order of any
judge, of election, and an officer making an arrest by the
direction of any judge shall be protected in so doing as fully
as if a warrant had been issued to him to make such arrest.

Judges of
election to
keep the
peace.

56. The polling places shall be opened by the judges at six
o'clock in the morning in the city of Baltimore, and at eight
o'clock in the morning in the counties, and in said city shall be
kept open until five o'clock, and in the counties until six
o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, at which time the
polls shall be closed. If any judge or clerk shall not be pres-
ent at the expiration of fifteen minutes after the time for open-
ing the polls, the judge or judges present shall fill the place
of such absent judge or clerk by appointing in his stead a per-
son of the same political party as the absentee. One of the
judges shall administer to such substitute the oath required of
the judge or clerk originally appointed. After the opening
of the polls no judge or clerk shall absent himself therefrom,
until all the ballots cast shall have been counted and the re-
turns completed. If, in case of absolute necessity, any judge
or clerk in attendance shall be compelled to absent himself, he
shall appoint some fit person of the same political party with

Opening of
polling
places.