1218

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAP. 724

SEC. 17. And be it enacted, That the governing bodies of
the respective parties holding the primary election held under

Vote to be
canvassed in
public and
result
announced.

the provisions of this Act shall respectively assemble in the
court house of said county at 11 o'clock A. M. on Tuesday
next succeeding the day of such primary election of their
respective parties, receive the ballot boxes from the return
judges, sealed as provided in Section 15 of this Act, and
shall proceed, in public, to canvass the vote cast at such pri-
mary election and publicly to announce the result thereof ;
if any protest against the result is announced by the judges
of any election district or districts is submitted to said
governing body before the canvass of the votes of the entire
county is completed, said governing body shall consider and
determine any controversy that may arise in respect thereto,
and the decision of said governing body thereon shall be
final.

SEC. 18. And be it enacted, That any vacancy which may

Vacancies
to be filled.

exist in respect to any office or position, after the returns
shall have been canvassed and the result announced, as in
the next preceding section is provided, shall be filled as the
rules and regulations of the governing bodies of the several
parties may now or shall hereafter provide.
SEC. 19. Be it enacted, That before entering upon the dis-

Oath to be
taken.

charge of their several duties under this Act, each judge and
clerk shall take an oath in substance as follows: I ——
(judge or clerk), in the presence of Almighty God, do solemnly
swear (or affirm) that I will well and truly discharge the
duties of (judge or clerk) at the primary election to be
held on the ——— day of —— by the —— party, in district
No. ———— of Montgomery county; that I will faithfully
observe the laws, rules and regulations relative to holding
said primary election, and in all respects perform the duties
of said office impartially and according to law; that I will
not attempt to ascertain for what candidate or candidates
any person shall vote or has voted in said primary, and if
such knowledge shall be acquired by me I will not, directly
or indirectly, by word or act, divulge or reveal the same or
aid in doing so save when I may be required to do so by law
in some legal proceedings; said oath may be taken before
any officer in Montgomery county authorized to administer
oaths; and after the return judge shall have taken his oath
as a registration officer in said county and shall have taken