420 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

417. As soon as the ballots shall be read off and counted,
and the number for each candidate reckoned up and ascer-
tained, the judge or judges of election shall make out, under his
or their hands, attested by the clerks of election or one of them,
on the poll book, a plain, fair and distinct certificate of the num-
ber of votes which shall have been then and there given for each
candidate, distinguishing the station or office for which he has
been voted; such certificate to be as near as possible in the form
of the like certificate required from the judges of election under
the general election law of this State.

418. The return judges of election shall return, on the day
following the day on which any election shall be held under
this law, before twelve o'clock, noon, the ballots cast and the
ballots rejected at such election, in separate sealed packages,
and the poll books and certificates aforesaid, to the presiding
officer of the managing convention of the political association
or party under whose authority the election was called, who
shall immediately thereupon publicly announce the result; such
packages shall be destroyed after the expiration of thirty days,
by said presiding officer, without breaking the seal unless they
are, befpre that time, demanded by the executive committee of
such managing convention, to be used as evidence in cases of
contest among any of the candidates at such election.

419. The executive committee of any such managing con-
vention shall have full power to hear and determine all ques-
tions of contest between any candidates voted for at such elec-
tion, and to prescribe the rules to govern all such contests, and
may demand and receive for such purpose from the presiding
officer of such convention, the poll books, certificates and bal-
lots returned to him by the judges of election; and forsuch pur-
pose shall have power to summon witnesses and examine them
under oath, to be administered by the acting chairman of such
committee.

420. It shall be the duty of the return judges of said elec-
tion, immediately after each election at which he has acted as
such, to appear before the Grand Jury of the Criminal Court of
Baltimore, to be examined touching any and all violations of