1532 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 541

ive. If a majority of the votes cast are in favor of such new
provisions and repeals as set out by the commission, the sys-
tem of municipal government thereby provided shall go into
effect upon July 1, 1923, but the first elections provided for
under such plan shall take place as provided by said plan of
government prior to said plan going into effect, and shall be
conducted by the Mayor, Counselor and the Aldermen of the
City of Annapolis as provided for elections under the new
system.

SEC. 5. And be U further enacted, That the election to de-
termine whether or not the City of Annapolis shall adopt the
commission and city manager form of government, as set out
in the changes in the city charter as provided by the commis-
sion provided herein, shall be held as other special elections
are held under the control and by the direction of the Mayor,
Counselor and Aldermen of the City of Annapolis, except that
the manner of voting shall be as follows: The official ballot
shall be prepared under the direction of the said Mayor, Coun-
selor and Aldermen of the City of Annapolis, and no copies
of the same shall be made public prior to the election. Said
ballots shall be in the same general form and shall contain a
condensed statement of the matter at issue and instructions as
to the method by which the voter can express his wishes in
writing as to whether or not the said method of city govern-
ment shall be adopted. The Mayor, Counselor and Aldermen
of the City of Annapolis shall decide upon three or more sen-
tences expressing approval or disapproval of the proposed
plan, and each ballot shall contain printed directions to the
voter as to the method of expressing his wish upon the ballot
given him, and any ballot not marked in the manner indi-
cated thereon shall be invalid and shall not be counted. Bal-
lots to be voted upon by each of the methods decided upon
shall be used in each voting place in as equal number as prac-
ticable, and there shall be no differences in form or color or
in any other way except the difference in reading matter in
any such ballot used.

Approved April 13th, 1922.

CHAPTER 541.

AN ACT to authorize and empower the Commissioners of Ox-
ford to borrow on the faith and credit of said town an addi-
tional sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the pur-