468 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 169

effective on and after the first day of the month following said
approval.

4. (A) The Council shall annually appoint one or more
persons as officers of registration, whose duty it shall be to
enter in alphabetical order in proper and convenient books,
or on cards to be provided by the Council, the names of all
persons applying for registration who are entitled to vote
under the provisions of this Charter; and for the purpose of
ascertaining the facts, the said officers of registration are here-
by empowered to administer oaths to applicants and witnesses,
touching the qualifications of applicants for registration under
the terms of this Charter. Such officers of registration shall
sit, with their official books, for registration of qualified appli-
cants, from 8 A. M. to 6 P. M., on the Tuesday and Wednes-
day preceding every municipal election; a right of challenge
and of presentation of facts relating to qualifications, and a
right to appeal to the Council from the decision of the regis-
tration officers is hereby granted to any person or persons
aggrieved by the decision of such officers, provided a notice
of said appeal is filed in writing with the officers of registra-
tion within twenty-four hours after such decision is rendered.
The Council shall sit at the hour of 8. 00 o'clock on the Thurs-
day evening before the election and at such other times as may
be necessary prior to the election, to hear such appeals, if any,
and the evidence relative thereto. Every applicant and chal-
lenger concerned in such appeal or appeals shall, at the con-
clusion of the registration, be duly notified by the registration
officers of the time and place of the said meeting of the Council.
The decision of the Council on such appeals shall be final.
The Council shall give at least five days' notice of the time and
place of sitting of the officers of registration, by means of
handbills posted and generally distributed in said town, or by
advertisement in one or more newspapers of general circula-
tion in the said town. The said officers of registration, as soon
as their sittings are finished, shall forthwith transmit to the
Town Clerk an alphabetical list of all persons registered and
those rejected at such sittings, together with all books, papers
and documents bearing on the qualifications of such persons to
be registered under the provisions of this Charter; and such list
shall be available for public inspection. Any person registered
may be challenged before the Council, sitting for the purpose
of hearing appeals as herein provided, although not challenged
at the time of registration, provided notice is given at any time