860 LAWS OF MARYLAND, [CH. 289

election by asking each applicant, who presents himself to vote,
three questions under oath; First, "Have you dwelt within
the town of Riverdale Heights for a period of not less than
one year next preceding this election?" Second, "Are you
twenty-one years of age or over?" Third, "Are you either
the owner of real property within the limits of Riverdale
Heights, the purchaser of real property under contract within
said limits or a member of the immediate family of such an
owner or purchaser ?" And should the answers of the applicant
be in the affirmative to all of said questions, then it shall be
the duty of said Board of Election Supervisors to allow such
applicant to cast his ballot, and should the answer of said
applicant be in the negative to one or more of said questions,
then and in that ©vent he shall not be allowed to vote. Should
the applicant answer one or more of the above questions false-
ly he shall be guilty of the crime of perjury and subject to
the penalties provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.
Immediately upon the closing of the polls, the judges of the
election shall proceed to count the ballots but no ballot cast
by a voter dwelling in one ward for a candidate for the office
of Councilman of another ward, and no ballot cast for more
than one candidate for the office of Mayor, shall be counted.
The counting of the ballots shall not be adjourned or postponed
until it shall have been fully completed, and the returns shall
be announced publicly and written returns fully completed
and signed by the judges and clerks of election, and sealed in
an envelope with the names of said judges and clerks signed
thereon, shall be sent, one copy to the Mayor of said town
and one copy to the Town Clerk and Treasurer, for file among
the records of the town. Any judge or clerk who declines to
sign said returns shall prepare, sign, and seal in an envelope,
and send as aforesaid, an individual return, giving his rea-
son therefor. The ballots shall then be returned to the ballot
boxes from which they were removed, a paper seal with the
signatures of the judges and clerks thereon shall be pasted
upon said ballot boxes in such manner that the boxes cannot
be opened without breaking said seal and said boxes, sealed
as aforesaid, shall then be retained by the Supervisors of Elec-
tion for a period of thirty days after which period of time
the boxes may be opened and the ballots destroyed. Provided,
however, that if there be a contest of the election, said ballots
shall not be destroyed until after the decision of the Judge
of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County.