18 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 1

kept separate and apart from ballots cast at the regular vot-
ing places and retained for six (6) months after the date of
election at which they were cast, unless prior to that time,
the Board shall be ordered by a Court of competent jurisdic-
tion, to keep the same for any longer period.

314A. VALIDITY AND COUNTING, CANVASSING AND CERTIFYING
OF FEDERAL ABSENTEE BALLOTS. Every Absentee Resident, who
complies with the provisions of any Act of Congress providing
for voting by them, may vote at any election herein provided
for and every ballot marked and executed by any such person
in accordance with the provisions of any such Act of Congress
and received by any Board prior to the closing of the polls on
election day for which the same may be voted, shall, to all
intents and purposes, be as valid and effective as State
Absentee Ballots received and cast under the provisions of
this sub-title, and all such Federal War Ballots shall be re-
ceived, counted, certified and canvassed in the same manner
and at the same time as said State Absentee Ballots are
counted, certified and canvassed; provided, however, that if
any such Board receives from the same person prior to
the closing of the polls on election day one or more
State Absentee Ballots and one or more Federal Absentee
Ballots, it shall count, certify and canvass only that State
Absentee Ballot contained in the Ballot Envelope on which
the voter's oath was first executed, and if the oath on two
or more of the Ballot Envelopes containing State Absentee
Ballots are dated the same or if both are undated, none of
the Ballots received from such person shall be counted; and
if only Federal Ballots have been voted by such person, the
same rule shall prevail.

314B. CONTESTS ABOUT REGISTRATION, VOTING OR BALLOT OF
ABSENTEE RESIDENT ; APPEALS IN SUCH CONTESTS. Contests
concerning registration, voting or the validity of any ballot
under this sub-title shall be decided by the Board having juris-
diction of the matter. No registration shall be denied and no
ballot rejected except by the unanimous vote of said Board.
Any candidate or Absentee Resident aggrieved by any decision
or action of such Board shall have the right of appeal to the
Circuit Court of the County or to the Superior Court of Balti-
more City, as the case may be, to review such decision or action,
and jurisdiction to hear and determine such appeals is hereby
conferred upon said Courts. Such appeals shall be taken by
way of petition filed with the appropriate Court within ten
days from the date of the completion of the official canvass
by any Board of all the votes cast at any election and shall be