634                         Laws op Maryland.                  [CH. 236

386. The election for town officers shall be held on the sec-
ond Saturday in August bi-annually after the passage of this
Act at a place to be designated by the commissioners, at which
election the polls shall remain open from two o'clock P. M.
until nine o'clock P. M. The election shall be conducted by
three judges of election, and one clerk, to be appointed by the
commissioners of the said town. At least ten days before any
election the said commissioners shall insert a notice thereof
for two consecutive days in a newspaper published in the Dis-
trict of Columbia, and shall cause to be posted in five conspicu-
ous places in said town notice of said election, designating the
place of voting, the hours the polls are open and the names of
the judges and clerk. In the event that any judge or clerk
after appointment is unable or declines to serve, the remaining
judges shall name some one to take his place. Suitable ballot
boxes, polling places and printed ballots shall be provided by the
commissioners. Any person desiring to become a candidate
for any elective office shall at least twenty days before election,
file or cause to be filed, with the commissioners, or clerk there-
of, a petition stating that he or she is a candidate for the office,
which petition must be filed by such person and indorsed by at
least fifteen persons entiled to vote in the next town election.
Upon the filing of said petition the commissioners shall print
such person's name upon the ballot with a square opposite each
name and there shall appear a statement instructing the voter
as to how many persons to vote for. Immediately upon the
closing of the polls the ballots shall be publicly counted, and
the said judges, two days thereafter, shall make a truthful and
^correct return to the chairman of the said commissioners, and
within ten days thereafter the said commissioners shall meet
and declare those qualified persons receiving the highest num-
ber of votes duly elected. In case two or more persons shall
have received the same number of votes so that there is no
choice for the office, a new election shall be immediately pro-
claimed by the said commissioners from among such candi-
dates, which election shall be held on five days7 notice and in
all respects as aforesaid except as to the day of election and
the convening of the commissioners.

X5

395. The commissioners may pass such ordinances, not in-
consistent with law, as may be for the best interests of the
town, and necessary for the preservation of health, safety and
morals of the said town, and may provide in such ordinances