156 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 98

528. The citizens of Middletown of the age of twenty-one
years and upwards, being citizens of the United States, who
have resided within the taxable limits of said town for a
period of twelve months preceding the election, shall be en-
titled to vote, providing they have registered as hereinafter
provided, at any election for Burgess and Commissioners, or
any other municipal election in said town.

The Burgess of said town shall, at least two weeks before
the time of election, in each election year, issue a call for a
nominating convention, to be composed of the residents of
said town who may attend the same, and who shall be entitled
to vote in the coming election, said nomination convention to
be held at some public place in said town, to be designated by
the Burgess, and notice of which shall be published in the
Valley Register or some other newspaper published in said
town, at least four days prior to the time of the holding of
said convention, giving the time and place thereof, which said
convention shall be held not later than one week prior to the
date of election. Said convention shall nominate not less
than one nor more than two candidates for Burgess, and not
less than five nor more than ten candidates for Commissioners
in the year of 1940, and on each second year thereafter, to hold
office for a term of two years, which said nominees shall be
voted upon at the elections in each election year, beginning
with the year of 1940. Each aspirant for the office of Burgess,
and each aspirant for the office of Commissioner in said town
who shall not have been nominated by said convention may
file with the Register not later than four days before the
election, excluding Sunday, nominating papers for the office
or offices for which they may be aspiring, in writing, signed by
at least forty of the qualified voters of said town, and no
signature shall be counted if it shall appear upon the nomina-
tion papers of more than one candidate for the office of Bur-
gess, and more than five candidates for Commissioner. It shall
be the duty of the Register of said town to have prepared for
said election a ballot to be voted thereat, containing the names
of persons nominated by the nominating papers, as aforesaid,
and the ballot shall be prepared and printed under the di-
rection and supervision of the Register of said town, and
shall be supplied at the election to voters desiring to vote,
and said ballots shall be official ballots, and shall not be dis-
tributed except to the voters as they present themselves to the
election officials on the day of the election, and said ballots
shall be immediately used by the voter, and shall not be re-
moved from the voting room except after they are counted by
the election officials, and no other ballots shall be used, or per-
mitted to be used at said election, although specimen ballots
may be printed by the Register, or by any candidate, or other