276 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 163

the creation of any additional office on said Court by in-
crease in the number of Judges pursuant to this Section,,
shall appoint an Associate Judge for such term, not exceed-
ing eight years and expiring on the thirty-first day of
December immediately following a Congressional election,
as the law creating such office shall prescribe. If any
vacancy occurs during any such original term, the Gov-
ernor shall appoint a successor to serve for the remainder
of such term. After the expiration of said original terms,
the terms of office of said Court shall be for eight years
from the expiration of the preceding term, and shall be
filled as follows:

(1) Any incumbent Judge of said Court shall be eligible,
at the Congressional election immediately preceding the
expiration of his period of appointment or term, for elec-
tion or re-election to succeed himself (a) for a full term
of eight years, except as provided in (b) hereof; or (b)
for the unexpired remainder of the current eight year
term, if his appointment will expire before the end of
such term. No person other than an incumbent Judge
shall be eligible for election to said Court.

(2) Whenever a vacancy shall occur on said Court from
any cause the Governor shall appoint to said Court a Judge
who shall hold office under such appointment until the
thirty-first day of December immediately following the
first Congressional election occurring six months or more
after the date of his appointment. No Judge of said
Court, who has stood for election to succeed himself and
not been elected, shall thereafter be appointed to said
Court, and no Judge of said Court, who has failed to stand
for election when eligible, shall be appointed to succeed
himself.

(3) In order to qualify for election or re-election an
incumbent Judge shall file with the Supervisors of Elec-
tions of Baltimore City not later than thirty days before
the date of the applicable election a certificate signed and
duly acknowledged, stating the basis of his eligibility and
the term or remainder of term for which he is eligible
for election. Thereupon, the name of such Judge, to-
gether with a statement of the term or remainder of term
for which he is eligible, shall be placed upon the ballot
to be used in said City in such election, with no party desig-
nation whatever and with no opposing candidate, with
space provided to permit any voter to cast his vote for or
against the continuance in office of such Judge; if the votes
cast for the continuance in office of such Judge represent