732 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 575

notice by hand bills posted in conspicuous places in said
town of La Plata or by publication in some newspaper or
newspapers published in said town or by both hand bills
posted as aforesaid and by publication as aforesaid of the
election to be held for Town Commissioners of La Plata in
that year, naming the house or place to be selected by them
at which said election shall be held, and the hours the polls
shall be open and closed respectively, and they shall, at least
ten days before such election, appoint three persons as judges,
who shall conduct the election; the polls shall be opened at
2 o'clock P. M., and closed at 6 o'clock P. M., if any of such
judges of election shall refuse or decline or be unable to act
as such the Town Commissioners shall fill the vacancy.
Should any of such judges fail to appear at the time and
place for opening the polls and holding the election the re-
maining judge or judges shall fill the vacancy; the said judges
shall serve without pay and shall promptly make their re-
turns and without unreasonable delay to the Town Commis-
sioners certifying and declaring what person shall have been
elected Town Commissioners of La Plata at said election, and
the Town Commissioners to whom such returns are made shall
determine all questions arising upon said returns, and shall
cause the said certificate and declarations of the said judges of
election to be recorded among the records of the corporation.
The voting at all elections held under the provisions of this Act
shall be by ballot, on which shall be written the names of
three persons and no more, possessing the qualifications for
Town Commissioners of La Plata, as prescribed in this Act,
and no other words, letters, figures, signs or symbols shall
be printed or written upon said ballots; no other ballot than
those herein prescribed shall be received or counted by the
judges of election. The ballots shall be received by the judges,
one of whom shall place the ballot in a box provided for that
purpose, and another of whom shall write upon paper pro-
vided for the purpose the name of each voter whose ballot is
received; immediately after the close of the poll the ballots
shall be taken from the box, one by one, counted and tallied
by the judges of election; the papers containing the names
of the voters and tallies as aforesaid, shall constitute a part
of the returns of the judges of any election. The three can-
didates or persons voted for at any election, receiving the
highest number of legal votes cast shall be declared Town
Commissioners of La Plata elected at that election. Should
there be a tie vote between any candidates at any election
held under the provisions of this Act, the judges of said elec-
tion shall determine and declare, if it should be necessary,
which of such candidates shall be returned elected Town Com-