660 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 605

the Judges and Clerks, and the names of the candidates for the
respective offices. Immediately upon the closing of the polls
the ballots shall be publicly counted and the Supervisors of
Elections shall within two days thereafter make a true and
correct return of the votes so cast in a sealed envelope
to the Mayor, and within seven days after such election the
Mayor and Common Council shall meet and canvass said re-
turns and declare those qualified persons receiving the highest
number of votes for their respective offices duly elected. In
case two or more persons shall have received the same number
of votes so that there is no choice for office, the Mayor and
Common Council shall cast the deciding vote and declare
which one of the tied candidates is elected.

\

617. The Mayor and Councilmen elected shall hold office
for two years from the second Monday in May or until
their successors shall be elected or appointed, and quali-
fied as herein provided. In case any person elected Mayor
or Councilman shall fail to qualify within thirty days after
election day, or in case of any vacancy, the Mayor and remain-
ing Councilmen shall appoint a qualified person to fill said
vacancy, to hold office for such term or unexpired term. All
vacancies in the office of Mayor or of Councilmen caused by
absence from its session for more than three consecutive meet-
ings without excuse satisfactory to the majority of the remain-
ing Councilmen, or the Councilmen and Mayor as the case may
be, shall be filled as other vacancies. The Mayor and Council-
men shall serve without pay. The Mayor and Common Coun-
cil may pass rules and regulations for their own proceedings
while in session.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted) That this Act is hereby
declared to be an emergency law and necessary for the imme-
diate preservation of the public health and safety and having
been passed upon by yea and nay vote, supported by three-
fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses of
the General Assembly of Maryland, the same shall take effect
from the date of its passage.

Approved April 5, 1945.

CHAPTER 605.
(House Bill 679)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section
6 of Chapter 991 of the Acts of 1943, relating to the bonds