1404 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 497

sub-title "Registration of Voters", be and they are hereby
repealed and that seven new sections be and they are hereby
enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as Sections 161, 162, 162A
to 162E, inclusive, to follow immediately after Section 160 of
said Charter, and to read as follows:

161. (Authorized. ) The Mayor and City Council shall main-
tain a registration of the qualified voters of the City, by wards
and precincts. The basis of such registration shall be that
which exists at the time this sub-title becomes effective. There-
after it shall be maintained and recorded as specified in this
sub-title.

162. (Qualifications. ) Any person shall be eligible to reg-
ister as a voter in municipal elections who is a citizen of the
United States, a resident of the City for at least one year,
and at least twenty-one years of age at the time of the next
municipal election.

162A. (City Clerk. ) The City Clerk shall be in charge of
all books and papers pertaining to the registration of voters.
He shall carefully keep and preserve the same, and do all
things necessary and proper to carry out his duties under this
sub-title. The registration records shall be kept generally in
the manner required for the Board of Election Supervisors of
Allegany County, except that the applicant shall not be re-
quired to state his party affiliation, if any, nor shall any record
be kept of such affiliation.

162B. (Continuous Registration. ) (a) Any applicant for
registration or for a change in registration as a voter in
municipal elections in the City shall present himself at the
office of the City Clerk, at any time during the regular business
hours of such office. The City Clerk, or some employee of his
office, shall by suitable questions determine if the said appli-
cant satisfies the requirements to be a qualified voter in the
City, as set out in this sub-title, the answer to be given under
oath. The answers of the applicant shall be recorded on a form
designed and kept by the City Clerk for such purpose, and the
applicant shall sign his name on such form.

(b) If the said applicant satisfies the requirements of this
sub-title for registration as a voter of the City, the City Clerk
shall accept his registration. He shall immediately give to the
registrant a small identification card, attesting over his signa-
ture to the registrant's name, address, ward and precinct
numbers, and to the fact of the registration. Thereafter, as
soon as practicable, the City Clerk shall record the registrant's
name and such other data as necessary in the registration