THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 405

ter set out in Chapter 341 of the Laws of 1947 of the General
Assembly of Maryland.

A qualified resident in the proposed annexed area for the
purpose of signing the petition aforesaid shall be a citizen of
the United States, at least 21 years of age, who is a resident of
said proposed annexed area, and has resided therein for at least
three months.

A qualified voter in the proposed annexed area for the pur-
pose of said referendum and for no other purpose shall be a
person who is a qualified resident as defined in the previous
sentence and registers in accordance with the provisions herein
set out.

For the purpose of conducting said referendum election the
Mayor, upon the recommendation of the Town Council, shall
appoint a Town Supervisor of Election at Large, a committee
of three in each of the existing wards of the Town at the time
of the referendum election, and in the proposed annexed area,
which shall act as a Board of Election Supervisors in their re-
spective wards and proposed annexed area. All said election
officials shall have duties, powers and authority as is provided
for Supervisors and Judges of Election in Chapter 341 of the
Laws of 1947 of the General Assembly of Maryland. Said
Mayor upon the recommendations of the Town Council, may
appoint substitutes for said referendum election officials, if for
any reason they are unable to serve.

The said election committees shall provide registration
booths, ballot bosses or voting machines, tally sheets, printed
ballots, places of registration and election in each ward and
proposed annexed area.

Said referendum and registration shall be conducted as
nearly as practicable as elections for Officers of the Town of
Bladensburg. The election committees in each ward and in the
proposed annexed area upon the closing of the polls shall can-
vass the votes and inform the Mayor of the Town.

The Mayor and Town Council before accepting the afore-
said referendum petition shall first find that there are at
least 1, 000 residents in the proposed annexed area as quali-
fied aforesaid for the purpose of signing said petition pro-
posing annexation, and in submitting the question of an-
nexation shall designate the area as an independent ward
with the same rights and privileges of wards existing as
such in the Town of Bladensburg at the time of the refer-
endum. Such rights and privileges include the right of elect-
ing its own councilmen and voting for the Mayor in accord-
ance wit Chapter 341 of the Laws of 1947 of the General
Assembly of Maryland.