1250                             Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 739

(b)  Inspection of Voting Machines. The Judges shall meet at
their respective polls on election day at least one-half hour before
the opening of the polls, and shall then inspect the equipment furn-
ished. If at least two judges of election of opposite party affiliation
are present, they shall open the envelope containing the keys to each
voting machine and shall unlock the counter compartment to ascer-
tain whether the tabulating devices are all set at zero (000), and
whether the numbered seal on the operating lever is unbroken, and
that the number thereon is identical with the number certified on
the envelope containing said keys. They shall also compare the num-
ber appearing on the dials of the exposed counter designed to register
every consecutive operation of the machine with the reading thereof
noted on the said envelope containing said keys. They shall inspect
the face of the machine to make sure the proper ballot-labels are in
proper places, and thai the machine is otherwise ready for use. If
after such an inspection the said judges shall find the machine to
be in proper order, they shall sign a certificate to that effect, which
shall be returned to the Supervisors of Elections with other equip-
ment; and after signing such certificate they shall remove the metal
seal on the operating lever at the time set for the opening of the
polls, and said lever shall then be operated only by duly qualified
voters for the purpose of registering their respective votes.

(c)  Counters to be Adjusted. The machine shall remain locked
against voting until the polls are opened, and shall not be operated
except by voters in voting. If any counter is found not to register
zero (000), the judges of election shall immediately notify the
custodian, or the Board of Supervisors of Elections, who shall, if
practicable, adjust or cause the counters to be adjusted at zero (000);
but if it shall be found impracticable for the custodian or other
person authorized by the said Board to arrive in time so to adjust
such counter before the time set for opening the polls, the judges shall
immediately make a written record of the designation or designating
letter or number of each counter, together with the numbers
registered thereon, hereinbelow called the initial numbers, and shall
sign and post the same upon the wall of the polling-place, where it
shall remain until the polls are closed; and, in filling out the return
of the election, if the final number of such counter is greater than the
initial number, the election officers shall subtract the initial num-
ber from the final number and enter the difference on the returns as
the vote for the candidate or on the question represented by such
counter; if the final number of such counter is less than the initial
number, the judges of election shall add one thousand to the final
number and shall subtract the initial number from the sum so
ascertained, and shall enter upon the returns, as the vote for the
candidate or on the question represented by such counter the final
number plus one thousand less the initial number.

(d)   Location of Voting Machine. The exterior of the voting
machine, and every part of the polling-place shall be in plain view of
the judges of election and watchers. Every voting machine shall be
located in the polling-place, at least six feet back of the guard-rail,
in such a position that, unless its construction shall require other-
wise, the ballot-labels on the face of the machine can be seen plainly
by the judges of election and watchers when the machine is not oc-
cupied by a voter. The judges of election shall not themselves be,
nor allow any other person to be, in any position that will permit one