1304                             Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 739

from an Absentee Resident, said Board shall forthwith determine
whether such Absentee Resident is already registered as a voter.
If such Absentee Resident is registered, his Absentee Ballot shall
be safely kept by the Board and counted and canvassed at the proper
time as in this sub-title provided. If the Board shall determine that
such Absentee Resident is not registered or if the Board is unable
to determine whether such Absentee Resident is or is not registered,
said Board shall accept the information, set forth in his duly exe-
cuted oath on the said Ballot Envelope, as prima facie accurate and
correct, and if such information disclose that said Absentee Resident
is (1) a citizen of the United States, (2) will be twenty-one years
or older on the day of the election for which said ballot is offered,
(3) has been a resident of Maryland for a year preceding said elec-
tion, (4) has been a resident for 6 months preceding the day of
said election of the election district or ward in which his residence
in Maryland is located, and (5) is not disqualified to vote by the
commission of a crime, said Board shall register such Absentee
Resident, and shall then safely keep said Absentee Ballot and count
and canvass the same as provided in this sub-title. In primary elec-
tions, the fulfillment of requirements as to age and length of resi-
dence set forth in (2), (3) and (4), shall be determined as of the
date of the general election for which said primary election is held.

(b)  Signatures; Oaths. The signature of such Absentee Resident
in subscribing said oath shall be accepted in lieu of the customary
signature of voters in the registration books or cards; provided,
however, that such Absentee Residents shall not be entitled to be
registered if said Board shall determine upon proof or investiga-
tion that any of the material information contained in said oath is
not true. The names of all persons whom the appropriate Boards
determine are entitled to be registered under this sub-title shall be
written on the appropriate registration books or cards by the Clerks
of the respective Boards, or by election officials designated by said
Boards, and after each name shall be placed the letters "A. R.".
In addition, the other information usually placed on the registration
books or cards shall be entered to the extent the same is contained
in said oath. Each Board shall retain for a period of three years
all oaths of Absentee Residents registered by them, and such oaths
shall be considered the best evidence of the facts recited therein in
any contest involving the validity of any registration hereunder.

(c)  Continued Registration. When properly registered under this
sub-title, an Absentee Resident shall continue as a registered voter
to the same extent and for the same period he would be registered
had he appeared in person and been registered under the provisions
of the election laws of Maryland, exclusive of this sub-title.

255. Honorably Discharged Absentees. No honorably discharged
Absentee Resident, referred to in sub-section (d) of Section 243 of
this sub-title, who has been discharged more than one month before
the last registration day prior to an election, shall be entitled to
register under this sub-title. Any honorably discharged Absentee
Resident, referred to in said sub-section (d), who has been dis-
charged later than one month before the last registration day prior
to an election, shall be entitled to register and vote, if otherwise
entitled to do so under this sub-title, and if on or before election
day, he delivers in person a written application to the Board of his
county or Baltimore City, as the case may be, for a ballot, ballot