1314                             Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 739

the precinct and ward or district in which he is registered shall be
entered in a book or books marked "Applications of Registered
Absentee Residents". If the applicant is not registered, or if the
Board cannot determine whether or not the applicant is registered,
such record and the precinct and ward or district in which his home
address is located shall be entered in a book or books marked "Appli-
cations of Unregistered Absentee Residents". Such books shall also
show the date on which an Absentee Ballot was mailed to the appli-
cant. Upon receipt of an Absentee Ballot from an unregistered
Absentee Resident, said Board shall determine from the oath on
said Ballot Envelope hereinafter provided for, whether said appli-
cant is entitled to be registered, under the provisions of this sub-title
and if such applicant is entitled to be registered he shall at once be
registered and the letters "A. R." placed after his name in or on
the appropriate registration book or card. His registration and the
date thereof shall also be noted in the book marked "Application
of Unregistered Absentee Residents". The books herein provided for
shall be open to inspection of any candidate or his duly authorized
representative, and to the War Ballot Commission or its representa-
tives.

272.   Mailing Ballots. (a) Duties of Board. It shall be the duty
of the Board to meet as frequently as may be necessary to examine
promptly applications for Absentee Ballots, and unless the Board
shall be unable to ascertain from an application the identity of the
applicant or the address to which the Ballot requested is to be sent,
or unless the Board determines to its satisfaction that the applicant
is not an Absentee Resident, it shall, as soon as possible after receipt
of the application, mail each Absentee Resident an Absentee Ballot,
consistent with the said Absentee Resident's party affiliation, if any
(but if the Absentee Resident has indicated no party affiliation and
if the request for an Absentee Ballot is for a primary election, the
Board shall be under no duty to send the said Absentee any Ballot
whatsoever), Ballot Envelope, Return Envelope and Instructions.
The Board shall meet as often as may be necessary for the afore-
said purposes. The Board shall mail, postage prepaid, if postage is
required, an Absentee Ballot, Ballot Envelope, Return Envelope, and
the Instructions to each Absentee Resident from whom a proper
application for such ballot has been received, as promptly as possible.

(b)  One Ballot to Applicant. Not more than one Absentee Ballot
shall be mailed to any one applicant unless the Board has reasonable
grounds to believe that the Absentee Ballot previously mailed has
been lost, destroyed or spoiled.

(c)  No Contest in Primary. Should there be no contest in the
several political parties entitled to hold a primary, then the Board
of Supervisors of Elections of Baltimore City need not meet before
the time normally set for a primary election, as herein otherwise
required.

273.  Form of Ballot. (a) Return Envelope. The Board shall cause
to be printed an adequate number of Absentee Ballots for each
political party holding a primary election, and an adequate number
of Absentee Ballots for the general election, of the three kinds of
envelopes hereinafter described and of instructions. The words
"Absentee Ballot" shall be printed in large letters in a clear space
at the top of each of said ballots. The ward and precinct or polling