468                               Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 352

the voting machine shall be closed and locked and the return sheet
shall be signed by each of the judges of election. If any judge shall
decline to sign such return, he shall state his reason therefor in
writing, and a copy thereof, signed by himself, shall be enclosed with
such return. Each of the return sheets shall be enclosed in an enve-
lope, which shall then be sealed with sealing wax, or other sealing
material, and each of the judges shall write his name across the fold
of the envelope. One of the triplicate return sheets shall be directed
to the clerk of the circuit court of the county or of the Superior
Court of Baltimore City, as the case may be, one to the county com-
missioners or county council of the county or to the mayor of the
City of Baltimore, as the case may be, and one to the register of wills
of the county or city, as the case may be, and the general return
sheet and statement shall be directed to the board of supervisors of
elections of the county or city, as the case may be. The judges of
election shall promptly deliver the keys of the voting machine, en-
closed in a sealed envelope, to the official authorized by law to receive
the same, if the construction of the voting machine shall permit their
separate return. Said envelope shall have endorsed thereon a certifi-
cate of the election officers, stating the number of the machine, the
precinct where it has been used, the number on the seal, and the
number on the protective counter or device at the close of the polls.

140. Verification of Voting Machines.

(a) Within ten days after each general or primary election, the
supervisors of elections of Baltimore City and of each county using
voting machines, shall verify and recanvass the vote cast thereon. In
the case of voting machines which have not provided a printed or
photographic record of the numbers registered on the counters by
voting, the supervisors of elections shall make a record of the number
of the seal and the number on the protective counter, if one is pro-
vided, of each voting machine used in each election precinct or dis-
trict in each said general or primary election [.]; they shall open
the counter compartment of each such machine and without unlock-
ing such machine against voting, shall verify and recanvass the votes
cast thereon. In the case of voting machines which have provided a
printed or photographic record of the numbers registered on the
counters by voting the supervisors of elections shall verify and re-
canvass the votes cast as shown by the printed or photographic
record pertaining to each such machine used in each election precinct
or district in each said general or primary election. Before making
[such] any verification and recanvass, the supervisors of elections
shall give notice, in writing, to the custodian of the voting machines
to be recanvassed and to the chairman of the State Central Com-
mittee of each party which shall have nominated candidates for said
general election or shall have candidates for nomination at said pri-
mary election. Each of the said chairmen shall have the right to
appoint and designate two representatives who shall each have the
right personally to examine and make a copy of the vote recorded
on the machines.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1961.

Approved April 24, 1961.