1224                           LAWS OF MARYLAND                     [CH. 784

from the registration list of any precinct. Application for the correc-
tion of any such precinct registration list or a challenge of the
right to vote of a person named on such list may be made by any
qualified voter of the county or city, as the case may be, at the office
of the Board of Supervisors in Baltimore City on or before the
Tuesday three weeks preceding such election, and in the counties
[seven] six FIVE weeks preceding such election. Such applications or
challenges shall be made on forms provided by the board for that
purpose. Thereon the voter shall state, under oath and of his own
personal knowledge, the reason for the application or challenge.
Thereafter the voter so applying or challenging shall be required to
appear in person at the time of the hearing on the application or
challenge as provided for in subsection (b) of this section and for
wilful failure to so appear shall be subject to the penalties provided
for in Section 199 of this article.

(b) In Baltimore City, two members of the Board of Supervisors
of opposite political parties, and in the respective counties the two
members of the permanent board of registry of such supplemental
boards of registry, consisting each of two persons of opposite political
parties, as may be appointed, if deemed necessary, by the board of
supervisors, shall sit for the purpose of hearing applications for
changes in such registration lists, or challenges of the right to vote
on such lists. They shall meet on the Tuesday two weeks before an
election in Baltimore City, and on the Tuesday [six] five FOUR weeks
before an election in the counties, at such hours as the board of super-
visors may designate. If all such applications or challenges be not de-
termined on that day, they shall sit during the same hours on
succeeding days until all cases are heard and decided. If it is not
possible to hear all such cases within one week from the time when
such sessions shall commence, the board of supervisors may appoint
one or more boards, each consisting of two members of opposite
political parties, to aid in hearing such applications or challenges
at a compensation fixed as provided in Section 5 of this article.
Persons whose right to register has been challenged and persons
whose names are alleged to have been erroneously omitted or dropped
from the registration lists shall be given written notice, sent by
mail, addressed to the voter at the address given in the registry and,
in addition, a similar notice shall be served on such voter by a mem-
ber of the board, or one of the judges in the precinct in which such
voter is registered or by a police officer, and, if such voter cannot be
found at the address shown in the registry, or otherwise found in
such precinct where registered, the notice shall be left at the address
shown in the registry. Any voter so notified may appear in person
or by counsel. At the request of either party, the board shall issue
subpoenas to witnesses to appear at such hearings, who shall be
sworn and examined. All cases shall be decided immediately after
hearing. No voter as to whom an application or a challenge has been
made shall be removed from the registration lists unless the applica-
tion or challenge is substantiated by affirmative proof. In the absence
of such proof, the presumption shall be that the voter as to whom
the application or challenge was made is properly registered. If
the board is satisfied that the person so challenged, omitted or
dropped from the registration lists has actually moved to another
precinct and is presently residing within that other precinct, the
board may transfer that person to the registration list of the precinct
in which he presently resides.