874                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 392

15-3. Challengers and watchers.

(a)    Each political party or other body of voters having a candi-
date or candidates shall have the right to designate and keep a chal-
lenger and watcher at each place of registration and election. Said
persons shall be assigned to such position near the judges, inside the
registration or polling room, as to enable them to see each person as
he offers to register or vote. They shall be protected in the discharge
of their duty by the judges and the police.

(b)    A certificate signed by any party or candidate shall be suf-
ficient evidence of the right of such challenger and watcher to be
present in the registration or polling room.

(c)    Such challenger or watcher shall have the right to remain in
the polling place from the time the polls are opened until the returns
are completed. It shall be unlawful for any such challenger to inquire
or ascertain for what candidate or candidates any voter may intend
to vote, or has voted, or to converse in the polling place with any voter
or to assist him in the preparation of his ballot or in the operation
of the voting machine. Any challenger offering or attempting to do
so may lawfully be ejected by the judges and shall also be subject to
the punishment hereinafter in this article provided.

(d)    A challenger or watcher may be removed at any time by the
same person who appointed him.

(e)    Persons other than accredited challengers or watchers who
desire to challenge the vote of any person shall be permitted to enter
the polling place for that purpose, but a majority of the judges may
limit the number of persons to be allowed in the polling place at any
one time for such purpose; and all such persons shall leave the poll-
ing place as soon as the right to vote of the person challenged by
them has been decided.

(f)    The form for the certificate of a challenger and watcher shall
be supplied by the party, candidate or other organization and shall be
in substantially the following form:

CHALLENGER'S AND WATCHER'S CERTIFICATE

............................................Md..............................................,196....

To the Judges of Election:

This is to certify, That..........................................................................

has been designated by me to act as Challenger and Watcher, and

................................................................ to act as substitute Challenger

and Watcher, for the........................Precinct........................ District

(Ward),.................................................... (County) (City), during the

....................Election to be held on...................., 196..

Respectfully submitted,

(Name of Candidate)
.....................

(Office)