SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                        895

(b) The practice in such cases shall be as in mandamus proceed-
ings, and the court shall determine the time for the speedy hearing
thereof, in its discretion; and for the purpose of service of papers
and other proceedings the board of canvassers, as organized and
existing at the time of making the original canvass, shall be
deemed a continuing board. There shall be the same right of ap-
peal as in other mandamus cases, but such appeal shall be taken
within five days from the date of the decision complained of, and
shall be heard and decided by the Court of Appeals as soon after the
transmission of the record as possible. The testimony taken in such
cases shall be sent to the Court of Appeals as part of the record.

17-8. Release of voting machines.

Every voting machine used in any election shall remain locked
and sealed after said ten-day period for as much longer as may be
necessary or advisable because of any contest over the result of the
election; except that it may be opened and the data and figures
therein examined in the presence of the officer having the custody of
such machine upon the order of any court of competent jurisdiction,
or by direction of any legislative committee to investigate and report
upon contested elections affected by the use of such machine. If
within two days after the results of the canvass are declared official,
the board shall receive notice in writing of any contest over the
result of said election, then such board, within five days from the
receipt of such notice and in the presence of the principals involved
in any such contest or their authorized representatives, shall proceed
to inspect and examine the voting machines containing the votes
cast for such contested office, and shall make a record of the votes
for such office upon said machines. Such record shall be received as
evidence as fully as if proved by the oral testimony of the persons
who shall sign the same, or by the production of said voting machines
in court or before said board. After such inspection, examination,
and recording of the results thereof, the said voting machines shall
be released and made available for use in any succeeding election.

BOARD OF STATE CANVASSERS
18-1. Membership and duties.

(a)    The Secretary of State, Comptroller, State Treasurer, Clerk
of the Court of Appeals and Attorney General shall constitute the
Board of State Canvassers, three of whom shall be a quorum.

(b)    The Secretary of State shall convene the meeting of the
Board of State Canvassers to be held at his office within thirty days
after any State election, or any election at which a candidate for
member of the Congress of the United States is to be elected. If a
majority does not attend, those present shall adjourn until the next
day, at which time they shall proceed, without further delay, to
canvass the votes.

(c)    The Board of State Canvassers, when thus formed, shall from
the certified copies of the statements made by the boards of city and
county canvassers, proceed to make a statement of the whole number
of votes given at such election for the several candidates for the
State and federal offices named in said statements FEDERAL AND
STATE OFFICES NAMED IN SAID STATEMENTS WHOSE
CANDIDACY WAS FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.