902                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 392

(b)    Knowingly or wilfully to circulate, publish, or exhibit any
false statement or representation concerning the contents, purport,
or effect thereof, for the purpose of obtaining any signature to the
petition or of persuading any person to sign it.

(c)    To refer to the Secretary of State a petition to which is at-
tached, appended, or subscribed any signature which the person
knows to be false or fraudulent or not the genuine signature of
the person purporting to sign the petition or of the person whose
name is attached, appended, or subscribed to the petition.

(d)    To make a false affidavit.

(e)    To give, pay, or receive any money or other valuable con-
sideration or inducement for signing the petition or for securing the
signatures thereon.

(f)    To circulate or cause to be circulated a petition, knowing it to
contain false, forged, or fictitious names.

(g)    Knowingly as a petitioner to sign his name more than once.

(h) To sign a petition, knowing at the time he is not qualified
to sign it.

23-6. Same—Statement of contributions and expenditures.

(a)    At the time of filing with the Secretary of State a petition
(including an associated or related set of petitions) under the pro-
visions of Article 16 of the Constitution, the person, persons, or
associations which files the petition shall file with it a statement
showing the contributions and expenditures for the petition. This
shall be certified by the person, persons, or association which files
the petition, giving (1) the name and post-office address of every
contributor to the expense of the petition, and the amount paid by
each; and (2) the name and post-office address of every person to
whom, and for what service, any money was paid or promised on
account of the petition or which is owed to be paid.

(b)    If such a certified statement is not filed with the petition, the
Secretary of State shall treat the petition as invalid and shall not
certify the question of the referendum to the several boards.

(c)    In any proceeding to test the validity of any petition filed
as specified in subsection (a) of this section, the person, persons, or
association certifying the statement required in this section shall be
a party to such a proceeding. Such proceeding shall be filed in the
county or Baltimore City where the person, persons or association
resides or maintains its principal place of business, as the case
may be.

23-7. Same—Effect of question concerning or invalidity of signature.

On any petition (including an associated or included set of peti-
tions) submitted to the Secretary of State under the provisions of
Article 16 of the Constitution, any question concerning, or the in-
validity of, the signature of any person on the petition affects that
signature only and does not affect or impair any other portion of the
petition or petitions.