936                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 392

the entire board and when rejected shall notify the applicant of the
reason therefor if:

(1)    It determines upon inquiry that the applicant is not legally
qualified to vote at the election as an absentee voter; or

(2)    If the affidavit is verified before any officer other than a
member of the board or an employee thereof designated by it in
writing or a notary public or other officer authorized to administer
oaths. If the board or member thereof suspects that the applicant
is not a qualified voter, the board shall make inquiries in reference
thereto, and upon cause duly shown that the applicant is not a
qualified voter, the board shall withhold delivery of an absentee
ballot.

(b) If the applicant is a qualified voter as stated in his affidavit
the board shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, deliver to him, at
the office of the board, or mail to him at an address designated by
him, an absentee voter's ballot and an envelope therefor. Postage
for transmitting ballot material to the voter shall be paid by the
board, and postage for the return of ballots shall be paid by the
voters. If the ballots are to be sent by mail, the determinations
required in subsection (a) of this section shall be made in such time
as will allow for the sending and return of the ballots by regular
mail, or airmail, depending on the mailing address and including at
least one secular day for marking the ballots and completing the
affidavit. All such investigations shall be concluded and any deter-
minations made as to all absentee ballot applications not later than
five days before election day.

(c)(l) The board shall keep a record of applications for ab-
sentee voters' ballots as they are received, showing the date and time
received, the names and residences of the applicants, and such record
shall be available for examination by any registered voter.

(2) After approval of an application for an absentee ballot and
the mailing to the applicant of an absentee ballot, the voter's record
card in the precinct binder shall be removed and placed in a separate
binder marked "Registered Absentee Voters" and retained in the
office of the board. A marker shall be placed in the regular pre-
cinct binder with the voter's name and recording the fact that an
absentee ballot has been mailed, which shall show the date on which
the ballot was sent. No such voter shall vote or be allowed to vote
in person at any polling place.

(d) Not more than one absentee ballot shall be mailed to any
one applicant unless the board has reasonable grounds to believe
that the absentee ballot previously mailed has been lost, destroyed
or spoiled.

27-7. Ballots for absentee voters.

(a)    In sufficient time prior to any election, the boards shall
have printed an adequate number of absentee ballots, the three
kinds of envelopes described in this section, and the instructions
to absentee voters as set out in Section 27-8 of this Article.

(b)    The ballots shall contain the words "Absentee Ballot"
printed in large letters in a clear space at the top of each ballot.
Underneath these words shall be printed the following warning: