2378                               Municipal Charters

(iii) The third envelope shall be a "covering envelope" in which all
balloting material shall be sent to the absentee voter. On this envelope
shall be printed the return address of the board and in boldface type
the words "Official Absentee Ballot, City of Rockville".

(h) Instructions to voters.

The printed instructions for the casting of absentee ballots are as
follows:

Instructions to Voters

Enclosed are a City Absentee Ballot, Ballot Envelope and a Return
Envelope for use in returning the ballot. Warning: Failure to follow these
instructions will invalidate the ballot.

(1)  Examine the ballot before marking. When once marked, do not
erase. Mark the ballot with either pencil or ink by placing an (X) in
the block after each candidate for whom you wish to vote and in the
appropriate block after each charter amendment, referendum or any other
question (if any appear on the ballot), for or against which you wish
to vote. Do not vote for more candidates than the number specified over
the names of candidates for each office. The ballot must be marked se-
cretly. Do not sign your name or put on the ballot any mark of iden-
tification or any other mark except the (X) mark or the name of a
written-in candidate.

(2)  Then enclose the ballot in the Ballot Envelope and seal the same.

(3)  After sealing the Ballot Envelope, you must, in the presence of
a witness, fill in the blanks in the "Oath of Absentee Resident" on the
Ballot Envelope(s) and sign (Do not print) your name on the line in-
dicated. You must then swear to the Oath before the witness who must
fill in the date, sign his name and indicate his official position in the
space provided, and, if a notary public, affix his official seal. The witness
must be a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths.

(4)  It is absolutely necessary that the "Ballot Envelope" contains
nothing but one ballot marked by you.

(5)   Enclose the Ballot Envelope in the Return Envelope, seal the
Return Envelope and mail at once.

The ballot may be marked and mailed at any time after you receive
it but it must be received by the board of supervisors of elections not
later than the closing of the polls on election day. If it is not received
prior to such closing, it will not be counted.

(6)  If you desire not to vote for any of the candidates named for
any office on the ballot, you may write in, in the appropriate blank
on the ballot, the name of the person of your choice for such office.

(7)  The Absentee Voting Law provides that anyone who willfully
signs any false application or oath, or who willfully does any act con-
trary to the terms and provisions of the Absentee Voting Law with intent
to cast an illegal vote or to aid another in doing so, or who willfully
violates any of the provisions of that law or who applies for a ballot
under any other name than his own, shall, upon conviction, be subject
to a fine of $100 or to imprisonment for not more than one year, or
to both, in the discretion of the court.