ROCKVILLE                                               2379

(8) If any qualified voter desiring to vote by absentee ballot pursuant
to subsection (b) herein is unable by reason of blindness or physical
disability, without assistance, to mark a ballot and sign the oath on the
ballot envelope, any person may, at the request and in accordance with
the direction of the voter, mark the ballot, sign the name of the voter
on the line provided for the voter's signature, and complete the oath on
the face of the ballot envelope; and the following affidavit shall be exe-
cuted and enclosed in the Return Envelope—not in the Ballot Envelope.
No such person shall, in any manner, request, suggest, or seek to persuade
or induce any such voter to vote for or against any particular ticket,
candidate, or question.

STATE OF MARYLAND )

) ss.
COUNTY OF MONTGOMERY)

I hereby declare, under the penalty for perjury, that on this ....day

of............................, 19............................................., a qualified voter entitled

to vote pursuant to Article III, Section 48-7 of the Charter of the City
of Rockville, who is unable by reason of blindness or physical disability,
without assistance, to mark a ballot and sign the oath on the ballot en-
velope, authorized me to mark the ballot, sign his name on the line pro-
vided for the voter's signature and complete the oath on the face of the
ballot envelope. I have marked the enclosed ballot in accordance with
his instructions and have not attempted to influence him to vote for or
against any candidate or question appearing on the ballot.

(Name and address of person assisting the voter)

(If the above form is used, detach it, fill in the blanks, and enclose
it in the Return Envelope)

(1)   Canvassing of ballots.

(1) Opening or unfolding ballot. The board shall not open or unfold
any absentee ballot at any time prior to the closing of the polls and the
beginning of the canvass of the absentee ballots.

(2)  Procedure generally. At any time after the closing of the polls
and not later than the canvass of the votes cast at the regular voting
places in the City at any election, the board shall meet at the usual
offices of the board and shall proceed to count, certify and canvass the
absentee ballots contained in the ballot envelopes, received by them prior
to the closing of the polls on election day. No ballot shall be rejected
by the board except by the unanimous vote of the entire board. All
voters' applications, medical certificates, notarial affidavits, certifications,
ballot envelopes and ballots shall be kept separate and apart from ballots
cast in the regular voting places and retained for six (6) months after
the date of election at which they were cast, unless prior to that time,
the board shall be ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction, to keep
the same for any longer period. The board is hereby granted authority
to appoint such numbers of temporary judges as said board may deem
necessary to adequately and promptly carry out the provisions of this sub-
section.

(3)  Ballot voted for person who has ceased to be a candidate. Any
absentee ballot voted for a person who has ceased to be a candidate
shall not be counted for such candidate but such vote shall not invali-
date the remainder of such ballot.