2                                  Laws of Maryland                          [Ch. 2

CHAPTER 2
(Senate Bill 166)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Sections 3-8,
4A-3, 5-1, 5-2 (a), 7-1 (e), 8-4, 9-1, 17-2 (a), 17-5 (a), 17-5 (c),
22-1 (b) and 26-18 (a) of Article 33 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title "Election Code," sub-
titles "Registration of Voters—General Provisions," "Certificate
of Candidacy," "Primary Elections," "Nominations by Petition,"
"Certificates of Nomination," "Vacancies in Nomination—In Gen-
eral," "Board of Canvassers," "House of Representatives," and
"Fair Election Practices," to provide that the issuance by the
Governor of a proclamation directing that a special primary elec-
tion and special election be held to fill a vacancy in the office of
Representative in Congress, to provide for the dates for such elec-
tions, to make corrections in the Election Code in light of a special
primary election and a special election, to provide for the costs of a
special primary election and special election if such are held prior
to July 1, 1971, and relating generally to the Election Code and
special primary and special elections to fill vacancies in the office
of Representative in Congress.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 3-8, 4A-3, 5-1, 5-2 (a), 7-1 (e), 8-4, 9-1, 17-2 (a), 17-5
(a), 17-5 (c), 22-1 (b) and 26-18 (a) of Article 33 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title "Election Code,"
subtitles "Registration of Voters—General Provisions," "Certificate
of Candidacy," "Primary Elections," "Nomination by Petition,"
"Certificates of Nomination," "Vacancies in Nominations—In Gen-
eral," "Board of Canvassers," "House of Representatives," and
"Fair Election Practices," be and they are hereby repealed and
re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

3-8.

(a)  No person may register or, if registered, change his address
or name after the fifth Monday preceding or during the ten days
following a primary or special primary election; nor may he register,
or, if registered, change his address or name after the fifth Monday
preceding or during the fifteen days following a general or special
election.

(b)  Voters already registered as declines who wish to affiliate with
a party, or voters who wish to change their party affiliation, or voters
who wish to change from affiliation with a party to registration as
a decline, may do so at any time prior to six months before any
regular election or, in the case of a special primary and special
election pursuant to Section 22-1 (b) of this Article, at any time
prior to the date on which the Governor issues a proclamation direct-
ing that such elections be held.

4A-3.

Except as otherwise provided herein, [Certificates] certificates of
candidacy shall be received and filed in the office of the appropriate
board not later than nine p.m. on the Monday which is ten weeks
or seventy days before the day on which the primary election should