Marvin Mandel, Governor                             5

TIFICATE WITHIN TWO DAYS AFTER THE FINAL FILING
DATE AS ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 4A-3 OF THIS ARTICLE.

(a)  Whenever any person who has filed a certificate of candidacy
for nomination in any primary election shall, in a writing signed by
him, and acknowledged before a justice of the peace or notary
public, notify the officer or board with whom the certificate of can-
didacy is required to be filed by this article, at least forty-five (45)
days before the said primary that he desires to withdraw as a can-
didate for such nomination, the certificate of candidacy shall there-
upon be and become void; and the name of any person so withdrawing
shall not be printed upon the ballots to be used at the primary elec-
tion. The filing of a valid certificate of withdrawal of candidacy is a
final act of withdrawal; and a person who files such a certificate
of withdrawal may not reinstate his candidacy, unless the time limit
for the filing of candidacies has not expired. No filing fees shall be
refunded to persons who withdraw in accordance with this section,
subject, however, to Section 4A-7 of this article.

(b)  Whenever any person nominated for public office as in this
article provided shall, at least thirty-five (35) days before election,
in a writing signed by him and acknowledged before a justice of
the peace or a notary public, notify the officer with whom the cer-
tificate nominating him is required to be filed by this article, that
he declines such nomination, such nomination shall be void; and
the name of any person so withdrawing shall not be printed upon
the ballots.

17-2.

(a) Each board shall constitute a board of canvassers for its
county or city, as the case may be. On the second day following
every primary or general election, and on the first day following
every special primary or special election, between the hours of ten
o'clock a.m. and one o'clock in the afternoon, the board of can-
vassers for each county and for the City of Baltimore shall meet
at the usual place for holding the circuit court of the county or at
the office of the board. Each board of canvassers shall elect a chair-
man and secretary from their number. Each member of the board
of canvassers shall take an oath, which shall be administered and
recorded by the clerk of the court, to truly canvass, add up and
declare the votes as required by law. At their first meeting a
majority of the whole board of canvassers shall be a quorum. If a
majority shall not attend as aforesaid, the canvassers present shall
adjourn to the next day, when they shall meet again between the
same hours. The canvassers shall perform the duties required by
law; and all questions arising in the course of their proceedings
shall be determined by a majority of the canvassers. All the sessions,
deliberations and proceedings of the board of canvassers shall be
public, and the candidates and their counsel shall have the right to
attend and inspect the original statements and returns, and all other
documents and records.

17-5.

(a) On the second Tuesday after any primary or general election
or, if the canvass is completed after this time, within forty-eight
hours after its completion, and as soon as possible after any special