1440

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 347

(2)    PROTECT THE SECURITY OF THE VOTING PROCESS;

(3)    COUNT AND RECORD ALL VOTES ACCURATELY; AND

(4)    PROTECT ALL OTHER RIGHTS OF VOTERS AND
CANDIDATES.

(B) (1) THE STATE BOARD MAY NOT APPROVE ANY VOTING
SYSTEM UNLESS IT MEETS THE STANDARDS IN SECTION 16B-2(A) AND
THE PUBLIC INTEREST WILL BE SERVED BY APPROVAL OF THE
SYSTEM.

(2) IN DETERMINING IF THE VOTING SYSTEM MEETS
THE REQUIRED STANDARDS AND WOULD SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST,
THE STATE BOARD SHALL CONSIDER, AMONG OTHER FACTORS:

(I)    THE COMMERCIAL AVAILABILITY OF THE
SYSTEM AND ITS REPLACEMENT PARTS AND COMPONENTS;

(II)   THE EFFICIENCY OF THE SYSTEM;

(III)  THE LIKELIHOOD OF MECHANICAL
BREAKDOWN;

THE VOTER;

THE SYSTEM;

(IV)   THE SYSTEM'S EASE OF UNDERSTANDING TO

(V)    THE CONVENIENCE OF VOTING AFFORDED BY

(VI)   THE TIMELINESS OF THE TABULATION AND
REPORTING OF ELECTION RETURNS;

(VII)  THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ALTERNATIVE
MEANS OF VERIFYING THE TABULATION; AND

(VIII)   THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING THE
SYSTEM.

(3) A VOTING SYSTEM APPROVED HEREUNDER NEED NOT
SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTIONS 14-1, 16-1 (B), 16-3,
16-5, 16-11, AND 16-16 IF THE STATE BOARD FINDS THAT THOSE
REQUIREMENTS ARE INAPPROPRIATE TO THE SYSTEM UNDER
CONSIDERATION AND COMPLIANCE THEREWITH IS NOT NECESSARY TO
PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF VOTERS AND CANDIDATES.

(C)    UPON THE APPROVAL OF A VOTING SYSTEM BY THE STATE
BOARD AND THE ADOPTION BY THE STATE BOARD OF RULES AND
REGULATIONS GOVERNING ITS USE, THE STATE BOARD SHALL
CERTIFY THE SYSTEM FOR USE AND SO NOTIFY THE LOCAL BOARDS.

(D)    IF THE STATE BOARD DETERMINES THAT A SYSTEM IT
HAS PREVIOUSLY CERTIFIED NO LONGER MERITS CERTIFICATION, IT
MAY DECERTIFY THAT SYSTEM AND, IF ONE OR MORE OF THE
STANDARDS IN SECTION 16B-2(A)(1), (2), AND (3) ARE NO LONGER
MET, SHALL DECERTIFY THAT SYSTEM. THE STATE BOARD SHALL
DETERMINE WHEN, OR UPON WHAT CONDITIONS, THE DECERTIFICATION
BECOMES EFFECTIVE. IN NO EVENT MAY THE DECERTIFICATION (OR