VETOES

Blair Lee III
Acting Governor

House Bill No. 711 - Prince George's County - Election

Day Costs
PG 205-78

AN ACT concerning

Prince George's County — Election Day Costs
PG 205-78

FOR the purpose of requiring the Prince George's County
Board of Election Supervisors to reimburse the local

Board of Education or any agency supplying facilities

for certain election day expenses.

May 29, 1978
Honorable John Hanson Briscoe
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21404

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the
Maryland Constitution, I have today vetoed House Bill 711.

This bill requires the Prince George's County Board of
Election Supervisors to provide reimbursement to any agency
that supplies facilities for use on election days. The
reimbursement is for the expenses incurred in that use by
the agency.

The use of public buildings as polling places to the
maximum extent possible has been required since 1920. The
provision of the requisite space and the light, heat, and
custodial and janitorial services without charge has been
the law since 1967. Because primary and general election
days have been official school holidays since 1967, the use
of public schools as polling places has increased, so that,
at present, 770 of the 1317 State polling places are located
in public school buildings.

House Bill 711 requires, for one county only, the
reimbursement for these expenses. It destroys the
uniformity with which election procedures are currently
administered.

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