3560

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 755

BY renumbering

Article 33 - Election Code

Section 26-18(g)

to be Section 24-27(b)

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1983 Replacement Volume and 1984 Supplement)

Preamble

The General Assembly of Maryland, recognizing that the
timely determination of issues arising with respect to elections
will facilitate the administration of elections, promote equity
among interested parties, and enhance the confidence of the
citizens of the State in the elections process, and recognizing
that existing law does not uniformly provide for such
determinations, and recognizing that the delayed determination of
issues that may affect the outcome of elections often does not
provide an adequate remedy, and concluding that a judicial
determination of election-related issues affords the fullest
opportunity for providing a timely and adequate remedy, enacts
this statute for the purposes and objectives hereinabove
mentioned and declares that it should be liberally construed to
effectuate these purposes and objectives, now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article 33 - Election Code

[19-1.

All contested elections for Comptroller of the Treasury,
judges, clerks of the court, and registers of wills shall be
decided by the House of Delegates. Testimony shall be taken in
such cases in the same manner as herein prescribed in the
contested seats of the Senate and House of Delegates.]

[19-2.

All cases of contested elections of any of the officers not
provided for in the Constitution or in §§ 19-1 and 19-4 of this
article, shall be decided by the judges of the several circuit
courts, each in his respective circuit. If the court finds that
mechanical failure, fraud or negligence on the part of any
election official or his agent materially contributed to the
outcome of that particular election, such that would affect the
final result, the court by order may declare null and void all or
part of that particular election, and the court may further order
that all or part of that particular election be reheld.]

[19-3.