PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

H.B. 50

(III) THE SUM OF THE NUMBER OF JUDGES WHO BELONG TO THE
MAJORITY PARTY AND THE NUMBER OF JUDGES WHO BELONG TO THE PRINCIPAL
MINORITY PARTY MAY NOT BE LESS THAN FOUR; AND

(IV) THE NUMBER OF JUDGES WHO HAVE DECLINED TO AFFILIATE
WITH A PARTY UNDER § 3-8 OF THIS ARTICLE MAY NOT EXCEED THE LESSER OF:

1. THE NUMBER OF JUDGES WHO BELONG TO THE
MAJORITY PARTY; OR

2. THE NUMBER OF JUDGES WHO BELONG TO THE
PRINCIPAL MINORITY PARTY.

(5) (I) THE BOARD SHALL DESIGNATE THE PERSONS INTENDED BY
THE BOARD TO REPRESENT EACH POLITICAL PARTY.

(II) THE BOARD MAY DESIGNATE AS A CHIEF JUDGE ONLY A
PERSON WHO BELONGS TO EITHER THE MAJORITY PARTY OR THE PRINCIPAL
MINORITY PARTY.

(c) Each member of the board shall have a veto upon the proposed appointment
of any judge. If in any instance in consequence of the use of such a veto, the board cannot
agree upon an appointment AND A POLITICAL PARTY IS ENTITLED TO BE
REPRESENTED BY AN ADDITIONAL JUDGE, then the member or members of the board
belonging to the political party entitled to be represented by such judge shall name three
[(3)] eligible persons for the office, and from this list the other member or members of
the board shall appoint the judge. If the member or members of the board belonging to
the political party entitled to be represented by a judge shall file in the office of the board
a statement in writing that a suitable person cannot in his or their judgment be secured in
any particular district or ward to fill the position of judge, the position then may be filled
by a person otherwise qualified residing in another district or ward.

2-7.

(a) (1) Each board biennially shall appoint for each precinct, at least four [(4)]
judges. [An] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, AN equal
number of such judges shall be selected from the majority party and the principal minority
party in the State; and the board in making any [such appointments] APPOINTMENT AS A
JUDGE UNDER THIS SUBSECTION shall designate the persons intended by it to represent each
[such] political party. The board may require the attendance of these persons before it for
examination with respect to their qualifications.

(2) IF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF JUDGES FOR A PRECINCT IS EIGHT OR MORE,
THEN THE NUMBER OF JUDGES WHO ARE DECLINES MAY NOT EXCEED THE LESSER OF:

(I) THE NUMBER OF JUDGES WHO BELONG TO THE MAJORITY PARTY;
OR

(II) THE NUMBER OF JUDGES WHO BELONG TO THE PRINCIPAL
MINORITY PARTY.

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