H.B. 56                                                   VETOES

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

(4) THE BOARD MAY NOT APPOINT AS A JUDGE A DECLINE UNLESS THE
BOARD HAS FIRST MADE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO APPOINT TO THAT POSITION A
JUDGE WHO BELONGS TO THE MAJORITY PARTY OR PRINCIPAL MINORITY PARTY.

2-8.

(a)     If any judge shall not be present at the expiration of fifteen minutes after the
time for the opening of the polls, the judge or. judges present shall fill the place of the
absent judge by appointing in his stead a person [of the same political party]
REGISTERED IN THE SAME MANNER WITH RESPECT TO PARTY AFFILIATION as the
absentee. One of the judges shall administer to such substitute the oath required of the
judge originally appointed.

(b)     (1) After the opening of the polls, a judge may not absent himself until all
the ballots cast have been counted and the returns completed. In case of absolute
necessity, if any judge in attendance is compelled to absent himself, he shall appoint some
fit person [of the same political party] REGISTERED IN THE SAME MANNER WITH
RESPECT TO PARTY AFFILIATION as himself to act in his stead until his return, having
first administered to the substitute the same oath as he himself has taken.

(2) A judge who is appointed to serve in a district, ward, or precinct other
than the one in which he is registered to vote and who chooses to vote shall cast his vote
by absentee ballot pursuant to § 27-l(a).

(c)     Blank forms for the appointment of the substitute judges and the oath
aforesaid shall be supplied by the board, and the oath when administered shall be
preserved and returned by the judges to the board.

(d)     The appointment and swearing in of all such substitutes and the reason
therefor and the time when such substitute began and ceased to serve shall be noted by
the judges on loose-leaf pages inserted in the binders containing the precinct cards; such
substitute shall cease to act whenever the judge in whose stead he was appointed shall be
present.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 1996.

May 23, 1996

The Honorable Casper R. Taylor, Jr.
Speaker of the House
State House
Annapolis MD 21401

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, I have today
vetoed House Bill 56.

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