ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor

Ch. 379

10-315.

(a)     Every employer in the State shall permit any employee who [is] CLAIMS
TO BE a registered voter in the State a period not to exceed 2 hours absence from work
on election day in order to CAST A vote BALLOT if the employee does not have 2 hours
of continuous off-duty during the time that the polls are open.

(b)     The employer shall pay the employee for the 2 hours absence from work.

(c)      (1) Each employee shall furnish to the employer proof that the employee
has voted OR ATTEMPTED TO VOTE.

(2) The proof that an employee has voted OR ATTEMPTED TO VOTE shall
be on a form prescribed by the State Board.

11-101.

(c) (1) "Canvass" means the entire process of vote tallying, vote tabulation,
and vote verification or audit, culminating in the production and certification of the
official election results.

(2)     For absentee ballots, the "canvass" includes the opening of any
envelope accompanying an absentee ballot and the assembly and review of absentee
ballots in preparation for vote tallying.

(3)      FOR PROVISIONAL BALLOTS, THE "CANVASS" INCLUDES THE REVIEW
OF THE PROVISIONAL BALLOT APPLICATIONS DESCRIBED IN § 11-303 OF THIS TITLE
AND THE ASSEMBLY AND REVIEW OF PROVISIONAL BALLOTS IN PREPARATION FOR
VOTE TALLYING.

(f) (1) "Unofficial returns" means a vote tabulation reported on election
night after the polls close.

(2) "Unofficial returns" does not include the absentee ballot count OR
THE PROVISIONAL BALLOT COUNT.

11-303.

(a)     Following an election, each local board shall meet at its designated
counting center to canvass the provisional ballots [submitted] CAST in that election
in accordance with the regulations and guidelines established by the State Board.

(b)     A local board may not open an envelope of a provisional ballot until the
local board has approved the [temporary certificate] PROVISIONAL BALLOT
APPLICATION.

(c)      The State Board shall adopt regulations to implement this section.

(d)     (1) A local board may not reject a provisional ballot except by unanimous
vote and in accordance with regulations of the State Board.

(2) The local board shall reject a provisional ballot if:

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