[Amended 5-15-1967 by Res. No. 1, 1967; 10-17-2007 by Res. No.
2007-01]
The regular elections for the election of the
Commissioners of Hebron shall be held on the second Tuesday in April
in each year. At the election held on the second Tuesday in April,
2008, two (2) Commissioners shall be elected to serve for two (2)
years. The three (3) Commissioners whose terms are to expire in April,
2009, prior to this amendment, shall continue in office until their
terms expire. Thereafter, two (2) Commissioners shall be elected in
even-numbered years to serve for two (2) years and three (3) Commissioners
shall be elected in odd-numbered years to serve for two (2) years.
Any person who is registered to vote in any
special or general election of the State of Maryland, or is registered
to vote in any special or general election of the Town of Hebron,
and who shall have resided in the Town of Hebron for the period of
six (6) months immediately preceding any town election shall be a
duly qualified voter of the town. Every duly qualified voter shall
be entitled to vote in any and all town elections.
The Commissioners shall make all needful rules
and regulations, not inconsistent with this Charter or the laws of
the State of Maryland, for the election.
The Commissioners shall appoint five (5) resident
and qualified voters of the Town of Hebron to serve as Election Judges.
The current three (3) Election Judges shall remain as Election Judges
until their terms expire. The two (2) additional Election Judges shall
be appointed by the Commissioners of Hebron before the first day of
February, 2008. The terms of the Election Judges shall be for three
(3) years. Any vacancy during the unexpired term of an Election Judge
shall be filled by the Commissioners of Hebron for the remainder of
the term. All members shall serve until their successors are appointed
and qualified. The compensation of the Election Judges shall be determined
by the Commissioners of Hebron. The Election Judges shall conduct
the special and general elections held within the Town of Hebron in
accordance with the provisions of this Charter and the ordinances
of the Commissioners of Hebron. Any person desiring to be a candidate
for the office of Town Commissioner shall file his or her Certificate
of Candidacy with the Chairman of the Election Judges not later than
thirty (30) days prior to the date of the election of the Commissioners
of Hebron.
All elections hereunder shall be held within
the limits of the Town of Hebron at such place or places as the Commissioners
of Hebron may designate. At least ten (10) days prior to the holding
of any election, the Commissioners of Hebron shall give notice of
the time and place or places of such election by handbills posted
in at least five (5) public places in the Town of Hebron. Notice shall
also be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town
of Hebron not less than once per week for two (2) consecutive weeks,
such that the last publication shall be during the week immediately
prior to the week in which the election is to be held. The hours for
such election shall be between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
After the polls have been closed, the ballots
shall be publicly counted, and the Election Judges shall, within two
(2) days after such election, make a true and correct return of the
results of said election under their hands and seals to be addressed
and transmitted to the Commissioners of Hebron along with the ballots.
Said return shall be made a part of the records of the Commissioners
of Hebron.
If at any election it shall appear from the
returns of the Election Judges that two (2) or more persons voted
for as Commissioners have received the same number of votes so that
there is not a choice for the office, a new election shall be immediately
proclaimed by the Commissioners of Hebron to fill the vacancy from
among such tie candidates, which election shall be held on ten (10)
days' notice and in all respects as aforesaid, except as to the day
of election.
The newly elected Commissioners shall qualify
and take possession of their offices on the first regular meeting
night in May immediately following their election, and the failure
of any person so elected to appear and qualify within the time prescribed
shall be deemed a refusal of the person failing to qualify to accept
the office of Commissioner, whereupon the person receiving the next
highest number of votes shall be declared duly elected unless the
failure to appear is excused by a majority of the Election Judges.
Any duly qualified voter in the Town of Hebron
may request an absentee ballot. All requests shall be made at the
offices of the Town of Hebron by 5:00 p.m. on the day that is three
(3) weeks prior to the election in which the ballot shall be cast.
Absentee ballots must be returned to the Election Judges no later
than 2:00 p.m. on the day of the election in which the ballot shall
be cast. Absentee ballots shall be combined with the regularly cast
ballots and shall be opened and counted with and as the regularly
cast ballots are counted. Absentee ballots not filled out correctly
or not returned on time shall not be counted.
