City of New Carrollton, MD Article V Miscellaneous

[Amended 12-19-2018 by Ord. No. 19-04]

§ 50-35 Authority line.

A. Campaign material authority line and statement.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, each item of campaign material shall contain, set apart from any other message, an authority line that states:

(a) As to campaign material published or distributed by a campaign finance entity:

[1] The name and address of the treasurer of each campaign finance entity responsible for the campaign material; and

[2] As to each treasurer named under this item, the name of each campaign finance entity for which the treasurer is acting; and

(b) As to campaign material published or distributed by any other person, the name and address of the person responsible for the campaign material.

(2) The authority line may omit an address that is on file with the City Board of Elections.

(3) If the campaign material is too small to include all of the information specified in Subsection A(1) of this section in a legible manner, the authority line need only contain the name and title of the treasurer or other person responsible for it.

(4) The authority line for campaign material that is a commercial advertisement need only contain the information specified in Subsection A(1) and (2) above for one campaign finance entity or other person responsible for the advertisement.

B. Campaign material that is published or distributed in support of or in opposition to a candidate, but is not authorized by the candidate, shall include the following statement:

This message has been authorized and paid for by (name of payor or any organization affiliated with the payor), (name and title of treasurer or president). This message has not been authorized or approved by any candidate.

§ 50-36 Vote count.

A. The Board of Elections shall tally the machine votes once the polls have been closed. Once the voting machine tallies have been completed, those results will be publicly announced as the unofficial results of the City election.

B. Within twenty-four (24) hours after the closing of the polls, the Board of Elections, in the presence of the City Clerk and the duly accredited watchers within the polling place, shall canvass the voting machines or other voting system and count any paper ballots, regular and absentee, to determine the vote cast for each candidate and/or any questions on the ballot.

[Amended 1-15-2020 by Ord. No. 20-07]

C. The Board of Elections shall meet the day following the election and shall determine and declare what persons have been elected, issue certificates of election to such persons and certify the results of the election to the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem as provided in City Charter, § C-7, Elections.

§ 50-37 Challengers and watchers.

[Amended 1-15-2020 by Ord. No. 20-07]

A. A challenger and watcher is an individual designated by a candidate or a group of voters supporting or opposing a candidate, a principle, or proposition on the ballot. Challengers and watchers must be registered voters in City elections.

B. A challenger or watcher officially representing a candidate in any City election has the right to:

(1) Enter the polling place at least (but no later than) one­half hour before the polls open;

(2) Enter or be present in the voting area at any time when the polls are open;

(3) Remain in the polling place until the completion of all tasks associated with the close of the polls and the election judges leave the polling place; and

(4) Be present when the Board of Elections canvasses the voting machines or other voting system and counts ballots, as provided for in § 50-36 above.

C. A challenger or watcher may not attempt to:

(1) Ascertain how a voter voted or intends to vote;

(2) Converse in the polling place with any voter;

(3) Assist any voter in voting; or

(4) Physically handle an original election document.

§ 50-38 Certification of candidates elected.

A. All candidates must meet the qualifications for the office for which they are nominated. Only those successful candidates who are qualified to serve for the office for which they are elected shall be eligible to hold office.

B. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a candidate who fails to meet the qualifications for the office for which they are nominated shall be deemed to have withdrawn their candidacy and forfeited their right to office. In the event that a write-in candidate receiving the highest number of votes is not qualified to hold office, then the qualified candidate with the next highest number of votes for that office shall be declared the winner and will be sworn to office, provided that person has complied with the provisions of City Code Chapter 50.

§ 50-39 Suspension, alteration or amendment of provisions during state of emergency or public health emergency.

[Added 4-15-2020 by Ord. No. 20-12]

In the event voting by mail is instituted by the City Council due to a state of emergency or public health emergency declared by the Governor and/or the County Executive, any and all duties, rights, and requirements of Chapter 50 may be suspended, altered, or amended by emergency ordinance by the City Council.