ROCKVILLE                                               2321

ability, without assistance, to mark a ballot and sign the oath on the ballot
envelope, any person may, at the request and in accordance with the di-
rection of the voter, mark the ballot, sign the name of the voter on the
line provided for the voter's signature, and complete the oath on the face
of the ballot envelope; and the following [affidavit] statement shall be
executed and enclosed in the Return Envelope—not in the Ballot Envelope.
No such person shall, in any manner, request, suggest, or seek to persuade
or induce any such voter to vote for or against any particular ticket,
candidate, or question.

ESTATE OF MARYLAND }

} ss:
County of Montgomery] }

I hereby declare [,] or affirm under the penalty for perjury, that on

this..............day of...................., 19........, ...................................., a qualified

voter entitled to vote pursuant to Article III, Section 48-7 of the Charter of
the City of Rockville, who is unable by reason of blindness or physical
disability, without assistance, to mark a ballot and sign the oath on the
ballot envelope, authorized me to mark the ballot, sign his name on the
line provided for the voter's signature and complete the oath on the face
of the ballot envelope. I have marked the enclosed ballot in accordance
with his instructions and have not attempted to influence him to vote for
or against any candidate or question appearing on the ballot.

(Name and address of person
assisting the voter)

(If the above form is used, detach it, fill in the blanks, and enclose it in the
Return Envelope)

(i) Canvassing of ballots.

(1)    Opening or unfolding ballots. The Board shall not open or unfold
any absentee ballot at any time prior to the closing of the polls and the be-
ginning of the canvass of the absentee ballots.

(2)  Procedure generally. At any time after the closing of the polls
and not later than the canvass of the votes cast at the regular voting
places in the City at any election, the Board shall meet at the usual offices
of the Board and shall proceed to count, certify and canvass the absentee
ballots contained in the ballot envelopes, received by them prior to the
closing of the polls on election day. No ballot shall be rejected by the
Board except by the unanimous vote of the entire Board. All voters' appli-
cations, medical certificates, [notarial affidavits,] certifications, ballot en-
velopes and ballots shall be kept separate and apart from ballots cast in
the regular voting places and retained for six (6) months after the date
of election at which they were cast, unless prior to that time, the Board
shall be ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction, to keep the same for
any longer period. The Board is hereby granted authority to appoint
such numbers of temporary judges as said Board may deem necessary to
adequately and promptly carry out the provisions of this subsection.

(3)   Ballot voted for person who has ceased to be a candidate. Any
absentee ballot voted for a person who has ceased to be a candidate shall
not be counted for such candidate but such vote shall not invalidate the
remainder of such ballot.

(4)    Voter dying before election day. Whenever the Board shall de-
termine from proof or investigation that any person who has marked and