3268

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 814

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article 33 - Election Code

9-1.

The times designated in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
section for declining nominations and for withdrawal of
certificates of candidacy and for board offices to be open
are mandatory and the provisions of these paragraphs shall
also be applicable to municipal elections in Baltimore City.
The provisions of these paragraphs shall not be applicable
to elections pursuant to § 22-1(b) of this article, and any
right of withdrawal in such elections shall be limited to
whatever is set forth in the Governor's proclamation,
provided, however, that said proclamation by the Governor
must contain a provision which allows any person who has
filed a certificate of candidacy pursuant to § 22-1(b) of
this article to withdraw such certificate within two days
after the final filing date as established in § 4A-3 of this
article.

(a) (1) [Whenever] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN § 12-2
(C) OF THIS ARTICLE, WHENEVER any person who has filed a
certificate of candidacy for nomination in any primary
election shall, in a writing signed by him, and acknowledged
before a notary public, notify the officer or board with
whom the certificate of candidacy is required to be filed by
this article, within [18] 10 days after the final filing
date established in § 4A-3 of this article that he desires
to withdraw as a candidate for such nomination, the
certificate of candidacy shall thereupon be and become void;
and the name of any person so withdrawing shall not be
printed upon the ballots to be used at the primary election.
The filing of a valid certificate of withdrawal of candidacy
is a final act of withdrawal; and a person who files such a
certificate of withdrawal may not reinstate his candidacy,
unless the time limit for the filing of candidacies has not
expired. No filing fees shall be refunded to persons who
withdraw in accordance with this section, subject, however,
to § 4A-7 of this article.

12-2.

(a) Whenever a party uses a primary election to
nominate a candidate for President of the United States, any
person who desires to run in the primary election may become
a candidate for nomination only:

(1) By direction of the Secretary of State who
shall place the name of the candidate upon the ballot no
sooner than 70 [70] 90 days nor later than 53 [53] 70 days
preceding the date set by law for the primary election when
he has determined in his sole discretion that the
candidate's candidacy is generally advocated or recognized