Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1922-11-17
Cut In Elections Not To Be At
Once.

IneTC Will DC NWO CtCSttOho hSNh ySo' eNS
primary contest in September and the
regular election in November. Baltimore
city will have two more-the municipal
primary in April and the municipal cleo
ton in May.
Philip B. Perlman, Secretary Of State
who drafted the quadrennial elections
amendment and the one authorizing women |
to hold constitutional Offices, as well as
those created by the Legislature. explains
both measures.
There will be no change in 1928 said
Mr.. Perlman. except that the Governor.
Attorney General and Comptroller, who
must be chonen next fall, all will be
elected for terms Of three years, instead
of for four-y ear and two-year terms, as
heretofore. This is to arrange the system
so that their successors will be elected at
the Congressional election Of 1925.
In 1926 the plan will have been de-
veloped so that all State and county officers,
except Judges Of the Circuit Courts. the
Supreme Bench OF Baltimore city and the
Court of Appeals. will be elected for uni
form terms Of four years. The term OF
none of these judges is affected by the
amendment and the only way il may
touch them is under appointments by the
Governor. AS all judges are elected for
terms of IS years. il always has been
necessary for the Governor TO appoint
judge to fill the year intervening between
the expiration Of the term and the next
general election. Hereafter the Governor
still will make the appointments, but be-
cause general elections. at which members
of the Legislature are chosen. will be held
only once in four years, there may be
times when the appointment may be for
period of upward Of four years.
State Senators and members Of the
House of Delegates who are elected next
fall will be chosen for term Of three years.
The General Assembly will meet as usual
in January, 1924, but will not meet again |
until January, 1927. The Governor to be |
elected next fall must prepare and submit
to the Legislature three budgets for the |
three fiscal years which will intervene be-
fore another meeting of that body. The
Legislature will, Of course, fix the State
tax rate for three years.
"All county officers whose terms have
been two or four years will be elected
next fall for three-ye terms, in conformity |
with the general plan. Beginning in 1925 |
Sheriffs who have had two-year terms, |
County Commissioners in many counties.
County Surveyors and probably most Coun-
" Treasurers will be elected for four-year
terms.
sgisters Of Wills and Clerks Of Courts
,ther county officials. TO be elected in
for terms which have been six years.
lold for three years. Those elected
26 and thereafter will serve for four
erms of all State and county officers
.dy elected and whose successors, I'M
he old law, would not be elected until
mber, 1925. are increased one year
ny the adoption Of the amendment so
that their successors may be elected in
1925. All six-year terms Of those elected
in 1919 and all four-year terms OF those
elected in 1921 are extended tol926 This
will apply to State Senators elected last
year and Clerks Of Courts and Registers of
Wills elected in 1919.
Those county officials whose successors
would have been elected in 1927 will find
their terms unchanged. Their successors
will be elected in 1926, but will not take
Office until year after their election-and
will hold for three years. that is, until
1880. when the four-year term will begin.
Under this amendment and the one
providing for the State Comptroller and
State Treasurer. the Treasurer to be chosen
by the Legislature Of 1924. will serve three
years After that the term will be for four
years.
The Quadrennal Elections amendment
also affects officials who serve by APP
pOintment. Those who are to be appointed
by the Governor in 1924 for terms which
have been two years will hold for three
years. The reason for this is that num-
Der of these appointments must be con-
fitmed by the Senate and the Senate will
net meet in 1926. Officials who hereto
fore have been appointed for four years
will be appointed for three years and
those for terms which have been six
years will be reduced to five years. After
that the terms will be two. four and six
years as before. but beginning on the odd
wear. In 1927 and thereafter the Genera
Assembly will meet every two years on
the odd year.
This applies to county appointive officers
as well, who have been appointed for spe.
cited terms All officials appointed by
County Commissioners. for instance. after
the 1928 election, whether the term be
two, four or six years, shall hold Office for
three years, and after that all appoint
ments shall be made uniformly for four
years. All State and county officials ap-
pointed for terms which expire in 1925 to
1928. inclusive, are cut one year. and
their sue .essors are to be appointed for
regular terms in 1924 TO 1927. inclusive. s.
In regard to the "women's amendment.
Mr.. Perlman said:
ut was designed to remove doubt rather
than anything else. No one knows just
what offices the Court Of Appeals might
declare Constitutional offices. For instance.
the State Librarian is an officer desien
by the Constitution, and the masculine
pronoun is used in connection with it
the Constitution saying the Librarian shall
hold his Office but Lloyd Iowndes set the
example OF appointing woman and all
Governors since his time have followed it.
The Court Of Appeals does not decline to
receive books from the woman and to that
extent tacitly admits the legality Of her