The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-11-16
CUT IN ELECTIONS
NOT TO Be AT ONCE
Two Contests In State And Four
In City Scheduled For Next Year

amendment to the State Constitution,
which was adopted by the voters on
Tuesday, November 7th. In the State
at large there will be two elections
next year-the primary contest in
September and the regular election
in November. Baltimore City will
have two more-the municipal pri-
mary in April and the municipal cleo
ton in May.
Philip B. Perlman, Secretary Of
State, who drafted the Quadren-
NAL Elections amendment and the
one authorizing women tohold Consti-
tutional offices, as well as those Gre
ated by the Legislature, explained
both measures recently.
There will be no change in 1921
said Mr.. Perlman, except that the
Governor, Acknowledgement and the
Comprehensive must be chosen next
fall, all will be elected for terms of
three years, instead of for four-year
and two-year terms, as heretofore.
This is to arrange the system so that
their successors will be elected at the
Congressional election of 1926.
an 1926 the plan will have been
developed so that all State and CO.
unity officers, except judges of the
Circuit Courts, the Supreme Bench
Of Baltimore city and the Court Of
Appeals, will be elected for uniform
terms Of four years. The term OF
none Of these judges is affected by
the amendment and the only way it
may touch them is uder appointments
by the Governor. As all Judges are
elected for terms Of Is years, it al
ways has been necessary for the
Governor to appoint a Judge to fill
the year intervening between the eX-
T;rstion Of the term ard the next
General election. Hereafter the Gov
clnor still viii make the appoint
ments, bat because general elections.
IT which members of the Legislature
are chosen. viii be held only once in
four years. there may be times when
the appointment may be FOR @ period
of upward Of four years.
Stat Senators and members Of
the House of Delegates who are cleo.
ted next fall viii be chosen for 4
term Of three years. The General
Assembly will meet as usual in Jan
nary, 1927. The Governor to be cleo
ted next fall must prepare to submit
to the Legislature three budgets for
the three fiscal years which will in
teryene before 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-year
terms, in conformity with the general
plan. Beginning in 1926, Sherifs,
who have had two-year terms; Co.
unity Commissioners in many CO.
unties; county surveyors and probah-
ly most County Treasures will be
elected for four-year terms.
Registers of Wills ard Clerks of
Courts and other county officers. to
be elected in 1928 for terms which
have been six years. will hold for
three years. Those elected in 1926
and thereafter will serve for fou.
years.
NTerms of all State and county
officers already elected and whose
successors, under the old law, would
n OF be elected until November, 1925
are increased enc year by the adop-
ton of the amendment, so that their
successors may be elected n 1926
All six-year terms Of those elected in
1919 and all four-year terms Of those
elected in 1921 are extended to 1926
This will apply to State Senators
elected last year and Clerks OF
Courts and Registers of Wills elected
in 1919.
~Those county officials whose sue
cessors would have been elected ir
1927 will find their terms unchanged
Their successors will be elected II
1926, but will not take Office unit
year, after their electiOn-and will
hold for three years, that is, unit
1880, when the four-year term vii
begin.
'Under this amendment and tn,
one providing for the State Comp
troller and State Treasurer, tn
Treasurer to be chosen by the Legis
lature of 1924, will serve three years
''The Quadrennial Elections amend
ment also affects officials who serv
by appointment. Those who are t
be appointed by the Governor in 1872
for terms which have heen two year
will hold for three years. The reaso
for this is that a number of thes
appointments must be confirmed b
zhe Senate and the Senate will NJ
meet in 1926. officials who heret,
fore have been appointed for for
years will be appointed foy thr;
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