The Commissioners of Ridgely deem it necessary
for the good government and order of the Town of Ridgely to adopt
requirements for absentee voter registration for all local elections
so that all qualified citizens may have a voice in town affairs.
Any qualified voter whose physical disability confines
him or her to bed and/or permanently prevents him or her from being
present to register or reregister at the office of the Board of Elections
shall be allowed to register or reregister by completing such application
for registration as the Board shall prescribe and by approval of said
application by the Board.
Any qualified Town voter in the following categories
shall be allowed to register and reregister by completing such application
for registration as the Board of Elections shall prescribe and by
approval of such application by the Board. Unless otherwise provided,
all applications must be received not later than the Tuesday preceding
the election. Those categories of eligible voters are:
A member of any branch of the Armed Forces of the
United States or any component thereof, including those honorably
discharged therefrom during the period beginning 30 days prior to
the last registration day prior to an election and continuing up to
and including the date of election, and including his or her spouse
or dependents, and his or her application for an absentee ballot may
be received by the Board of Elections no later than 8:00 p.m. on the
day of the election.
A person as an officer or member of the crew of any
vessel documented under the laws of the United States or enrolled
for such employment with the federal government and his or her spouse
or dependents.
A civilian employee of the United States in all categories
serving outside the United States, whether or not subject to the civil
service laws and whether or not paid from funds appropriated by Congress,
and his or her spouse and dependents.
Any person serving with the American Red Cross, the
Society of Friends and Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots and the United
Service Organization who is attached to or serving with the Armed
Forces of the United States outside the United States and his or her
spouse or dependents.
Any citizen and resident who is continuously absent
from the town for the 30 days prior to the closing of registration
before any election, who may apply for registration and voting during
those 30 days, provided that his or her application is received by
the Board of Elections no later than the fifth Monday which is four
weeks before the election for which he or she applies for voting.
Any otherwise qualified voter whose confinement in
or restriction to an institution prevents him or her from being present
to register or reregister at the office of the Board of Elections.
For purposes of this section, a voter shall be deemed
and held to have resided continuously in the same geographical area
in which he or she resided at the time he or she first left to become
absent or engaged in such service for the entire period he or she
has been so absent or engaged.
When properly registered under this section, a person
shall continue as a registered voter to the same extent and for the
same period that he or she would be registered had he or she appeared
in person and been registered under the provisions of the election
laws of Ridgely, exclusive of this section.