In all counties other than counties of the first class the board of chosen freeholders or the governing body of any municipality by a majority vote of their respective bodies may adopt for use at all elections any kind of voting machine that meets the requirements of this subtitle, or any voting machines which meet the requirements of this subtitle may also be adopted in any county or municipality at any general, local or special election, by popular referendum, by a majority of the qualified votes cast. Such referendum shall be placed on the ballot on petition of ten per centum (10%) of the qualified voters of such county or municipality who cast their votes at the last preceding general election in such county or municipality and shall be adopted by a majority vote of the qualified elect
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In all counties other than counties of the first class the board of chosen freeholders or the governing body of any municipality by a majority vote of their respective bodies may adopt for use at all elections any kind of voting machine that meets the requirements of this subtitle, or any voting machines which meet the requirements of this subtitle may also be adopted in any county or municipality at any general, local or special election, by popular referendum, by a majority of the qualified votes cast. Such referendum shall be placed on the ballot on petition of ten per centum (10%) of the qualified voters of such county or municipality who cast their votes at the last preceding general election in such county or municipality and shall be adopted by a majority vote of the qualified electors voting thereon. Such referendum shall read as follows: "Shall voting machines be adopted and used in all elections in the (county or municipality) of ?" Upon the adoption thereof the local governing body of such political unit shall proceed to acquire within eighteen months, by rental or purchase, a complete equipment of voting machines. The governing body of the county or municipality shall provide that all election districts of any one municipality shall be equipped with voting machines on the same day. In all counties of the first class on and after September first, one thousand nine hundred and forty, voting machines of the type to meet the requirements of this subtitle shall be adopted and furnished by rental or purchase, by the board of chosen freeholders and used at all elections, in all election districts, in said counties; provided, however, that the purchase price of voting machines shall be paid at a rate not to exceed three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) in any one year. In the event the board of chosen freeholders of any county of the first class shall not have furnished and provided by rental or purchase at least forty (40) days before the election immediately following the enactment of this act, voting machines of the description and in the quantity required for use as aforesaid then the State House Commission shall forthwith furnish, by purchase or rental, a sufficient number of voting machines for use at all elections in all election districts in said county; in the event that the State House Commission finds it impracticable to obtain the number of machines necessary for use in all election districts in the said county at the next election, the State House Commission shall furnish as many machines for use in the said county at the next election as it finds practicable, and in that event the superintendent of elections of such county shall direct the installation and use of voting machines, so furnished, in such municipalities and in such wards thereof as the superintendent of elections shall designate, giving preference to municipalities in the descending order of population measured by the last published Federal or State census, and, in any municipality, giving preference to the several wards thereof according to the same standard. Any voting machines purchased by the State House Commission under the provisions of this section shall be purchased through competitive bidding upon such notice and according to such procedure as the State House Commission may prescribe. The cost of the rental or purchase of voting machines by the State House Commission under the provisions of this section shall be paid as follows: The State Treasurer shall withhold ten per centum (10%) of all subventions, excepting school and relief funds, due said county in any fiscal year until sufficient funds, together with interest at the rate of three per centum (3%) per annum, on the unpaid balance has been withheld, to cover the cost of the purchase or rental of the voting machines. The State Treasurer shall disburse said funds so retained to such persons or corporations, public or private, as shall be entitled to the same. Amended by L.1940, c. 152, p. 329, s. 1; L.1940, c. 197, p. 845, s. 1.