Act of March, 1886 (Published as "Notice"), in St. Mary's Beacon, Oct. 13, 1887 at 2.
Abstract
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That from and after the passage of this Act it shall not be lawful for any person in St. Mary's county to carry on the days of election and primary election, within three hundred yards of the polls, secretly or otherwise, any gun, pistol, dirk, dirk-knife, razor, billy or bludgeon; and any person violating the provisions of this Act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof by the Circuit Court of St. Mary's county, having criminal jurisdiction thereof, or before any Justice of the Peace of said county shall be fined not less than ten nor more than fifty dollars for each offence, and on refusal or failure to pay said fine shall be committed to the jail of said county until the same is paid.
Summary
This law prohibits carrying weapons—including guns, pistols, knives, razors, and clubs—within 300 yards of polling places in St. Mary’s County on election days and primary days, whether concealed or openly carried. Violations are treated as misdemeanors punishable by a $10–$50 fine or jail until the fine is paid. It also requires law enforcement to enforce the ban, making officers who refuse to arrest offenders subject to fines and possible removal from office.
Law Text
Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That from and after the passage of this Act it shall not be lawful for any person in St. Mary's county to carry on the days of election and primary election, within three hundred yards of the polls, secretly or otherwise, any gun, pistol, dirk, dirk-knife, razor, billy or bludgeon; and any person violating the provisions of this Act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof by the Circuit Court of St. Mary's county, having criminal jurisdiction thereof, or before any Justice of the Peace of said county shall be fined not less than ten nor more than fifty dollars for each offence, and on refusal or failure to pay said fine shall be committed to the jail of said county until the same is paid.
Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That any constable of said county, or sheriff thereof, who shall refuse to arrest any person violating any of the provisions of this Act upon information of such offense, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof before the Circuit Court for St. Mary's county, shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars, and shall in the discretion of the court be discharged from office.
Description
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SENSITIVE PLACES