RESOLUTION NO. 08-101
A RESOLUTION TO AMEND § 19-14 OF THE CHARTER OF THE
TOWN OF QUEENSTOWN TO REQUIRE THAT RESIDENTS OF QUEENSTOWN
MUST
BE DULY REGISTERED TO VOTE AND MUST HAVE RESIDED IN THE
TOWN OF QUEENSTOWN FOR THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO VOTING.
Introduced By: Commissioner Peter G. Robertson
WHEREAS, recent federal court decisions and public debate
have recognized that in today’s mobile society,
duration of residency requirements for voter registration
can unconstitutionally deprive citizens of the right to
vote and prohibit, unnecessarily, a resident’s right
to participate in Town government;
WHEREAS, the Town Commissioners of Queenstown recognize
that fairness and integrity are key foundations to the
success of our democratic form of government and desire
to have the Town’s Charter provisions reflect those
foundations;
WHEREAS, the Town Charter, in § 19-14 contains mandatory
durations of residency, both in the State and in the Town,
prior to voter registration, which may exceed acceptable
standards today;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Town Commissioners of Queenstown hereby
resolve:
1. That sub-sections (3) and (4) of § 19-14 of the
Charter of the Town of Queenstown, which read:
(3) has resided in the State of Maryland for at least
one year next preceding any town election,
(4) has resided within the corporate limits of the town
for six months next preceding any town election, and
hereby are, stricken.
2. That two (2) new sub-sections be inserted to replace
the stricken sub-sections (3) and (4) of § 19-14
as follows:
(3) is a legal resident of the State of Maryland,
(4) will have resided within the corporate limits of the
Town for at least thirty (30) days prior to the next upcoming
election following their registration.
3. This Resolution shall become effective fifty (50)
days after passage of this Resolution, in accordance with
MD. CODE ANN., ART. 23 § 13(a)-(f).
I hereby certify that the above Resolution was passed
by a yea and nay vote of the Town Commissioners on the
4th day of February, 2008.
Amy Moore, Town Clerk
