(a)    In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b)    “Affidavit” means a statement executed under penalty of perjury.

(c)    “Chief election official” means:

(1)    as to the State Board, the State Administrator; or

(2)    as to a local board, the election director.

(d)    “Circulator” means an individual who attests to one or more signatures affixed to a petition.

(e)    “Election authority” means:

(1)    the State Board; or

(2)    as to a local petition, the local board for that county.

(f)    “Legal authority” means:

(1)    the Attorney General; or

(2)    as to a local petition, the counsel to the local board appointed under § 2-205 of this article for that county.

(g)    “Local petition” means a petition:

(1)    on which the signatures from only one county may be counted; and

(2)    that does not seek to:

(i)    refer a public local law enacted by the General Assembly; or

(ii)    nominate an individual for an office for which a certificate of candidacy is required to be filed with the State Board.

(h)    “Page” means a piece of paper comprising a part of a petition.

(i)    “Petition” means all of the associated pages necessary to fulfill the requirements of a process established by the law by which individuals affix their signatures as evidence of support for:

(1)    placing the name of an individual, the names of individuals, or a question on the ballot at any election;

(2)    the creation of a new political party; or

(3)    the appointment of a charter board under Article XI-A, § 1A of the Maryland Constitution.

(j)    “Sponsor” means the person who coordinates the collection of signatures for a petition and who, if the petition is filed, is named on the information page as required by § 6-201 of this title.