The Sun.
London, England, 1831-03-16 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM BILL.

A BILL TO AMEND THE REPRESENTATION OF
THE PEOPLE IN ENGLAND AND WALES.

[Note—The words printed in Italics are proposed to
in the Committee]
Whereas it is expedient to take effectual measures for correct
ing divers abuses that have long prevailed in the choice of Mem-
bers to serve in the Commons House of Parliament, to diminish
the expense of elections, to deprive many inconsiderable places
of the right of returning Members, to grant such privilege to
large, populous, and wealthy towns, to increase the number of
Knights of the Shire, and to extend the elective franchise to
many of his Majesty's subjects who have not heretofore enjoyed
the same : Be it enacted, by the King's most Excellent Majesty,
by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and
Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled,
and by the authority of the same, that the boroughs enumerated.
t
in schedule (A.) to this Act annexed, shall cease, after .he end
of this present Parliament, to return Members to serve
liament, and that no writ or precept shall be issued orf
d sentve in
any lar.
'
oPfr a tlhiaemsaeindtboroughs to return Members to serve in any uture
(B.) to this Act annexed, shall, after the end of this present
edpualre
mliaenr
,sneinntrreeatuchrnnofntheeAsaleimdbbenrroanngduo more to serve in Parha-
m eAnnt , t
h dbe
ittnis acted,en,nnt heartataedft er
andt described
e d ofi n
this
scheduleioeent itan-
this Act annexed, shall each return two Members to serve in
Parliament; and that the towns enumerated in schedule 1.),.) to
this Act annexed, shall each return one Member to serve in Par.
liament.
Regis A nds bh
shall,
for
thea cte
ptnhraptc!e the townss
of tthis
ofA Act be
Weymouthtaken and
as one c
town,ombe
and shall, after the end of this present Parliament, return only
two Members to serve in Parliament.
And be it enacted, that each of the towns of Portsmouth, Ro-
chester, and Kingston-upon-Hull, shall, after the end of this
present Parliament, return two Members to serve in Parliament,
jointly with the other places respectively, as decribed in schedule
(E.) to this Act annexed.
,And be it enacted that after the end of this present Parlia.
ment, each of the places named in schedule (F.) to this Act an.
nexed, shall have a share in the election of burgesses to serve in 1
Parliament, for the shire, town, or borough to which such place
is annexed in the said schedule (F.) ; and that every person hay.
ing the right of voting in any of the said places previously to the
passing of this Act, or acquiring such right by virtue of this Act,
shall and may give his vote in respect thereof at the place in
which he resides, before the Mayor or other chief officer of the
place, who shall transmit the poll taken before him to the return-
ing officer of the shire, town, or borough, to which such place
may be joined for the purposes of election.
And be it enacted, that no person shall, after the end o f this
present Parliament, have the right of voting at the election of
Members to serve for the town of Carnarvon, in respect of any
supposed right.of voting in the place called Criccieth.
And be it enacted, that the towns of Swansea, Laugharne,
Neat!), Aberaven, and Ken Fig, shall after the end of this pre-
sent Parliament, for the purposes of this Act, be taken as one
borough, and shall return one Member to serve in Parliament ;
and no person by reason of any right accruing in any of the places
last named shall have any vote in the election of Members for the
borough of Cardiff; and that the votes shall in such elections be
taken at the town or place within which the pet sons having the
right of voting shall severally reside, by the Mayor or other mu-
nicipal officer of such town or place, who shall transmit the poll
taken before him to the Portreeve of Swansea, who shall be the
returning officer for tile said borough.
And be it enacted, that the persons described in the
column of the said several schedules (C.) (1).) and (E.) shall be
the persons to whom all writs and precepts shall, after the end
of this present Parliament, be directed, and shall bethe returning
officers for the elections of Members to serve in Parliament for
the said towns and places.
And be it enacted, that no person shall be entitled to vote at
the election of a Knight of the Shire to serve in any future Par-
liament, in respect of any house, by reason of the occupation
whereof he or any other persons shall be entitled to vote for any
city or borough.
And be it enacted, that from and after the end of this present
Parliament, every male person of full age and not subject to any
legal incapacity, seised of and in any lands or tenements for an
estate for life, or for any larger estate of at least the yearly value
of ten pounds above reprises, holden by copy of court roll of the
lord or lady of any manor, or by any customary tenure, and every
person holding lands or tenements by lease for any term not less
than years, whereon a yearly rent of not less thanlifty
pounds shall be reserved, shall have a right to vote ins the elec-
tion 9f Knights of the Shire in all future Parliaments; provided
that no leaseholder shall enjoy such right by virtue of any lease
renewable every year, or which shall have been renewed within
two years preceding the registration to be made in manner here-
inafter directed : provided always that nothing herein contained
shall take away or in any manner affect the right of voting for
Knights of the Shire, at present enjoyed by any person, and
which may hereafter accrue to any person, according to the laws
now in force, in respect of freehold property, rent-charges, an-
nuities, or any other right of voting now by law enjoyed in re-
lation to the election of Knights of the Shire.
And be it enacted, that after the end of this present Parlia-
ment, every person owning or holding any lands or tenements,
situated within cities or towns, being counties of themselves,
described in schedule (U.) to this Act annexed (which lands or
tenements would, if situated in a county not being a city or
town, which is a county of itself, entitle the owner or holder
thereof to vote), shall be entitled to vote at any election for the
Knights of the Shire named in the said schedule (G.) respectively.
Provided also, and be it hereby enacted, that no person shall
vote for any Member, to serve in any future Parliament, in re-
spect to the ownership or possession of any lands or tenements,
unless he shall have been seised or possessed thereof for the
space of thirty days at least before the registration (to be made
in manner hereinafter directed) last before the election at which
he shall claim to vote

inserted

Andbe(ll.) to this Ae
thattenactedtannexed, to b i
ah neea.chofitee ed hi mannercdoiuvnidtiesenu enumerated
ertehdiL
schedule
inatter particularly directed, shall in like manner choose and re-
turn four Knights of the Shire instead of two. to serve in all
future Parliaments for the same respectively.
And be it enacted, that in all future Parliaments there shall be
siz Knights of the Shire instead of four, to serve for the county
of York ; that is to say, two Members for each of the three rid-
ings of the said county, to be elected in such manner andect of by_
thethe
same classes and descriptions of voters, and in respect
severalsamAendbeit
to serve for the
Shire instead of two,
befour Knights of the
eroi
agchtto
ds o, ftratti 1
ii
ng ,
allas iff. et
oa cr
eh ofp. rt
ll
ii
aei threeii en; s r
there d i g s
chat
that such four Members
county of Lincoln, that is to say, twrotsfoorfthHeopEntds oafnLditnhdescp,a,,rit.
of Kesteven in the same county ; and i
the said county, and two for the pas
were a separate county,
of voting, as if the said parts of Lindsey
together were also a
descriptionss shall be cho chosen
voters,in th e
andsa m
ieh respectmanner
And be it enacted, that in like manner a
stionpdartahteescaoiodopatyr.ts of Holland and Kestevelnl
in elections for Knights of the Shire for the county.ohof
any lands or
ampton, by reason of the ownership or possession persons now having
or who would by virtue of this Act acquire the riniglfiutotofufrsveoovutiatnb:.
tenements situate within the Isle of Wight,
respect of such ownership or
of Wight, and that all
liaments cease to vote in such election loarotdhesbcaolulnhtyo atoo entitled to
tio
choose one Member to serve for the Isle n
possession,
the Lords of his Ma-
And be it enacted, that a Committee of
the
lisolonsoffow.r tihghets.ame shall be holden at the town of Newport, in
iathuidnnathmredee
jbeys ty
his 's
(for tile
7AltifaoisotstHy,o noonudrearbblei
his royal
Cs
ioguonmc ial,btooabel, ssehlaelclt awl.
for tile election
of
this Act annexed, shall thereafter be divided,
Parliaments ; and
whatm ont months
manner
otehrettaesssianhgt thiscounties
A enumeratedct ,imu i Inquire intos,, andsoh
etlehtielorm( determine in
Knights of the Shire to serve in all future
made (for
any
uancibt ion, ga
ions of any other
purpose of election only), any outlying po
county,sh a shall
ha have
er
anythe division vi er of wolfing
Ipin the former, and
ofia,ant.d.
county which may be locally. situate wit
.1 .
and it shall be
shall make a report to his Majesty in Council
making
lawful for his Majesty to issue his royal proclamations
yatnodbeinhcyortphoormatoiti
such reports shall forthwith be laid before both
known the determination and report of the saul
'lament.
all elections of
said report determine at what places respectively
liaments for the
Knights of the Shire to serve in all future
Par
so divided, shall
And be it enacted, that the said Committee shall also in their
respective divisions of the said counties, when
be bold en.
incorporation of
hereinbefore
the said counties shall have been proclaimed as And be it enacted, that after such division and
Committee,Houses
mentioned, any person claiming and having the right to vote,
atter the end of this present Parliament, for a knight of the
Shire to serve in Parliament, shall vote only for that division of
the said county in which the property in respect
of which he
claiAmsnd be it to votenacted, e shall be
that situaanother Committee ote. f his
Majesty's
Most Honourable Privy Council, to be named by his Majesty
,_ pailngld
limits and boundaries of all the cities and boroughs _
I,ament
s to '
and Wales having the right of sending Member
under his sign manual, shall inquire into and determine the
with any
te
and shall have power to annex unto and incorPora., tea within
city or borough, any parish or township locally
such city orborough or thereto adjoining, or any out y
ay
ii situate
'it'lL3ing portion
of any parish or township which may happen to be lee
and shall
beyond the limits of such city or borough respectively.
on or before the lay
.ofof sIIC 1
of this Act, lay before his (Majesty in Council a report
ioiesty to
their determination; and it shall be lawful for his
id ,
determi.
issue his royal proclamation, making known the
s a c of which
nation and report of the said Committee, from the dolt, .
remain
passity
and limited, annexed and incorporated respectively"
proclamation such cities and boroughs
bounded
said re-
according to such determination as aforesaid; and thel_...„.
next,silai ablerate r.'”
port shall forthwith be laid before both Houses of Parliall,e,.n of
And be it enacted, that the said last-mentioned ConulTT',
shall,
the Lords of his Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council soan:
within throe months after the passing of this Act, proceed to,aio
flex to such cities and boroughs (except those enumerated
schedule (A.) as now have the privilege of sendin Members V.;
Parliament, but do not contain more than three hundred
houses, of the yearly value of ten pounds at least or rated to the
relief f the poor, or to the duty assessed on inhabited houses al
ten pounds by the year at least, any parish or township within
which the said city or borough or any part thereof may lie, or
any parish or township adjoining thereto, or any outlying por-
tions of any other parish or township that may be locally
situate
within such) city or borough, or within such annexed parish or,
township, parishes or townships, as such Committee may deep'
convenient, (for the purposes of election only) ; and every such
city or borough shall, jointly with such annexed parish or town-
skip, parishes or townships, be a city or borough for the purpose
of electing Members, and return such Member or Members xi
they may be entitled respectively to return to serve in all future
Parliaments ; and the said last mentioned Committee shall make
a report of their determination touching the said annexations, to
his Majesty in Council, and it shall be lawful for his Majesty to
issue his royal proclamation, making known the said determina-
tion and report of the said Committee, and the said report
shall
sorthwith be laid before both Houses of parliament.
And be it enacted. that in all elections for Members to serve
io any future Parliament for cities and boroughs, every male
person of full age, and not subject to any legal incapacity, who
shall have occupied for 414: months previous to the settlement of
the registers which are hereinafter directed to be made, any
house within such cities and boroughs of the clear yearly value of
t,,,n pounds, or bona .fide subject to the yearly rent of ten pounds, ,
or wide!' shall have been for the same time rated to the relief of
the poor, or to the duty assessed upon inhabited houses, at a sum
andhav
eboberoeungdbusly:
t.providedegisteredasisvccaoyrsd,bthat o
theno ipierrosvoins
revisions
who
hereinafter
not less than ten pounds, shall have a right to vote for 'such cities
contained civil be admitted to vote at such election : provided
also, that every person now having a right to vote in virtue of any corporate right, shall retain such right for his life and on
being duly registered shall be entitled to vote, provided every
such person shall have resided for six months previous to the time
of registration hereinafter directed, within seven statute miles of
the usual place of election within such city or borough and pro-
vided also, that any person now having a roht to ; -
ililafnteert
vote by reason
of owning or occupying any tenement, shall retain snch right as
long as he owns and occupies the same or any
other tenement in
the skine place, by reason of which ownership or
occupation ation he
will have a right of voting by the laws or customs now
force,
and shall be allowed to vote, if duly registered, as hereinafter di-
be it enacted, that the churchwardens and overseers of
everyparish and township, in part or in whole, situate within,
evcAetrye
odd.
or by virtue of this Act to be annexed to any city
or borough re-
turning or which shall return Members to serve in any future

Parliament (except those named in schedule (A.) shall on or bO.
fore the day of in the present year, and on or
before and the day of
in each subsequent year, make out an alphabetical list of every
male person residing within such city or borough, or annexed
parish or township as the case may be, occupying a house of the
clear yearly value of ten pounds, or bona fide subject to the yearly
rent of ten pounds, or rated to the relief of the poor, or to the
duty on inhabited houses, at a sum of not less than ten pounds
by the year, and in respect of which all the rents, rates, and
taxes shall have been paid up to that time; and another such
list, of every male person claiming to vote by virtue of any cor-
porate, or burgess, or any other right existing in such persons at
the time of passing this Act, and shall affix such lists to the doors
of all churches and chapels in the several townships and parishes
situate within the said cities and boroughs respectively, on the
three Sundays next after they shall have been made respectively
in this and every subsequent year.
And be it enacted, that on the Monday next following the last
of the said three Sundays in the present year, and on the first
Monday in the month of November in each succeeding year, the
returning officer of every city or borough shall sit in some con-
venient public hall or place (having first given three clear days
notice of his sitting, to be affixed on the doors of all the said
churches and chapels) for hearing objections to the insertion or
omission of names in either of the said lists, and for inquiring
into the truth of such objections, and for expunging, retaining,
or inserting names according to the best of his judgment.
And be it enacted, that the said returning officer shall have full
Power, and he is hereby required to 'retain on the said list all
names to which no valid objection shall be made and proved by
evidence, and to insert in such list the name of every male per.
son of full age, not subject to any legal incapacity, who shall ap-
pear to have een residing for sir months at least within such
city or borough, or such annexed parish or township, and to have
either been in the occupation of such house, as aforesaid, for six
months at the least before the Monday on which the said return-
ing officer shall commence his sittings, or to be entitled in some
other right, hereby saved, or not hereby affected, to vote at the
election of Members of Parliament to serve for such city or
borough ; and shall expunge from the said list the name of every
person who shall be proved to be a minor under the age of
twenty-one_ years, or incapacitated by any law or statute from
voting for Members to serve in Parliament, and of every person
who shall be proved not to have been for the time aforesaid the
occupier of such house as aforesaid, or not to have made good
thepaymept of all rates, rents, and taxes, or who shall not prove
himself entitled in some other right to vote in the election of
Members to serve for such city or borough ; provided that no
person's name shall be expunged without one clear week's
notice first given to him or left at his residence; and no per-
son's name shall be inserted without three clear weeks' notice
to the churchwardens and overseers aforesaid, of his claim to
have his name inserted, and without such notice being affixed
for the three Sundays preceding the said Monday on the doors
of all churches and chapels within the parish wherein such per-
son shall reside.

And be it enacted, that the churchwardens and overseers of
every parish and township shall make an alphabetical list of all
persons claiming to be entitled, by reason of the ownership or
possession of any freehold, leasehold, or copyhold, or customary
lands or tenements, situate within such parish or township, to
vote in any election for a Knight of the Shire to serve for the
county wherein such parish or township lies, and shall on or be-
fore the day of in the present year, and en or be-
fore the day of in each succeeding year, cause
such list to be affixed on the doors of all the churches and cha-
pels within such parish or township, or if there be no church or
chapel, then to be fixed up in some public and conspicuous si-
tuation within the same respectively on the first three Sundays
in the month of September of each year ; and on or before the
twenty,fifth day of September in each year shall send such list to
the high constable or high constables of the hundred wherein
such parish or township lies, who shall forthwith transmit the
same to the clerk of the peace of the county.
And be it enacted, that the Judges named in the last commis-
sion of assize for each county, immediately after the passing of
this act, and in each succeeding year the Judges of assize for each
county, when travelling the summer circuit, shall nominate and
appoint (subject nevertheless to the approbation of the Lord
High Chancellor, Lord Keeper, or Lords Commissioners of the
Great Seal for the time being) a barrister to revise such lists,
and decide upon all objections to the omission or insertion of the
names therein respectively; and that such barrister so appointed
as aforesaid, shall give public notice by advertisement in the
county newspapers, that he will make a circuit of the county
for which he shall be so nominated and appointed, and of the
several times and places at which he will hold courts f r that
purpose, and he shall hold an open court for that purpose at the
times and places so to be announced; and that such barrister
shall be paid for discharging the duty so cast upon him, out of
the at the rate of not snore than
or less than for every day that
he shall be so employed; provided always, that no barrister so
nominated and appointed as aforesaid, shall be eligible to serve
in Parliament for twelve months from the time of such his ap-
pointment for the county for which he shall be nominated and
appointed.
And be it enacted, that the said barrister shall inquire into and
determine all such objections as aforesaid, and shall expunge the
names of all persons who shall not have owned or held the lands
or tenements in respect of which he claims to vote for the space
of thirty days at the least before the first day of holding the said
court, or who shall be incapacitated by any law or statute from
voting in the election of Members to serve in Parliament, and
shall insert the name of any person who may, to the satisfaction
of such barrister, prove himself to have owned or held such lands
. .

and tenements as may entitle him to a vote in the next ...en;ang.
election, and who shall not be proved incapable, by law, of voting
in the election of Members to serve in Parliament ; provided
that no name shall be expunged or inserted without such notice
and publication as is bereinbefore required in respect to the lists
to be made for cities and boroughs.
And be it enacted, that such returning officer and such barris-
.

ter so holding their respective courts as aforesaid, shall have
power to administer an oath to all persons making objection to
the insertion or omission of any name in such list as afore-
said, and to all persons objected against, and to all witnesses who
may be tendered on either side, but that the said hearings shall
not be attended by counsel ; and that such returning officer or
barrister shall, upon the hearing in open court, finally determine
upon the validity of such claims and objections, and shall in
open court write his initials against the names respectively
struck out or inserted, and sign his name to the several lists
so settled.

And be it enacted, that such lists shall, when so settled and
signed, be tacked together and form one list for the county or
division, city, or borough respectively - arid the list so signed by
the said barrister shall be transmitted the clerk of the peace
of the county for which he shall have been appointed • and the
list so signed by the said returning officer shall be by 'him kept
and handed over at the expiration of his office to the person suc-
ceeding him in the same; and that theclerk of the peace and the
returning officer respectively cause copies of the same to be
printed at the expence of the county (which shall be delivered to
all persons applying, on payment of stxpence for each copy,) and
that such lists shall be the lists of electors to vote after the end
of this present Parliament.
burgesses for the severalunties, ancrdivisio"ns o counties, cities,
lists shall be made respectively at
any eleCtimi which may be holden after the said
day of in the present year, and before the first
day of December in the next year, and the lists to be made in
each succeeding year shall be the lists of the electors to vote at
any election to be holden after the first day of December in each
succeeding year respectively.
And be it enacted, that in all elections whatever of Members
to serve in any future Parliament, no inquiry shall be permitted
at the time of polling, except as to whether the person claiming
to vote be the same whose name appears in such list, and whether
such persons shall have previously voted at the same election,
and no such person shall be excluded from voting at any such
election, except by reason of his refusing to take the oaths or
make the affirmation required by law.
Provided nevertheless, and be it further enacted, that by peti-
tion to the House of Commons complaining of an undue election
or return of any knight, citizen, or burgess, any petitioner shall
be at liberty to question the correctness of the lists which shall '
have been settled by such barrister or returning officer, and to
prove that names were improperly retained, inserted, expunged
or omitted at the registration that shall have taken place next
before the election or return complained of ; and the Committee
before whom the merits of any such petition shall be tried may
inquire into the same, and alter the poll taken at such election
according to the truth of the case, and direct the return to be
amended accordingly ; and in case of corruption, partiality, or
wilful misconduct, may order such costs to be paid to the peti-
tioner by such barrister or returning officer as such Committee
shall think reasonable.
And be it enacted, that the Sheriff's of the counties directed
hereby to be divided, shall fix the several days of election for
Knights of the Shire for the several parts, ridings, and divisions
of their said respective counties, and shall preside at the same by
themselves or their lawful deputies.
And be it enacted, that at all contested elections of Members
to serve in all future Parliaments, except elections for counties
and divisions of counties, the poll shall commence on the day of
nomination, or on the day next following, or at the latest on the
third day; and that the number of hours during which the
polling shall proceed "shall on the first day of polling be seven,
and on the second day eight ; and that the poll shall on no ac-
count be kept open later than four o'clock in the afternoon of
such second day ; and the final state of the poll shall be declared
not later than two o'clock in the afternoon of the third day
atter the poll shall be opened ; and the returning officer or officers
shall return the Member or Members to serve in 'Parliament by
virtue of such election immediately after the final state of the
poll is declared.

And be it enacted, that if on the day of election of a Knight
to serve in any future Parliament for any county or division
more candidates shall be proposed for the choice of the electors
than the number of vacancies to be tilled up, and a poll shall be
demanded, the polling shall commence at nine o'clock in the
forenoon of the next day but ono after the day of election, in the
several places to be appointed as hereinafter directed by the Ma.
gistrates for taking polls ; and the final state of the poll shall be
declared at noon of the sixth day after the said day of election.
And be it enacted, that the Justices of the Peace for each
county assembled at the general Quarter Sessions to be holden
next after the passing of this Act, and after such royal procla-
mations as hereinbefore mentioned, making known the divisions
and incorporations of the said counties for which, after the
passing of this Act, Knights of the Shire shall be elected to serve
in all future Parliaments, or at some special sessions to be by
them appointed, and of which at least there shall be given ten
days' public notice, shall consider and shall have full power to
appoint convenient places within such counties and divisions for
taking the poll at all fhture elections of Knights of the Shire to
serve in Parliament for the said counties and divisions respec-
tively, in such manner that no person shall have to travel more
than fifteen miles from the property in respect of which heclahns
to vote ; provided that no county or division of a county now
entitled or by this Act empowered to send Knights of the Shire
to serve in Parliament shall have mire than fifteen places ap-
pointed for taking the poll for the same respectively.
And be it enacted; that the said Justices of the Peace shall
have the like authority to appoint diffbrent places, at the end of
two years from the first appointment to be made for that purpose,
and that a list of the polling places to be soappointed shall he lodged
with the Clerk of the Peace of each county ; and that the names
of such places so appointed shall be inserted on lists to be affixed
on the door of the churches and chapels within each county and
division immediately after they are so made according to the last
appointment, and the polling at election shall take place accord_
ing_to the list last lodged, in conformity to this enactment, with
the said Clerk of the Peace.

And be it enacted, that every election of Members to serve In
an future Parliaments for all cities and boroughs in England
shall be held, carried on, aHd concluded in some one place, and
under the superintendence and controul of the same returning
officer or officers ; but there shall be appointed for taking the poll
at such election different booths for diffrent parishes, districts,
or places, so divided and allotted as to the returning officer or
officers shall seem most convenient, of which division and allot-
ment public notice shall be given, so that no greater number
than so hundred shall he required to poll at any one booth.
And be it enacted, that, after the and of this present Parlia-
ment, all booths to be built for the convenience of taking polls
such booths shall be erected by the Sheriff or other
shall be erected by contract with the candidates, or if they can.
not agree,
returning officer or officers at the joint and equal expense of the
several candidates; and that the clerks employed in taking the
poll shall be paid one guinea by the day by each of the candidates
at such election ; provided always, that if any person shall be
proposed without his consent, then the person so proposing him
l
shall be liable to defray his share of the said expenses in like man-
ner as
ihe it
had been a candidate,
it enacted, that the number of hours during which the
poll for any county or division shall be taken on the first day
shall be seven, and on the second day shall be eight ; and that no
poll shall be kept open later than four o'clock in the afternoon of
ih c second day.
And be it enacted, that the poll-clerks, at the close of each
day's poll of an election for any county or livision, shall enclose
and seal their several books, and shall in open courtdeliver them
so sealed to the Sheriff orto his deputy ~residing at such poll,
who shall give a receipt for the same; and the Sheriff' or his
deputy who so receives, shall, on the commencement of the poll
person from whom he shall have received them ; and on the
final on the second day, deliver them back so enclosed and sealed to
the
al close of the poll, the said Sheriff' or such his deputy shall
keep the said poll.books so unopened, until the re-assembling of