The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-03-26

An ACT regulating Elections, and de-
claring the Qualifications ofVoters III Town
Affairs.
SEC. l.. Be ii enacted By the Seacte and
House Of Representatives. In General Can't as
sentbtcd, and BY ihe authority Of he sane,
That every male citizen Of twenty-one years
OF age and upwards, excepting pauEsrs, and
persons under guardianship VINO shall have
resided within the Commonwealth one Year,
and within the Town or District, in which be
may claim right to vote, six calendar months
next preceding any election Of any Town or
District, County or State Officers, or any Rep
resentative to Congress, and who shall have
paid by himself, or his parent. master, or
guardian, any State or County Tax, which
shall, within Two years next preceding such
election, have been assessed upon him, in any
Town or District Of this Commonwealth. and
also every citizen, who shall be by law ex-
empted from taxation, and who shall. in all
other respects, be qualified as above mention
ed, shall have right e vote in all such cleo
tions; and no other person shall be entitled
10 vote in such elections.
Sue. 2. BE Il further enacted. That from
and after the passing of this Act, it shall be
The duty Of the several Collectors Of State or
County Taxes, in the several Towns or Dis
tricts within this Commonwealth. to keep ain
accurate and true account of every PERSONS
name, from whom they shall have received
payment, Of State or County Tax and OF the
time OF such payment, and, upon request
therefor, to deliYer to The person paying the
same, a receipt, specifying tie name OF the
person paying the same, and the time Of
such payment, which shall be received and
considered as presuuptive evidence thereof:
And the said Collectors shall hereafter.' annu-
ally, fifteen days before the first Monday liz
March, make out and deliver to the Select
men OF the Town in Which they reside, true
and accurate list Of all persons, from whom
they shall, within the year then next preceding,
have received any such payment, specifying
the time OF payment, or shall exhibit and de-
liver to the Selectmen the original account
by them kept, OF such payment. And the
Selectmen shall, at least ten days before the
first Monday IN March, ANNUALLY, meet toeeth-
er, and make out alphabetical lists of all the
persons, qualified as is herein before provided,
to vote for any of the officers aforesaid and
they shall, at least ten days before the first
MONDAY III March, annually, cause such lists
10 De posted up, at two or more publick places,
in their respective Towns or Districts: And
they shall be In session, for a reasonable
length OF time, within forty-eight hours next
preceding all Town and District meetings,
for the choice of any of the officers aforesaid,
for the purpose of correcting the aforesaid list
oil voters; and such session shall be holden,
Tor one hour at least, on the day of such
meeting, and before the opening of the same :;
and OF the time and place of their meeting for
this purpose, they shall give notice on the
lists posted up as aforesaid. And it shall be
the duty of the Selectmen or Moderator. to
be provided with a complete list as aforesaid,
at such election, and no person shall vote at
any election, whose name shall not have been
previously placed on said list, nor until the
Selectmen or Moderator presiding at such
meeting, shall have opportunity 10 find his
name on theslist aforesaid.
SEC. 3. BE at further enacted, That every
male citizen of this Commonwealth. who shall
have resided in any Town, District. or Plan
tatIon, six calendar months, next preceding
any meeting for the transaction of Town af-
fairs, and who shall, in all respects, be quail
fed as required in the first section of this
Act, shall be entitled to vote at such meeting.
upon all questions concerning Tow affairs
and no person not qualified as aforesaid shall
be entitled to vote therein.
SEC. 4. Be ii further enacted, That the Sc
lectmen of any town, in case they shall have
duly entered on the list of voters the names
OF all such persons, as are returned to them
by the Collectors, as having paid any tax
within two years, shall not be held answera-
BILE for any omissions on said list, or for refus-
ing the vote of any persen, whose name is
not on the list, unless the said person, whose
name may be omitted, shall. before offering
his vote, furnish the SeIectmen with sufficient
evidence of his having the legal qualifications
Of voter at said meeting, and request of the
Selectmen the insertion Of his name on the
list Of voters.
SEC. 5. Be ii further enacted, That the
Moderator of any town meeting shall receive
the votes of all such persons, whose pames
are borne on the list Of voters, as certified
by the Selectmen and be shall in 70 way or
manner be held liable for refusing the vote
Of any person whose name is Dot on the said
list.
SEC. 6. Be ii further eaafed, That any |
Collector who shall neglect tretum a list OF /
persons, of whom he has rceived payment !
of any taxes, as required ~ this Act, shall
forfeit and pay the sum gone hundred dol
lars for such neglect; anSany Collector, who
shall make false returnjas regards any part
Oh the llSl reluTlleu by "" " VAC GeIeCtlneD, |
shall forfeit and pay th( sum Of twenty dol
lars, for each and ever name, in which the
said Collector may hse made false return
which penalties nayJe recovered by an ac-
ton of the case, OF half to the use of the |
town in which the bence is committed, and
the other half to q use OF the person who
sues for the same
SEC. z. Be i4rtter enacted, That the first
.o,t.o,D # A. IT,. passed on tho 81 | 1
day of June, the year of our Lord one
thousand eiolhundred and eleven. regpl.t-