Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-06-26
THE BLIND BALLOT ACT.

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Iohoms:
Section |. If Senators and Rcpresen-
tatives TO the General Assembly be vo-
ted for by ballot, the names of the can
didates in any town voted for by any
one elcctor shall be written or printed
on one ticket, and in NIL such cases where
the voting is by ballot, and in the elec-
ton OF General Officers, Representa-
tives to Congress and Electors Of Pres
ident and Vice-President Of the United
States, each voter shall, before deposit
ing his vote in the ballot box, enclose
his vote, which shall not be endorsed
with the name Of the voter, in scaled
envelope furnished as hereinafter pro-
vided.
Sec. 2. IL shall be the duty Of the
Clerks Of the towns and cities Of the
State to furnish and see that they are
preserved in proper condition, a suffic-
lent number of ballot boxes in each
town and ward for the purpose of bal
loting, the expense Of which, as also the
expense Of procuring from the Secreta.
ry of State the envelopes as hereinafter
provided, shall be compensated by their
several towns aud cities.
Sect. 3. The said ballot boxes shall
have a sufficient opening on the top to
receive the ballots and shall, in open
town meeting, and before the balIoting
has commenced, be opened and exhib
tied to all present, after which they
shall be kept closed and locked, and
shall not by the moderator or warden,
or any other person whatever, upon any
pretext whatever, be opened until the
ballotings be completed.
SEC. 4. The ballots for all officers
when given at the same time Of voting
shall be enclosed in the same envelope
Sec. 5. The ballot box shall be in
charge Of the moderators and wardens
only. and each voter shall at the time
ofvoting announce 10 the moderator or
warden his name, who shall cause hls
name TO be checked upon the voting
lis,s before he deposits his vote, and
SAID voter shall also hold in his hand
and deposit in said ballot box the en-
veope containing his ballot in such q
manner that said moderator or warden
can distinctly see that he deposits but
one envelope, and itshalI be the duty Of
the town, ward, and district clerks to
check each voter's name as he deposits
his ballot.
Sec. 6. 1t shall be the duty of the
Secretary of State to provide a suffic-
lent quantity of self.sealing envelopes
OF uniform appearance and Of suitable
size and quality for the use of the vo-
ters in the State, and on or before the
first day of November next to notify
each clerk Of every town and city with
in the State that the same are ready for
delivery, and it shall b. the duty of said
Secretary to keep constantly on hand
sufficient quantity cf SAID envelopes to
supply all the voters OF the States at
any time AMI at all elections that may
take place, and furnish the same to the
clerks Ct the several towns and whcnev-
er they shall apply therefor.
Sec. :. 1t shall be the duty Of the
clerk of each town and city in this State
Oh receiving the notice aforesaid forth
with To obtain from the Secretary oil
State, and thereafter to procure and
keep on hand constantly sufficient
number of said envelopes, not at any
time having less than six times the
whole number Of names on the list Ot
voters Of such town or city for the pre-
ceding year, subject to the order and
direction OF the town or city council as
hereinafter provided.
SEC. s. Ii shall be the duty Of the
town council Of each town and Of the
common council of each city in this
State to appoint one Of their number for
each town, and where there are more
than one ward or district IN any town
or city, one Tor each ward or district
to procure from the cle.ks Of their sew
eral towns and ci,ies, and provide at
the polls on the day OF election, sufIic-
lent quantity ofenvelopes aforesaid, and
to take charge Of the same and supply
each voter on his personal application,
and no other person, with such num-
ber AS he needs for his own ballots dur
ing the pending election.
SEC. o. All votes not enclosed in the
envelopes provided as aforesaid shal
tic void, and all moderators and wardens
shall refuse to receive the same, and ifany
officer or other person shall in any way
make or discolor any one of the envel-
opes deposited before the same is deliv-
cred to the voter, for the purpose Of dis
tnguishing the same, shall on convics
ton thereof forfeit and pay 10 the Treas
urer Of the State the sum Of five hun
dred dollars, and any officer who shall
neglect to comply with the requ'sltions
OF this act, shall on conviction thereof
forfeit and pay as aforesaid like sum
Of five hundred dollars, said sum in both