Worcester daily spy., 1851-10-07
The secret Ballot Law.
It enacLed &C., IS foNolcs.


SECT. l. All votes for governor, lieutenant gov
ernor, senators and representatives Of the Common
wealth, electors of president of the United States,
and representative in Congress, shall clearly indicate
IN wiring pint, the office for which each person
voted for is designed and shall be deposited in the
baOl-boX in sealed envelope, furnished as here
matter provided and vote deposited in any other
manner shall be counted: prorded, that in all trials
for the choice of representatives TO the General
Court, when no other officer is voted for, the office
of representative in writing PRINT need not be i'll
dcated upon The ballot.
SEC .. 1t shall be the duty of the Secretary of
Stale to provide sufficient quantity OF selt-sealmg
envelopes, of uniform appearance, and OF suitable
size and quality for the use of all the voters in the
Commonwealth and 0n before the first day OF
October ueXt 10 notify each clerk of every town
and city within the State, that the same are ready
for delivery; and it shall also be the duty OF the SAID
Secretary 10 keep thereafter, constantly ON hand,
quantity Of the said envelopes, sufficient TO supply
all the voters OF the Commonwealth, at any and all
elections for the offices mentioned IN the hrst section
Of this act that may take place, aud TO furnish the
same to the clerks Of the several towns and cities,
whenever they shall apply for them.
SEC. 3. 1t shall be the duty of the clerk of each
town and city IN the Commonwealth, on receiving
the notice aforesaid, forthwith to obtain from tie
secretary of state number Of envelopes equal to six
times the number of names on the list Of voters, of
the preceding year, of such town or city, and to
keep the IN his office, subject 10 the order OF
the selectmen Of the town, or the wardens and In
specors of the city. And it shall be the further duty
Of the clerks aforesaid, procure thereafter, in the
manner before provided and keep constantly on
hand, such number of enveIops may be sutF-
cent the wants of the voters of their respec
tive towns or cities, at any election of officers nam
=, III. 81, lal.rl-
shall receive Il suitable compensation from their
several towns or cities for the labor and expense
thus incurred.
SEC. t. 1t shall be the duty of the selecmen of
each town, and the warden and inspectors Of every
ward in each city within the state, TO obtain from
the clerks of their several towns and cites and pro-.
vide at the polls on the day Of election, sufficient
quantity of the envelopes aforesaid and to appoint
two more suitable persons 10 take charge of the
same, and supply each person claiming to be voter
in the sand town or CITY, on his personal application,
and no others, with such number as the pending
election may require, and TO return to the clerk
aforesaid all envelopes not used.
Sec, 3. 1t shall be the further duty of the iu-
specng officers aforesaid in the first place. to count
the envelopes, at such time as they Judge proper,
and thus ascertain the number of persons who have
voted they may then proceed to open the envelopes
once each hour during the election, and if, in any
case, more than one vote is found in one envel-
ope, bearing the name of the same person for the
same office, all but such votes shall be thrown
out; or if two or more votes be found in one envel-
ope, bearing the names of different persons for the
same office, all such votes shall be rejected And
any envelope found to contain only blank, shall
not lie counted as ballot. And if any envelope
shall be found in the ballot box, bearing any
mark, impression, or device, color, designed to
distinguish such envelopes from others deposited by
voters, it shall not be counted as IA ballot
Sec. 6. Each voter, when deposting his ballot,
shall hold it in such manner, that the inspecting of
hcers can distinctly see whether more than one is
placed in the ballot box.
SEC. Z. Ii any person shall wilfully claim to be
voter, knowing that he is not voter in such town
or city where the claim is made, aud by reason
thereof shall fIauduently obtain any envelope or en-
veopes from the persons having the custody of the
said envelopes, the day of the election aforesaid
such person shall be liable to fine Of not less than
ten more than fifty dollars.
Sec. 8. Any clerk, selectman, warden, or in
specor, or any person employed by them, as herein
provided, who shall neglect to perform any of the
duties required by this act, shall, on conviction
thereof forfeit and pay to the treasurer Of the Com
monweath sum not less than one hundred dollars
nor more than five thousand dollars
SEC. 8. The use of envelopes shall not be requr-
ed at any election prior to the first of November
next
SEC. 10. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent
with this act are hereby repealed. May
%, 1851.