Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-07-11

! AA 0A1NGAsAA - 1AEN WV
MANNER OF CONDUCTING THE GENERAL
| ELECTION AND THE CANVASS OF
THE VoTEs.
| The provisions of this title SO far as
applicable, and qualified by the provi-
sions of the chapter relating to counties,
are applied to unorganized counties.
At the general elections poll shall
be opened at the place of election in each
! township of each county.
The trustees of each township are
the judges of election in the same.
Ii any one Of the trustees does not
attend in time, or refuses to be sworn,
his place shall be filled by an elector to
be appointed by the trustees who do at
tend; and if none of the trustees attend
at the time for opening the polls the
electors present shall choose three quail
fed persons from their number to act as
Judges of election.
There shall be two clerks Of the elec-
tion, one OF whom shall be the town
ship clerk, and the other some elector
named by him and approved by the
judges of election, and if the township
clerk does not attend then the two clerks
shall be appointed by the judges of cleo
tion.
Before opening the polls each of the
Judges and clerks shall take the follow
ing oath: l, A. b., do solemnly swear,
that will impartially and to the best OF
my knowledge and ability perform the
; duties of Gndge or clerk) of this elec-
tion, and will studiously endeavor 10
; prevent fraud, deceit, and abuse, in con-
ducting the same.
The township clerk may administer
the oath to each OF the other persons,
and one Of the trustees il he be present
; and if not present one of the Judges
may administer II to the clerk, and the
oath shall be entered in the poll books,
; subscribed BY the persons taking it, and
certified by the officer administering it.
The polls shall be opened at nine o.
clock in the forenoon unless vacancies
have TO be filed as above, in which case
they are to be opened as soon thereafter
as may be, and they shall be kept open
until six o'clock in the afternoon; and il
, the judges deem it necessary for receiv-
J ing the ballots Of all the electors, they
may keep them open until nine o'clock
in the evening Proclamation thereof
: shall be made al or before the opening ot
the polls, and half an hour before clo-
: sing them.
Any constable Of the township who
may be designated by the judges Of elec-
lion is directed to attend at the place OF
the election, and he is authorized and re-
quired 10 preserve order and peace at
, and about the same; and if no constable
be in attendance the judges of the cleo
! ton may appoint one specially by wri-
ting, and he shall have all the powers oil
J a regular constable.
: Ii any person conducts in noisy, ri.
otous, or lumultuous manner, at or about
the polls SO as to disturb the election. OF
insults or abuses the Judges or clerks oil
, election, the constable may forthwith ar.
rest him and bring him before the Judges,
and they, by warrant under their hands,
} may commit him to the Jail of the coun-
t iy for term no, exceeding twenty four
hours; but they shall permit him TO vote.
The county judge shall provide for
each township in his county and at the
, expense of the county, for the purpose
: OF elections, one box with lock and key.
: The county clerk shall prepare and
J furnish 10 the judges of election in each
township in his county two poll books,
having each of them sufficient column
for the names of the voters, column
for the number, and sufficient blank
} leaves to contain the entries OF oa:hs,
, certificates and returns.
/ The ballots shall designate the Office
for which the persons therein named are
voted for.
. In voting, the electors shall deliver
their ballots to one of the Judges who
shall deposi, them in the ballot box, but
no person is entitled to vote at any other
place in the township in which he resides
al the time he offers to vote.
i Any person offering to vote may be
challenged, as unqualified, by either ol
the judges or by any person who is an
elector in this State, and it is the duty
of each Of the JUDGES to challenge any
person offering to whom he knows or
suspects not to be duly qualified.
| When any person is so challenged.
the judges shall explain to him the
qualifications of an elector, and may
examine him as 10 his qualifications,
and if the person insists that he is quail
iied and the challenge is not Withdrawn,
one OF the judges shall tender 10 him the
following oath:
/ "You do solemnly swear that you are
a citizen of the United States, that you
are resident of---(town or
township in this county, that you have
been resident of this county twenty
days, and Of this State six months, next
preceding this election, and that you
have not voted at this election if
he takes such oath his vote shall be re-
ceived.
/ The name Of each person, when his
ballot is received, shall be entered by
each of the clerks in the poll book kept
by him. SO that there may be double
4 list Of voters.