Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-04-28
County Organization.
AN ACT

Oautes, ana C0mpenSattm o. Justices Of tn
Peace, Clerks Of Circuit and County Courts
attorneys for the Commonwealth, Shcrifs, Con,
, nsissioners Of the Rerenue, Surveyors, Constable
and Ovefseers Of the Poor,
|. Be it enacted by the general assemblu, Tha
on the fourth Thursday in May next, there shall
be elected by the voters in each county clerk O
the county court, surveyor, an attorney for tn,
commonwealth, sheriff, and commissioner, o.
so many commissioners, of the revenue as NAV b,
authorized by law and in each of the corporation
of Richmond, Norfolk, Fredericksburg Lynchburg
Winchester, Danville, Staunton and Williams
burg, by the voters thereof respectively, com
missioner of the revenue, in each county for which
circuit court is held, clerk for such court ir
the city of Richmond, a sheriff, in each CITY ir
which circuit court is held, an attorney for the
commonwealth. and clerk for such court and in
any other corporation in which circuit court is
held, an attorney for the commonwealth for such
corporation, and clerk for each court in any
county and city for which together circuit court
is held, an attorney for the commonwealth and a
clerk for such court in each district laid off by
commissioners under the act providing for district
ing the countless passed April I'd, 1852, four JUS
tees of the peace in every such district, one con-
stable, ard in every such district, by the voters
without the limits of town that provides for its
poor, one overseer of the poor, or such additional
number as the court of the county may direct; and
an election shall be held in like manner on the
same day in every sixth year thereafter for such
clerks and surveyors; and on the same day in ev-
cry fourth year thereafter for justices of the peace,
attorneys for the commonwealth, and overseers of
the poor; and on the same day in every second
year thereafter, for sherifs commissioners of the
revenue and constables: Prorided, That the con-
stables elected under this act shall have power to
perform the duties of theirofice in districts other
than those in which they were elected: find pro-
cided further, That the voters of the cities of Nor
| folk, Petersburg. and Williamsburg, and of the
towns of Fredericksburg, Lyhchburg, Winches-
ter and Danville, shall not be authorized to vote
for asurveyor in the several counties in whichthey
are respectively located.
z. The number of commissioners of the reve-
nue. for each county shall be that prescribed by
law and there shall be elected as aforesaid for
each revenue district laid off as prescribed by law,
one commissioner, who shall, during his term of
office, reside in the district for which he was elect
ed, and his removal therefrom shall vacate his Of
fee Prorided, That the voters residing within
any corporation who are hereby authorized to elect
commissioner of the revenue for such corporation
shall not vote for the commissioners of the reve-
corporation may lie.
8. On or before the first day of May next, the
Governor, or if he be absent from the seat of gov
eminent the Lieutenant Governor, shall appoint
three commissioners in every such county, city,
and corporation, who shall superintend the efec
tons authorized by this act at the court houses Of
their respective counties, cities and corporations /;
and said commissioners shall appoint for each sep
arate place of voting therein three commissioners
to superntend the election at such place Of voting;
and shall also designate the officers to conduct the
elections at the court houses and precincts; but in
the absence of any such officer, the commissioners
for any precinct shall appoint the officers to con-
duct the election at such precinct. The commits
sioners so appointed SHALL, Until their successors
are appointed, superntend all elections to fill va
cancies happening in any of said offices. The said
commissioners and officers shall respectively take
the oaths, perform the duties, have the powers, be
governed by the regulations, and liable to the pen
alties prescribed by the Code of Virginia for COM
mssoners experimenting and officers conducting
elections, except SO far as the same are inconsst
ent with the constitution or this act. The said
commissioners shall employ writers, and at such
rate of compensation as the court of each county
OF corporation may direct and they shall respect
lively take an oath, to be administered by said COM
missioners, to record the votes faithfully and i'm
partially.
4. The court Of each county and of each of the
corporations of Richmond, Lynchburg, Williams
burg and Norfolk, shall, before any general cleo
ton after the first authorized by this act, appoint
five commissioners to superntend and officers to
conduct such election at6 each place Of voting in
such county or corporation, to be subject in all
respects to the provisions of this act concerning the
commissioners and officers mentioned in the pre-
cedng section. Nothing in this act shall be held to
repeal the provision of an act passed April 10th,
1852, entitled can act to elect certain state and
municipal officers within the city of Petersburg"
5. If only one of the commissioners appointed
to supernend any Of the said elections attends, he
may associate with himself any free holder of the
district who may, be present; if none of the COM
missioners attend, or ifnone should have been ap-
pointed, then any three freehoders in the district
where the election is held being present and agree
ing to act, shall be commissioners. Any such COM
missioner or commissioners appointed or agreeing
to act in the manner prescribed by this section,
shall take the same oath, perform the same duties,
have the same powers, and be subject to the same
penalties as if he or they had been originally ap-
pointed.
6. The same provisions which govern the open
ing and closing the polls in other general elections
in this commonwealth shall regulate the elections
provided for in this act.
r In the case of an election Of an officer by the
voters of corporation, the officers conducting the
same in the respective wards, or by the voters OF
the whole county, the officer conducting the same
at the courthouse, and in the case of an election In
district the officer or officers conducting the same,
shall, within five days from the commencement OF
the election examine the poll, ascertain the result,
and declare the person or persons tor whom the
greatest number of votes was given to be elected
or if the greatest number of votes be equal ior TWO
or more persons, the officer or officers conducting
the election in each ward, county or district, shall
decide forthwith by lot to whom the certificate
shall be given and he or they shall forthwlth SET
up at the front door of the court house nouce OF
the said election.
8. The officers and other persons holding and
conducting such elections shall make true duplicate
returns of The elections of justices of the peace, one
of which returns shall be Immediately transmitted
BIZ mail by the officer conducting said election, TO the
governor, g. the other return shall be handed oy such
officer to the c.efk Of the county COURT TO DC ned
in his office and the said clerk shall forthwith
send certified copy of such return to the secreta
nv of the commonwealth The said officers ana
other persons shall make true returns OF the other
officers elected under this act which shall be hand
ed to the clerk of the county corporation court,
to be filed in his Office az -,
9. The returns Of the elections of justices of the
peace, of clerks of the county and circuit courts,
of attorneys for the commonwealth. surveyors,
sberffs. commissioners of the revenue, constables
and overseers of the poor under this act, shall be
subject to the enquiry, determination and judg-
ment of the respective county & corporation courts,
or of the county court in case the election was tor
county and city, upon complaint OF flfteen or
more of the qualified voters OF the county or copG.
ration, or of the proper district when the oiheer Is