San Andreas independent., 1856-10-25
The Election Law.

The Election Law.
Extracts from an Act entitled, "An Act to Reg
ulate Elections"
Section 10. Every white male citizen Of the
United States, and every white male citizen of
Mexico who shall have elected to become cit
izen ofthe United States under the treaty ofpeace
exchanged and ratified at Quaretero, on the goth
day ofMay, l848, of the age of twcnty-one years,
who shall have been q resident of the state
six months next preceding the election, and the
county or district in which he claims his vote,
thirty days, shall be entitled to vote at all cleo
tons which are now or hereafter may be author
ired by law.
Sec. II. 1t shall be the duty of each inspec-
tor to be at the place where the polls are to be
opened in the precinct for which he is appoint
ed, from eight o'clock in the morning until sun
set on the day of the election. Should such
inspector not appear at eight o'clock in the
morning, the electors present at the place where
the polls are to be opened, may appoint an in
spector for the precinct.
Sec. Is. The board Of inspectors for each
precinct SHALL before the time of opening the
polls, appoint two suitable persons to act as
clerks.
Sec. l9. Before any election shall be opened,
the inspector, judges, and clerks shall each, be-
fore any officer authorized to administer oaths,
take an oath that he will faithfully and impair
TALLY discharge the duties assigned him by
law. If there is no person present authorized
to administer oaths, the Inspector shall admin
lister the same to the Judges and clerks, and
one Of the judges shall then administer the
oath to the inspector.
Sec 20 The inspector shall be chairman of
| the board, and after its organization shall have
| power to administer oil necessary oaths which
may be required in the progress of the election
He shall also have power to fill any vacancy
that may occur in the board of judges, or by
absence or refusal to serve of either of the
clerks, after the polls have been opened.
Sec. %. At all elections the polls shall be
opened at eight o'clock in the morning, and
shall continue open until sunset, at which time
the judges shall close the polls: Provided,
that the judges of the election may take a re-
cess of one hour at any time they may think
proper during the day, before three o'clock in
the afternoon.
Sec. 27. Any person offering to vote may be
challenged as unqulifed by the inspector, or
either of the judges, or by any legal voter, and
it shall in all cases, be the duty of the inspector
and each of the judges to challenge any person
Offering to vote whom he shall know or suspect
not to be duly qualified as an elector.
challenged, it shall be the duty of the board OF
judges to declare to him the qualifications of an
elector.
Sec. %. IF such person shall still insist that
he is entitled to vote and the challenge shall not
be withdrawn, the board of judges, in their dis
cretion, may administer oath or affirmation
to the voter; " You do swear (or aftirm that
you are citizen of the United States that you
are of the age of twenty-one years, according
to the best of your information and belief; that
you have resided in this state six months next
preceding this election, and in this county (o1
district or township, as the case may be) thirty
days, and that you have not before voted this
day"
Sec. 80. If the person thus challenged shall
take the oath as rendered to him by the board
Of judges, he shall be admitted to vote, and il
shall not be lawful, after he has taken such
oath or affirmation, for said board to examine
any witnesses touching his want of qualifica-
tions but if he shall refuse to take the oath OF
affirmation so rendered TO him, his vote shall be
rejected.
Sec. 81. If the vote Of any person be chal-
lcnged onthe ground that he has been convicted
of on infamous crime, or disfranchised by any
court of competent jurisdiction, he shall not
be required to answer any questions respecting
such alleged conviction; and in the absence o
any authenticated record Of such facts, it may
be competent for two disnterested witnesses
upon oath to prove the same.
Sec. 3d. When the polls are closed, procla-
nation thereof shall be made at the place o.
voting, and no votes shall be afterwards re-
| ceived.
Sec. SO. As soou as the polls are closed on
the afternoon OF the day of election, the
Judges shall open the ballot box and commence
| rOuntipo tho and in M shotl be
ballot box be removed from the room in which
any election may be held until ali the ballots
are counted; the counting of ballots shall ir
all cases be public. The ballots shall be taker
out carefully, one by one, by the inspector oil
one of the judges, who shall open them anc
read aloud the name of each person contained
tharcn, and the Office for which every such per-
son is voted for. Each clerk shall write down
each office to be filed and the name of eact
person voted for for such office, and shall keeE
the number Of votes by tallicS, as they are read
aloud by the inspector or judge. The counting
Of the votes shall be continued without ad.
journment until all are counted.
Sec. Sd. If two tickets are folded together
they shall both be rejected and if more per.
sons are designated on any ticket for any Office
than are to be elected for such Office. such par
of the ticket shall not be counted for any O
tncU Dut no tiCAcI Sldl DC lOot IOF want o.
form, if the board of judges can determine tc
their satisfaction the person voted for and the
office intended.
Sec. 35. AS soon as all the votes are read of
and counted, certificate shall be drawn up or
each of the papers containing the poll list anC
tallies, or attached thereto, stating the number
of votes each person voted for, has received
and designating the Office to fiji which he
was voted for, which number shall bs
written in words at full length. Each GER
t6cate shall be signed by the clerks, the
Judges and inspector; one of said certificates
with the poll list and tally paper to which it is
attached, shall be retained by the inspector, and
preserved by him at least six months. The
ballots shall be destroyed by the inspectar-
The other of said certificates, with the poll list
and tally paper to which it is attached, shall be
sealed up by the inspector, and endorsed