The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-09-19
Kansas Election laws-An Act 10 Regulate

BE it enacted By the Governor and Leqis
latiue Assembly Of the Territory Of Kan.
sas, as follotos:
SECTION l. On the first Monday in Oc.
tober, IN the year one thousand eight hun,
dred and hfty-fve, and on the first Mon
day in October every two years thereafter
an election for delegate to the House Of
Representatives of the United States shall
be held at the respective places of hold
ing elections in the Territory of Kansas.
SEC. 2. On the first Monday in October
in the year one thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six, and on the first Monday in
October in every year thereafter, an cleo
ton for representatives in the legislative
assembly, and for all other elective offices
not otherwise provided for by law, shall
be held at the respective places of hold
ing elections in this Territory.
SEC. g. On the fist Monday in Octo-
Der, in the year one thousand eight hun
dred and ffty-seyen, and ON the first Mon
day in October every two years thereafter,
an election shall be held at the respective
places of holding elections, for members
Of the council.
SEC. 4. Every county that now is, or
that may hereafter be established, shall
compose an election district, and all cleo
tons shall be held at the court house OF
such county, where one has been erected.
If there be no court house, then it shall
be the duty of the county commissioners
to name house in such county where
the election shall be held; and if such
commissioners fail to name such house
twenty days before the election, it shall
be the duty of the sheriff to name such
house. In either Of the last two cases
the sheriff shall give notice of the place
of holding the election by written adver-
tisements, set up in at least six public
places IN such county, or by advertise
ment in some newspaper published in such
county, at least ten days before the day OF
the election. ProUided, that the county
commissioners may, from time to time
establish such additional election precincts
as may seem to them necessary or proper:
proridsd further, hOlCerer, that in no case
shall more than one precinct be established
in any one municipal township.
SEC. 5. The county commissioners shall
appoint the judges of election, in each
county or voting precinct, at least ten days
before the election at which they are to
act; and il, at the hour for the opening OF
the polls, such judges are not present,
then the voters assembled shall have pow
er to elect others to fill the vacancy OF
vacancies thus occasioned. Said Judges
shall, before they enter on the discharge
of their duties, take the following oath or
affirmation, to be administered by one of
their own body, by the sheriff, or by any
officer authorized to administer oaths: /
do swear (or affirm that / will impartially
discharge the duties of judge of the pres
ent election, according to law and the best
of my ability.
SEC. 6. Two blank poll books, with the
proper blanks laid off and the proper GER
tificates attached, shall be made out by
the clerk of the county commissioners and
delivered to the sheriff, at least ten days
before the election; and if not so male
out aud delivered, it shall be the duty OF
the sheriff to cause the same to be made
out. The sheriff shall deliver such poll
books to the judges of election so soon as
they are elected and qualified. If such
poll books be not delivered by the sheriff,
the judges of the election shall cause the
same to be made out. The certificates
shall be in the following form, to Wit
We. the undersigned, judges of the elec-
ton in - election district, certify
that the foregoing is correct list of the
votes given at an election held on the
day of -, A. d. -, as witness ou1
hands this - day of -. A. d. -.
Attest: A. B.
G. H., C. ID.
/. j., clerks of election. f. +. judges.
SEC. z. The judges of the election shall
appoint two clerks, who, before entering
upon the discharge of their duties, shall
take an oath or affirmation, to be admin
istcred by one of the judges, that they
will faithfully discharge the duties oI
clerk, according to law and the best oi
their abilities.
SEC. s. If after the election of any
Judge or clerk, such judge or clerk resign
or be unable further to eoUlntinue the dis
charge of his duties, the remaining Judge
or judges, shall appoint some suitable per-
son to fill the place of the person or per-
sons so declining, who shall be qualified,
and proceed to discharge his duties as il
he had been originally selected.
SEC. 8. The judges of the election shall
open the polls at nine o'clock in the morn
ing, and continue them open until six o.
clock in the evening: pJorided, ko,cerer,
if all the votes offered to be given cannot
be taken before the hour appointed for
closing the polls, the judges shall, by pub
lie proclamation, adjourn such election
until the following day, when the polls
shall again be opened and the election
continued as before; but in no case shall
the election be continued beyond the sec
ond day.
See. 10. It shall be the duty of the
sheriff. in person or by deputy, to attend
each election, and to cry in an audible
voice the name Of each voter as given in,
and to discharge all other duties imposed
on him by law, under the direction of the
judges.
SEC. IL. Every free white male citizen
of the United States, and every free male
Indian who is made a citizen by treaty or
otherwise, and over the age of twenty-one
years, who shall be aninhabitant of this
Territory. and of the county or district
in which he offers vote, and shall have
paid q Territorial tax, shall be qualified
elector for all elective officers; and all
Indians who are inhabitants of this Terri
tory, and who may have adopted the Gus
toms of the white man, and who are liable
to pay taxes, shall be deemed citizens:
Provided, that no soldier, seaman or mari
ner. in the regular army or navy of the
United States, shall be entitled to vote, by
reason of being on service therein: -And
proeidea further, that no person who shall
have been convicted Of any violation of
any of the provisions of an act of Congress,
entitled San Act respecting fugitives from
justice, and persons escaping from the
service of their masters approved Feb.
II, 1898; or of an act TO ameRd and sup
Elementary TO said act, approved 18th
September, 1850; whether such convic-
ton were by criminal proceeding or by
civil action for the recovery of any penal
ty prescribed by either of said acts,