New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-03-14
NEW ORLEANS ELECTION Law.
IN ACT Relative to Elections in the Parish of Or.

i
leans.
SECTION /. Be it enacted By the Senate and Houss
If Representation of the State of Louisiana, in Gen,
sra Assembly conrened That the election precincts
in the city of New Orleans, as now established shall
be lawful election precincts, and shall remain I'M
changed until the Legislature shall otherwise deter
mine.
SEc.2. Be it further enacted, &C., That in each
and every election precinct in the city Of New Orleans
as now established there shall be two places for hold
ing the polls except in the Seventh Precinct in which
there shall be three places for holding the polls.
Sec 3. Be itfurther enacted, &C., That one Of the
polls in each precinct aforesaid except the Seventh
shall be known and designated as number one,n and
the other as number twoh and all the voters resi-
ding in each precinct aforesaid, whose names begin
with any initial letter ranging from A. to H. both in
elusive, shall only be entitled to vote at poll number
" one" and all the said voters whose names begin
with any initial letter ranging from L. to ~ both in
elusive shall only be entitled to vote at poll number
's two.'' s.sa
SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, &C., That one Of
the three polls in the Seventh Precinct shall be known
number two, and the third as poll number 'three,
and all the voters residing in said precinct whose
begin with any initial letter ranging from A.
to G.. both inclusive shall only be entitled to vote at
sunames begin with any initial letter ranging from H.
to N, both inclusive, shall only be entitled to vote at
poll number "two and all the said voters whose
names begin with any initial letter ranging from O.
to T. both inclusive Shall only be entitled to vote at
Sec. 5. Belt further enacted, &c. That the certi.
fed list of voters which the Register of voters in the
city of New Orleans is required by law to furnish
to the Commissioners of Election in each precinct
shall be subdivided by the said Register into as
many lists there are polls in each precinct and the
said Register shall furnish to the commissioners oeec
ton presiding at each poll in each precinct certified
list in the manner now required by law OF all the vo-
ters entitled to vote at each poll respectively.
e.. IL Board
of Commissioners is hereby created in and for the
parish OF Orleans, to be styled The Central Board
Of Commissioners" to be composed of the Mayor Of
the city of New Orleans the Register of Voters Of said
city, the Attorney General of the State, and two ct
zens of New Orleans who have resided in the State
at least five years to be appointed by the Governor
and the term of office of said citizens so appointed
shall be two years, unless sooner removed and it
soners to appoint all the commissioners Of election in
the parish Of Orleans, to preside at any and every
election held in said parish for all State parochal or
municipal officers, or Judges, members OF Congress, or
any officer of the United States Government, any
other officer whose election devclyes upon the people.
SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, &C., That the At
torney General shall be erotcio President OF the said
Board and OF its members shall be Secretary there
Of disappointed by the said Board and majority Of
the members of said Board shall constitute quorum
for the transaction of business and they are hereby
authorized to adopt such bylaws and rules as to them
may seem fit Prorided, the same be consistent with
the Constitution and laws Of this State and of the
United States. ze.t. :
Sec. s. Be 1t further enacted, &C., That it shall
be the exclusive duty of the said Board of Commis-
soners at least five days previous to any election to
be held in the parish of Orleans or the city of New
Orleans, to appoint three commissioners OF election
to preside at each poll in each precinct in the city
of New Orleans, and three commissioners of election
preside at each precinct in that part OF the parish
Of Orleans the right bank of the Mississippi river.
SEC g. Be it further enacted, &C., That the two
citizens to be appointed by the Governor members Of
said Central Board of Commissioners, shall receive
yearly salary Of five hundred dollars each, payable
proportionately by the city of New Orleans and the
Police Jury of the parish OF Orleans, on the right
the discharge of their duties take the oath prescribed
by the Ninetieth Article of the Constitution.
SEC. 10. Be it further enacted, SC, That it shal
be the duty of said Central Board of Commissioner
to designate the places of holding the polls in th
several precincts in the parish and city of New on
leans and assign to each poll, in each precinct, thu
number by which it shall be designated and known
and to make or cause to be made, the necessary ar
angenents at each POLL for convenient approach tt
the ballotboX and easy egress therefrom and so tt
provide that the balot-b0X during the election may
be seen by the public and so that the voter may
see his ballot deposited therein.
SEC II. Be IL further enacted, Sc, That the de-
signaon of the places holding the polls and the mum
bers by which the respective polls in each precinct
shall be known, shall be published by the said
Board, in two daily newspapers, printed in the
city of New Orleans; and said publication shall
be made in English and French, for ten days pre-
vious to any election, and all the expenses in
Cured for advertisements, and for making the ne
cessary arrangements at the polls shall be paid by
the city of New Orleans, except that part incurred
for the polls on the right bank of the Mississippi
river which shall be paid by the Police Jury of said
right bank and an account of said expenses signed
by the President, and countersgned by the Secretary
OF said Central Board of Commissioners, shall be suf
icient warrant to the proper officers of the city OF
New Orleans, and the said Police Jury, to pay the
same; and it shall be the duty of the Comptroller and
Treasurer of the said city to pay the said account and
also of the said Police Jury to pay the said account
for the said right bank.
Sec. H. Be it further enacted, &C., That in case
any commissioner Of election, appointed by said
Board, shall fail to attend the day of election, or
shall refuse to act at any time after his appointment
then and in that event. the President OF the Board
or in case of his absence the Register of votes may
appoint substitutes to act in the places OF those so
failing to attend, or refusing to act. vr r.
SEC. l3. Be it further enacted, Sc, That any
member of the said Central Board, or Judge or
Justice of the Peace, or the Sheriff or any OF his
deputies, il hereby authorized to administer to any
commissioner Of election the oath required by exist
ing laws.
SEC Ia. Be it further enacted, &C., That no grog
shop or place where liquor is sold, shall be used as
an election poll in the parish of Orleans but the said
Board is hereby authorized to use tor that purpose
any building belonging to the city of New Orleans
parish of Orleans, or if necessary, to rent proper
DulldlngS Tor the OCCASION
SEC. Is. Be it further enacted, &c., That the
polls shall be opened at o'clock, A. NJ, and closed
at o'clock, P. NJ.
SEc. l6. Be it further enacted, &c., That the Gov
shall by and with the advice and consent of thu
Senate appoint discreet citizen. who has resided il
the State at least four years whose duty it shall be
superntend all elections held in the city of New Or
eans,and who shall be styled the superintendent o
Elections who shall hold his Office for the term
two years, unless sooner removed and who shall re
ceve annual salary of three thousand dollars paya
bic quarterly out of the Treasury. upon the waIran
of the Auditor of Public Accounts, and one.half o
said salary shall constitute debt against and be paiG
by the city of New Orleans in the manner hereinafter
mentioned.
SEC. L. Be it further enacted Sc, That if any
person in the parish Of Orleans shall prevent or at
tempt to prevent any voter from exercising his right
OF suffrage, by threat intimidation violence, or any
other unlawful means whether before or during elec.
ton time such person shall, on conviction thereof
he sentenced to not less than six months nor more
than three years imprisonment, at hard labor IN the
Penitentiary and shall be forever deprived OF his
right of suffrage. And if any persons in the parish
o. Orleans snail, during an election assemble or com
bine together for the purpose of driving voters from
the polls or preventing obstructing voters in com
ing to OF returning from the polls said persons shall
upon conviction thereof be sentenced to not less thar
one nor more than five years Imprisonment at harG
labor il the State Pententiary and be forever de
pfived of therTight of suffrage. And any person OF
persons in the parish OF Orleans who may wilfully
destroy mutiate any votes that may have been de
upSite1 in the ballot box anv elnrtioT ratnrns