Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-03-05
A Nesy Law to Prevent Illegal
Voting.

which Is now law:
AN ACT to Provide for Ascertaining the
Qualifications Of Voters and to Prevent
Illegal Voting.
WHEREAS, The right of suffrage is the
highest privilege of the citizen, and should
be guarded with proper vigilance against
Intrusion and fraud for the purpose, there
fore, of aseertaning the persons who may
be entitled to vote at the several elections
held under the laws of this Stale, and to
prevent illegal voting thereat:
Be il enacted By the people Of the State Of
Illinois represented IA tie General Assem-
bly,;
SEC. l. That to constitute residence un-
der the Constitution and election laws Of |
the State, permanent abode is necessary,
and at all elections, general or special, held
in any town, city, district or ward, every
person Offering to vote who is not person.
ally known to the Judges and Inspectors
of Election to have such permanent abode
and to have resided in such election dis
trict for the space ofsixty days Immediately
preceding such election, shall, if his vote
be challenged, take the oath required by
law, and In addition therst0, swear or af>
firm to his place of residence, specifying
the particular place and house ia which he
resides, ard stating how long he has there
resided and his business or employment;
aud il he has not resided in such a house
for sixty days Immediately preceding such
election, he shall state where and in what
houses he has resided for the last sixty
days and in addition thereto, such voter
go challenged shall be required to produce
two witnesses, both tfwhom are personally
known to said judges OF said election, and
residents in the precinct district or ward,
or shall be proved by some legal voter or
voters of the precinct or district in which
said vote if offered to be voted therein, who
shall he known to such judges, and each of
them shall take the following oath, TO be
administered by one Of the judges of said
election:
81 DO solemnly swear or affirm las the
ease may bel that am resident of this
election district, and entitled to vote at
80 this election, and that | have been a res
- ident of this election district for one year
% last past, and that l am well acquainted
with the voter whose vote is now offered,
that he is an actual and bona fde resident
81 Of this election district, and that lie has
resided in this State for one year last
"past"
SEC. 2. Ifany judge of any district shall
permit any voter to vote whose vote is 50
challenged, without the proof required in
the FIRST section Of this act, or shall know
ingly and wilfully permit any person to
testify as witness contrary to the Vrovis-
ions of this act he shall be deemed guilty
o! high misdemeanor, and on conviction
thereof, shall be fined 10 the sum of one
thousand dollars. and imprisoned in the
county Jail for six months.
SEC. 3. If any witness or voter whose
vote is so challenged and sworn under the
provision Of the first section Of this act shall
knowingly, wilfully and corruptly swear
falsely, he shall be deemed guilty IF PERU
~, and upon conviction thereof, imprisoned
In the penitentiary for any term not less
than three or more than twenty-one
years.
SEC. A. If any person shall vote more
than once at any election held under the
authority Of the laws of this State. or shall
vote at any such election, who is not DUAL
flied voter at the place where he so votes,
or shall cifer to vote, after having once
voted at such an election, he shall, on cons
viction thereof, be confined in the peniten-
tiary for any time not less than one or more
than five years.
SIC. 5. AT all elections, general or spe-
cial, in this State where the vote is nv hal
los, If the judges Of election are satisfied.
under the provisions Of this act and the
other laws Of this State relating to elections
that tho person Offering the vote is a legal
yster, be shall endorse the back Of the
ticket offered, the number corresnonding
with the vote on the poll book, and put
such ticket Immediately in the ballot box.
and the clerk of the election shall enter the
name of the voter and his number in the
poll book.
SEC. 6. At the close of the polls. the DOLL
books shall be signed By the Judges. and
attested ty the clerks The names therein
contained shall then be counted. and the
number set down at the foot of the poll
books
SEC. 7. Al the ballots counted by the
judges of election, shall, after being read.
be strung on strong thread or irvine, in
the order in which they have been read,
and shall then be carefully enveloped and
sealed up by the judges, who shall direct
tho same to the officer or officers to whom
by law they are required to return the poll
books, and shall be delivered, together with
said poll books, to said officer or officers who
shall carefully preserve said poll books for
six months, and at Il expiration Of that |
time shall destroy them, and in all cases of
contested election, the parties cnntesting /
the same shall have the right to have the |
sold package Of ballots opened. and said
ballots referred 10 by witnesses for the nnr
pose OF such contest; but said ballots shall /
only be 50 examined and referred to in the
presence of the officer having the custody
thereof
SEC. 8. The provisions Of this act shall
apply to all general and special elections
hereafter held in the State, whether for
general, town, municipal or other Offices.
aud no person shall be considered as bov. !
ing resided IN any ward, or election dis
trIct, or precinct, unless he shall have had
permanent abode therein for at least
thirty days immediately preceding such
SEC. y. M liquor or other intoxicat ting |
drinks shall be sold or given away at retail, |
nor shall any bar room or place where Ii |
quor or intoxicating drinks are sold at re-
tail, be open upon such election day, and it !
shall be the duty of the sheriff, eOnstabies,
public officers and magistrates, to see that
the provisions of this section are enforced,
and any violation OF its provisions shall be
prosecuted and punished 10 the same man
nsr and to the same extent as the keeping
Of tippliug houses open on Sunday, or the
first day OF the week, is now punished by
law.
SEC. 10. This act shall take effect and be
in force from and after its passage.
SHELBY NJ CUILoM,
Speaker of the House Of Representatives.
FRANCIS \. HoFFMANN,
Speaker of the Senate.
Approved Feb. %, 1861.
RICHARD YATES,