The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-08-31
Law to Regulate Elections.

Of Judges Of Election, is specially directed
to the following provisions of d" An Act to
Regulate Elections:
SECTION IL. 1t shall be the duty of each In.
spectUr to be at the place where the polls are
to be opened in the Precinct tor which he is
appointed, from eight O'Clock in the morning
until sunset Of the day OF election. Should
such Inspector not appear at eight O'Clock in
the morning, the electors present ut the place
! where the polls arc TO be opened, may appoint
m Inspector for the Precinct.
SIC. IS. The Board Of Inspectors for each
Prccint shall, before the time Of opening the
polls, appoint two suitable PERSONS to act as
Clerks.
SEC. 10. Before any election shall be opened,
the Inspector, judges and clerks shall each. be-
fore any officer authorized TO administer oaihs,
take al oath that he will faithfully and impair
italy discharge the duties assigned him by
law. II there is no person present authorized
TO administer Oaths, the inspector shall admin
lister the oath to the judeS aud clerks. and one
Of the judges shall administer the oath to the
inspector.
SEC. 90. The inspector shall be chairman Of
the beard, and after its organization, shall have
power To administer ell necessary oaths which
may be required in the progress Of the election.
lie shall also have power tn ill any vacancy
that may occur in the board Of Judges, or by
absence or by refusal to serve of either Of the
clerks, after the polls have been opened
SEC. 81. 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; pIOcidel, that
the Judges Of Election may take u recess Of one
hour At any time they may think proper during
the day, before three O'Clock in the afternoon.
SEC. 90. The Board of Judges. before they
commence receiving ballots, sLall cause it to be
proclaimed alond, at the place VI voting, that
the polls are opened.
SEc. "a. The voting shall be by ballot. Tic
5allot shall be q paper ticket containing the
names Of the persons for whom the rlectJr in
tends to vote, upd designating the office to
which eacE pe.soG ~ named iSiniendcd BY him
70 be chosen.
Sec. % Whenever any person offers To vote,
the Inspector shall pronounce his name ia aI
audible voice, and il there be NJ objections 10
the qualifications Of such person elector,
shall receive his ballot. and, in the presence OF
the other Judges, put the same, without being
opened or examined, into the ballot box.
SEC S. The name Of each elector whose
ballot has been received, shall be Immediately
entered by each Clerk, in the column of lis
ing each name in the additional column rs il
is taken down, so that it may be seen at any
time whether the two lists agree.
Sac. %. Any person offering to vote may be
challenged US unqualified by the Inspector, or
either Il the Judges, or by any legal voter. and
:. SHALL in all cases, be the duty OF the lnspec
tor and ach OF the Judges TO challenge any
rerssn offe ring to vote whom he shall know Or
-aCspsct not to be duly qualified as an eectOr
SEC IS. When any person offering 10 vote is
.ShaA!anGed, it shall be the duty Of the Board
@SEssudees to eclare to him the qualifications
81 ane.cd.a r.
Sec. 20 Ii su h person shall still insist that
be is entitIe to vote, and the challenge shall
r,ot Ne.yithJ, avn. abe Board of Judges, in their
iscreIiou a. " administer an oath, Or atiirInA.
tinn N the rN er: You do swear COR affirm
,j,.t YOU are n citizen Of the United States;
that yoW are of the age OF twenty-nne wears,
according To stle best of your information or
bslief; that r0u have resided in the State six
mouths vext 4reccdinG the election, aud in this
County lor District, or Township. as the case
may be, thirty days. and that you have not
voted before Ghis day"
SEC. 30. 4: the persnu thus challenged shall
take the cath a. rendered to him by the Board
of JudSeS,he shall be admitted Ia vnte. and II
shall DOT be: lawful, after he has taken such
oath or aGegasti0n, tnr said Board 10 examine
any witnesses touching hiS want "f qualilica.
tions; but IL h: shoRld refuse To take the oath
tr afirmatica sOSenhered 10 him, his vote shall
be rejected.
SEC. 81. II the vote 'df any person he chal-
icnged on the ground Mat he has been convict
ed Il 90 iaEam0Hs cziEe, or DISTINGUISHED by any
eOsSt e coapeteHt Jurisdiction, he shall not be
required 10 answer any questions respecting
such alleged conviction; and in the absence Of
any authenticated record Of such facts. it may
be competent ttE two dsintercsted witnesses
to prove the same.
SEC az. When the polls arc closed. procla-
nation thereof shall be made ut the place Of
voting, UGd 40 votes shall afterwards be re-
'ccived.
SEC. SO. As soon as the polls are closed on
the afternoon OF the day of election, the Judges
shaE Opcn the ballot box and commence count
ing the votes. and in no case shall the bullnt
box be removed from the room in which any
election may be held, until all the ballots are
counted; the counting of ballots shall in all
cases be public. The ballots shall be taken
out carefully. one by one, by the Inspector or
one Of the Judges. who shall open them and
read aloud the name Of each person contained
therein, and the Office which every such
person Is voted for. Each Clerk shall write
down each office 10 be filled, aud the name Of
the person voted for, for such Office, and shall
keep the number Of votes by tallies ashley are
read aloud by The Inspector or Judge. The
counting of the votes shull be continued with
out adjournment until all are counted.
SEC. 81. II two tickets are folded together
they shall both be rejected and il more per-
sons are designated on any ticket for any Office
than are to be elected for such Office, such part
Of the ticket shall not b. counted for any of
them: but no ticket shall be lost for want Of
fnrnI, il the Board If Judges can determine to
their satisfaction, the person voted for and the
Office intended.
SEC. as. As soon as the votes are read of
and counted, o certificate shall be drawn up on
each Of the papers containing the poll list aud
tallies, or attached thereto, stating the number
Of votes each person voted for has received,
and designating the Office TO fill which he was
voted for, which number shall be written in
words ct full length. Each certificate shall be
signed by the clerks, the judges aud inspector;
one Of said certificates, with The poll list and
tally paper 70 which it is attached, shall be re-
tanned BY the Inspector. and preserved by him
Ut least six mOuths. The ballots shall be de-
stroyed by the Inspector. The other of said
certificates with the poll list and tally paper TO
which Il is attached, shall be sealed up by the
Inspector, and endorsed "ElectiOU Returns"
and be directed and delivered. or sent by the
Inspect0r N the County Clerk Of the County in
which the election is held.
Sac. Sc. be said package shall be delivered
Clerks Of election Ia person, or NAV be sentby
private hand, or By mail. II sent by private
hand, The person delivering it shall, before the
Countv Clerk, take and subscribe an affidavit
that lie package was delivered to him BY one
nf he judges manning him], that it has not
ben OF Of hts possession since It was received
, - kss undergone NO alteration while in his
possessioo. The affidavit shall be endorsed on
the package. II sent BY mail, Il shall be mail
"A 81 one OF the Judges. aud the Postmaster
shalf make on Il an endorsement that he re-
c~lvsd q from one Of the Judgss naming himl
TThe bearer Of election returns must re-
oeivs them from the hands of the Judges of
slec.soa nd deliver them into the hands Of the
COusty Clerk. Returns should he forwarded
Is soma IS made out.