The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1863-05-08
AN ACT,

Secretary OF the COMMONWEALTH.
AN ACT,
To provide for voting by persons in the military
service, and persons absent from their respec-
tive counties and corporations, on account Of
the presence of the public enemy, in elections
for members of Congress, and for Governor,
Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General,
and for members Of the General Assembly,
and to amend and re-enact the third section
Of chapter eight Of the Code Of Virginia, edi-
ton of 1860.
Passed March 2e, 1868.
/. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that
during the present war the qualified voters Of
the Commonwealth, who may be in the military
service of the State or of the Confederate States
on the day of any general or special election for
members of the House of Representatives Of
the Confederate States, or of any election for
Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney
General of this State, may vote in such election,
at such place or places within their regiment as
the commandant of such regiment shall desig-
nate, whether such regiment be within the Ii
mits of this State or not.
g. For each place of voting the commandant
of the regiment shall detail q superintendent,
three commissioners, and as many clerks as shall
be necessary, who, after being first duly sworn
by him, shall perform the duties required of and
be liable to the penalties imposed upon such Off
GERS by the election laws Of the State. The
qualified voters in any company or battalion un-
attached, or on detached service, may vote in
like manner, the officer in command detailing
similar officers to perform similar duties who
shall be liable to like penalties. The said COM
missioners shall open polls on the day Of any
such election for members Of Congress, for each
district entitled to representation in said Con-
gress for which there shall be voters in said re-
giment, battalion or company desiring to vote
and on the day Of any election for Governor,
Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General, they
shall also open polls for such last named officers.
The qualified voters, who present themselves to
vote, shall be asked by said commissioners from
what district they come, and each voter shall
vote for q person to represent the district from
which he comes; and his name shall be recorded
on the poll book opened for that district, and
also on the poll book for Governor, Lieutenant
Governor and Attorney General, when an cleo
ton of such last named officers shall be held;
and when the polls taken as aforesaid shall be
closed the commissioners holding the said elec-
ton shall make and certify statement Of the
said polls to the senior officer commanding the
troops at the point where such regiment may be,
if there be any such officer, and If not, then to
the commandant of the regiment, unattached or
detached battalion or company, who shall ap-
point some person whose duty it shall be to take
all the polls and statements which may have
been so taken and certified to the Secretary of
the Commonwealth, within fifteen days after the
commencement of such election. $50
8. The qualified voters of any county or cor
poration, absent therefrom because Of the pre-
sence of the public enemy, on the day appoint
ed for any such election as is mentioned in the
first section, may, during the existing war vote
in any such election in which they would be en-
titled to vote if in the county or corporation of
their domicil, at the courthouse of any county
or corporation in the State where they may hap
pen to be on the day of said election. If any
other election is held at the same time, the off,
GERS holding said election shall open the poll and
receive the votes herein authorized to be polled,
as prescribed by law in cases Of other elections;
but if no other election be then, held than such
at which the persons mentioned in this section
are authorized to vote, then poll shall be open
ed by the clerk Of the county court. Any such
person desiring to vote in such election shall
make oath before the clerk or other officers con-
Quoting the election, that he believes he would
be entitled to vote therein if in the county or
corporation Of his domicil; and thereupoh his
vote shall be recorded on the proper poll. When
such polls shall be closed, the officer conducting
the election shall certify the result and the
correctness of the polls at the foot thereof, and
shall transmit such poll book, SO certified by
mail, prepaying the postage thereon, to the
Secretary of the Commonwealth, within fifteen
days after the commencement of the election.
Be it further enacted, that the third section Of
chapter eight Of the Code Of Virginia, edition of
eighteen hundred and sixty, be amended and re-
enacted SO as to read as follows: 49,
ssSEC. 8. In cases of elections for election
districts, or Senatorial or Congressional dis
tricts, the commissioners experimenting the
ties or corporations forming such districts shall,
within three days after such election is conclud-
ed, deliver certified statement Of the result Of
the election in said county, to be ascertained
by comparing the polls of the different voting
places in said county, and striking therefrom
such votes as are required by law to be stricken
therefrom, to the officer conducting the election.
at the Court House Of said county, or to such
other officers as may legally act for him; which
said statement shall be written in words and not
in figures, and shall conform as near a. may be
to the form of the return required to be made in
case Of the election Of Governor. The officers
conducting the election at the Court Houses Of
the several counties shall meet at the Court
House Of the county or corporation first named
in the law describing such districts, which may
not be in the possession or power Of the public
enemy, on certain day after that appointsd by
law for the commencement Of such election;
which certain day, in the case Of an election
from district Of delegate, shall BID The eighth,
Of senator, shall be the twelfth, and Of re-
preventative in Congress shall be the fifteenth
after such commencement. They shall compare