Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1863-05-29
" of the Commonwealth.
AN ACT


To provide for voting BY persons in the military
service, and persons absent FROM their respective
counties and corporations, account of the
presence of the public enemy, in election for
bers of Congress, and for Governor, Lieutenant
Governor and Attorney General, and for MEM
bers of the General Assembly, and to amend and
re-enact the third section Of chapter eight of the
Code Of Virginia edition OF 1850.
Passed March 2s, 1863.
1. Be It enacted by the General Assembly. that
during the present war the qualified voters of this
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 Of any election for Governor, Lieutenant
Governor and Attorney General OF this State, may
vote in such election at such place places with
In their regiment as the commandant of such regi
ment shall designate whether such regiment be
within the limits of this State or not.
2. For each place of voting the commandment of
the regiment shall detail a superintendent, three
commissioners, and as many clerks as shall be nee
essary, who, after first being duly sworn by him,
shall perform the duties required of and be liable
to the penalties imposed upon such officers by the
election laws OF the State. The qualified voters
ir any company or battalion unattached, or on
detached service, may vote in like manner, the Of
fcer in command detailing similar oihcers to per-
form similar duties who shall be liable to like pen
alties. The said commissioners shall open polls on
the day of anv such election for members of Con-
gress for each district entitled to representation in
said Congress, for which there shall be voters in
said regiment, battalion or company desiring to
vote; and the day OF any elect 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
person to represent the district from which he
comes and this name shall be recorded on the poll
book open for that district, and also on the poll
book for Governor, Lieutenant Governor and At
torney General when an election for such last nam
ed officers shall be held and when the polls taken
as aforesaid shall be closed the commissioners ho-
ding the said election shall make and certify a
statement of the said polls the senior officer com
manding the troops at the point where such regi-.
ment may be, if there be any such Offcer, and II
not, then to the coiImandant of the regiment, un-
attached or detached battalion or company, who
shall appoint some person whose DUTY II shail De TO
take all the polls and statements winch may nave
been so taken and certified to the Secretary OF the
Commonwealth, within fifteen days after the COM
mencement of such cleo ton.
3. The qua flied voters of any county or corpor-
alton, absent thcrefrom because OF the presence OF
the public enemy, on the day appointed TOT any
such election as is mentioned in the hrst section,
nav during the existing war; vote in any such cleo
ton in which they would be entitled to vote lin
the county or corporation OF this domlcll, at the
court house or any county or corporation 10 tne
State where they may happen TO pc on Inc Jay o.
said election If any other election is held at the
same time, the officers holding said election shall
open the poll and receive the votes herein author,
lied to be polled as prescribed by law in cases OF
other elections; but if not other eiecuon 20 theh
held than such at which the persons mentioned IN
this section are authorized to vote, then poll shall
be opened by the clerk of the county court. Any
such person desiring to vote in such election shall
make oath before the clerk or other officer conduc-
ting the election that he believed he would be en-
titled to vote therein if in the county or corpora
ton Of his domicil and thereupon bis vote shall be
recorded 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 sxch poll book
Q certified by mail, prenay wing the pastase there