American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-09-14
Act Regulating Soldiers Voting


The following is the act passed blythe
Pennsylvania Legislature, regulating the
mode of election by Soldiers in actual
Military Service:
THE SOLDIER S RIGHT TO VOTE.
SEC L. Be it enacted by the Senate
and House Of Representatives. Of tie Com
monweaM Of Pennsylvania an General
assembly met, and i is hereby enacted By
the authority Of the same, That when
ever any of the qualified electors of this
Commonwealth shall be. in any actual mil
itary service under requisition from the
President of the United States, or by the
authority of this Commonwealth, and as
such absent from their place of residence
on the days appointed by law for holding
the general or presidential elections with
in this State, or on the days for holding
special elections to fill vacancies, such
electors shall be entitled at such times to
exercise the right of suffrage as fully as
ii they were present at their usual pla-
ces of elections, in the manner hereinaf-
ter prescribed, and whether at the time
of voting such electors shall be within
the limits of this State or not, and the
right of voting shall not be affected in
any manner by the fact of the voter hav.
ing been credited to any other locality than
the place Of his actual residence by rea-
son of the payment to him of local boun,
ty by such other locality.
HOW AND WHERE THE VOTING SHALL
TAKE PLACE.
SEC. 2. A poll shall be opened in each
company, composed IN whole or in part OF
Pennsylvania soldiers, at the quarters Of
the captain or other officers thereof, and
all electors belonging to such company
who shall be within one mile of such
quarters on the day of election, and not
prevented by orders of their commanders
or proximity of the enemy from return.
ing to their company quarters, shall vote
at such poll and at no other place. Off
GERS other than those of company and
other voters detached and absent from
their companies, or in any military or ma
val hospital, or in any vessel or navy yard
may vote at such other polls as may be
most convenient for them, and when there
shall be ten or more voters at any place
who shall be unable to attend any compa
ny poll or their proper place of election
as aforesaid, the electors present may open
poll at such place as they may select
and certify in the poll-book, which shal
be record of the proceedings at said
election substantially in manner and form
as hereinafter directed.
Sec. 3. The polls shall be opened as
early as practicable on said day, and
remain open at least three hours, and
if necessary, in the opinion of the
judges of the election in order to receive
the votes of all the electors, they may
keep the polls open until seven O'Clock in
the afternoon Of said day. Proclamation
thereof shall be made at or before the
opening of the polls and one hour before
closing them.
THE MANNER OF VOTING
SEC. 4. Before opening the pcll ON the
day of election, the electors present al
each of the places aforesaid shall elect
Uioa roce three persons present at the
time, and having the qualifications Of elec-
tors, for the judges OF said election, and
the judges so elected shall then appoint
two of the persons present who shall be
qualified to act as clerks of said election
and the judges shall prepare boxes or 9TH
er suitable receptacles for the ballots.
SEC. 5. Before any votes shall be re.
ceived said judges and clerks shall each
take an oath or affirmation that he will
perform the duties of judge or clerk Gas
the case may be) of said election accord
ing to law, and to the best of his abili-
ties, and that he will studiously endeav.
or to prevent fraud, deceit or abuse in
conducting the same, which oath or affir
nation any of the said judges or clerks SC
elected Or appointed may administer to
each other, and the same shall be in wri.
ting, or partly written and partly print.
ed, and signed by said judges and clerks
and certified to by the party administer.
ing the same, and attached to or entered
upon the poll-book and there signed. and
certified as aforesaid.
SEC. 6. All elections shall be by bal
lot, and the judges of elections may, and
upon challenge of any votershall examine
under oath or affirmation the applicant tc
vote, (Which oath or affirmation any oi
said judges may administer,) in respect tc
his right to vote, and his qualifications to
vote in the particular ward, precinct, city
borough, township or county, of this State
in which he claims residence, and before
receiving any vote the judges, or major.
ity of them, shall be satisfied that such
applicant to vote is lawful voter of such
place.
SEC. 7. Separate poll-books shall be kept
and separate returns made for the voters
of each city or county; the pol[books
shall name the company and regiment, and
the place, post or hospital in which such
election is held; the county and town.
ship, city, borough, ward, precinct or cleo
tion district of each voter shall be endors.
ed opposite his name on the pollbooks
each clerk shall keep one of said poll.
books so that there may be double list
of voters.
SEC. s. Each ticket shall have written
or printed or partly written and partly
printed thereon the names of all the off