The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-09-29

The Mode in Which Soldiers Shall Vote

y prescribing the manner IN which the sol
/, d..ers shall vote:
r Section l provides that whenever an,
i of the qualified electors of this common
wealth shall be in actual military servic,
under rcquisition from the Prcsiden
or Governor, and consequently absent OF
the day of holding general, special OIL
: Presidential elections, they shall be enti
tied to exercise the right of suffrage as
fully as if they were present at their prop
er places of voting and the right of such
vote is not to be impaired by reason Of
his being credited for bounty in any 9TH
er locality than his actual residence.
! Section 2. A poll is to be opened in
each company, composed in whole or part
of Pennsylvania soldiers, at the quarters,
of the captain or other officer, and all
electors of said company who shall be
within one mile of such quarters on the
day of election, and not be prevented
from returning by the proximity of the
enemy or orders of commanders, shall
vote at such headquarters and no other
place. Officers other than those of a
company, the other voters detached and
absent from their companies, or in any
military or naval hospital, or in any YES
sci or navy yard, may vote at such other
polls as are most convenient to them
When there are ten or more electors un-
able to attend at the company polls or
proper place of election, they may open
poll at such place as they may select.
Section g. The polls arc not to be
opened before seven O'Clock, and must be
kept open three hours, or, if deemed ne
cessary in order to receive all the votes,
until seven o'clock in the evening.
Section 4. Before opening the polls the
electors present shall elect, riva roce, three
persons for judges, and the judges shall
appoint two clerks, and prepare boxes for
the ballots.
Section 5. Before receiving any votes
the Judges and clerks shall be sworn to
observe the law and guard against fraud
and deceit, and this oath must be entered
on the poll-book and signed by the judg-
es and clerks.
Section 6. All voting shall be by bal
lot, aud the applicant to vote, if challen-
ged, must be examined under oath by the
judges as to his right TO vote in the pre-
cinct of which he claims residence.
Section Z. Separate poll-books shall be
kept, and separate returns made, for the
voters of each city or county. The poll
books shall name the company and regi-
ment, and post, place or hospital in which
the election is held. The county and
township, city, ward, precinct or election
district Of such voter shall be endorsed
opposite his name on the poll ll-pooks, Of
which each clerk shall keep one.
Section g. The tickets shall have upon
them the names of all officers for whom
the elector desires to vote.
Section 8. On receiving the ticket the
judges mu pronounce andibly the name
Of the elector presenting it, and if satisfied !
of the right of the elector to vote, and he
is not challenged, shall deposit the ballot
in the proper box, while the clerks regis
ter the name and legal residence of the
voter in their poll-books.
Section 10. At the close Of the polls
the number of votes must be counted,
set down, and certified to at the foot of the
poll books.
.Section H. After the poll-books are
signed the ballots arc to be counted, each
Judge reading the names thereon, and the
third stringing the vote of each county on
a separate string, and carefully preserving
the same.
Section 12. Where two tickets are
folded together, both are to be thrown
out, and where two ballots are voted to-
gether for the same Office, neither is to be
counted for that Office.
Section 13 Each clerk shall keep, in
addition to the poll book, list of the
voters for each county, which shall con-
stitute wart of the poll-book.
Section Ii. The number of voters on
these county poll lists must also be set
down and certified
Section Is and 16. Prescribe the form
of poIl-book, and the manner of entering
the returns.
Section II. After canvassing the votes,
the judges will seal up and send the poll
book. lists, and ballots to the prothonota-
ry of the proper county, and secure the
other poll book and lists, to be called for
by the Commissioner appointed under
the act. If not called for within ten
days, the second book, &c, are to be sent
to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Section Is. The Prothonotary must
furnish the Return Judges with certi-
fed copy of returns so received.
Sections 19 and 20. The Return
Judges of the several counties shall ad-
journ to meet on the third Friday after
any general or Presidential election, to
count the soldiers vote, &c. If two or
more counties are connected in said cleo
ton, the meeting of the Judges from
each postponed until the Friday follow
ing.
Section 21. In Presidential elections,
all returns received by the Secretary of
the Commonwealth are to be compared
with the county returns, for the correc-
ton of the latter.
a % II oloot;nns ouo L. L -