Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-09-07
The Mode in which the Soldiers shall
Vote.


The following is an abstract Of the bill
prescribing the manner in which the
soldiers shall vote:
SECTION |. Provides that whenever auy
OF the qualified electors Of this Common.
wealth shall be in actual military service
under reQulsition from the President or
Governor, and consequently absent on the
DAY OF holding general, special, or presi-
Dental elections, they shall be entitled to
exercise the right of suffrage as fully as i!
they were present, at their proper places
OF voting, and the right of such voter j.
not TO be impaired by reason Of his being
credited for bounty in any other locality
than his ectual residence.
SEC. .. 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 elect
ors OF said company who shall be within
one mile OF such quarters on the day of
election, and not be prevented from re-
turning by the proximity of the enemy or
orders Of commanders, shall vote at such
headquarters, and no other place. Officers
others than those of a company. the other
voters detached and absent from, their
companies, or in any military and naval
hospital, or in any vessel or navy ward
may vote at such other polls as are most
convenient to them. When there are ten
or more electors unable to attend at the
company polls or proper places of election
they may open poll aLsuCh place as they
may select.
SEC. 3. The polls are not TO be opened
before o'clock, and must be kept open
three hours, or, if deemed necessary in
order to receive all the votes, until seven
o'clock in the evening.
SEC. 4. Before opening the polls the
electors present shall elect, viva vpce,
three persons for judges, and the judges
shall appoint two clerks, and prepare
boxes for their ballots.
SEC. s, Before receiving any votes the
judges and clerks shall be sworn to OBJ
serve the law and guard against fraud and
deceit, and this cath mus. be entered on
the poll-book and signed by the judges
and clerks.
SEC 6. All voting shall be by ballot,
and the applicant to vote, if challenged,
must be examined under oath by the
the judges as to his right to vote in the
precinct in which he claims residence.
SEC. I. Separate poll-books must 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, borough, ward, precinct,
or election district OF each voter shall be
endorsed opposite his name on the poll
books, Of which each clerk shall keep one.
SEC. s. The tickets shall have upou them
tho names of all the officers for whom the
elector desires to vote
SEC. Q. On receiving tho ticket the
judges must pronounce audbly the name
of the elector presenting it, and if salts
fed OF the right of the elector to vote,
and he is not challenged, shall deposit the
ballot in the proper box, while the clerks
register the name and legal residence of
ihe voter in their poll-books.
SIC. 10. At the close of the polls the
number Of voters shall be counted, set
down, and certified at the foot Of the poll
books.
SEC. II. After the poll-books are signed
the ballots are to be counted, each judge
reading the names there on, and tho third
slrnging the vote of each county on a
separate string, and carefully preserving
the same.
SEC. u. Where two tickets are folded
together, both are to be thrown out, and
where two ballots are voted together for
tho same office, neither is to be counted
for that office.
SEC. l3. Each clerk shall keep, in addi-
ton to the poll-book, list of the voters
FOR each county, which shall constitute a
part of the poll-bool.
Sac. H. The number of voters on these
county poll lists must also be set down
and certified.
SEC. Is and l6 prescribe the form of
poll-book, and the manner of entering the
returns.
Sso. IL. After canvassiug the votes, the
judges will seal up and send the poll-book
lists, and the ballots, to the Prothonotary
of the proper county, and secure the other
poll-books and lists, to be called for by the
Commissioner appointed under the act.
II not called for within ten days, the
second book, &C., are 10 be sent to the
Secretary of tho Commonwealth.
SEC, lS. The Prothonotary must furnish
the Return Judge with certified copy Of
returns so received.
SEo. 70 and 90. The return judges are
to meet on the second Tuesday of Noyem
Der to count and enter the vote of soldiers
thus returned.
SEC. 81. In Presidential elections all
returns received by the Secretary of the
Commonwealth are to be compared with
the county returns, for the correction of
the latter.
SEC. %. All elections are to be subject
10 contest as under the present laws.
SEC. 23, The Secretary of the Common
wealth is required to provide a sufficient
number of copies Of this law. together
with extracts from the general election
laws, blank forms Of poll-books, tally lists
and returns, postage stamps, &C., and for
ward the same by commissioners, or 9th
erwise, to the commanding officers of
companies, detached posts and hospitals,
who shall deliver the same to the election
judges on the day of election, but no
election IA In he invalidated by reason OF