The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-23
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

The following bill was introduced by Il.
Jenks in the House OF Representatives on
Monday, and ordered to second reading:
BILL REGULATING THE ELECTION OF Off
GERS In INCORPORATED TOWNS AND CITIES.
Be it eY.acled by the Senate and House Of
Representatives OF the State OF South Carolina,
now met and sitting in General Assembly, and
by the authori ty Of the same
SECTION /. That Immediately after the pas
sage Of this act the Governor OF this State
shall order an election to be held within twenty
days in all the incorr GRATED towns and clnes OF
the State for the purpose Of electing the ottl-
GERS for each Of said towns and cities as ls al
ready provided for in their charters heretofore
granted.
SEQ. 2. The officers elected by virtue Of this
not shall be inducted into Office on the Monday
succeeding their election and shall hold their
Offices until the lime fixed for election by their
several charters and for one full term there,
after, and until their successors are elected ana
qualified. All subsequent elections shall be
held on the days designated in their respective
charters, the officers elected to hold their
Offices until their successors are elected anu
qualified.
with this act, the polls shall be opened at Blk
o'clock A NJ, and kept open during the day at
all the usual polling precincts IN the various
SEQ 4. In order to secure the free express
sion Of all the qualified voters of said towns and
cities, the Governor shall appoint three Com
missioners OF Elections for each WARD or polling
precinct, whose duty 1t shall be to receive the
ballots OF all qualified voters. Said Commits,
sioners shall have the power to examine all
persons Offering to vote, as to their quannca-
necessary under oath. Said Commls-
sioners shall preserve order at the polls,
and may cause the arrest Of any person who
shall attempt to disturb the peace. They, the
said Commissioners, shall, before entering
upon the duties of their office, take and sub
scribe to the oath prescribed IN the constltu-
tion before O justice Of the peace, or some
other officer authorized to administer tne
same. After the polls shall have been closed,
the Commissioners of Elections shall pI oceed to
count oil the votes cast, and shall certify the
same under oath, stating the number OF votes
cast for each candidate or person voted lot,
and shall transmit their report OF the same LII
sealed envelope to the acting mayor or in
tendant Of the city or town wherein they have
been appointed. On the day following such
election, the said mayor or intendant shall
open the reports of said Commissioners, and
shall announce and publish the whole number
of votes cast, and the whole number cast Tor
ach candidate when the several candidates re-
ceving the largest number OF votes for the OIL
fees for which they were voted for shall be de-
clared duly elected.
SEC. 5. On the Monday succeeding the cleo:
ton the persons receiving tho highest number
of votes for the offices voted for shall take the
oath of office prescribed i'll the constitution,
and shall Immediately erter upon their official
duties. The oath Of Office may be administer
ed by any judicial officer Of the State:
SEQ. G. The Commissioners OF Elections shall:
after they have counted the ballots, return the
same to the balot-boxes, and shall seal up said
boxes securely and retain them in their pos
shall be contested then the Board Of Alder
men, when organized, shall take from the Com
missioners Of Elections the ballot-boxes, pro-
coed to count the ballots fer each Of the con-
testants and shall award the election to the
one receiving tie highest number Of legal
votes.
SEC. I. The Commissioners Of Elections