Natchitoches spectator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1867-18??, 1868-03-19
The Election Order.


Hancock issued the following order:
WHEREAS, a Convention recently as.
Tsembled at New Orleans, La, in COM
pliance with special orders No 1867,
from these headquarters, dated October
21, 1867, did, in pursuance of the acts of
Congress, mentioned in said order. pro-
coed to frame Constitution and civil
Cover nment for the State of Louisiana;
and,
WHEREAS, The acts of Congress pro-
vide that the election for the ratification
of said Constitution shall be conducted
by the officers or persons appointed, or
to be appointed, by the commanding
general; said election will be held in the
State of Louisiana, from Z A. M. to p.
NJ, on the 18th and 18th days of April,
1865, at which the registered voters of
the State may vote for or against the
Constitution submitted to them by said
convention.
/. Commencing fourteen days before
the election, boards of registrars will,
after having given reasonable public
notice, revise at the places where the
boards are in session, for a period of
five days, the registration lists, and up
| on being satisfied that any person not
entitled thereto has been registered, will
strike the name of such person from the
list. The boards will also, during the
same period. add to the registry the
names of all persons who at that time
possess the qualifications required by
law, and who have not already been
registered. See sec. Z, Supplementary
Act of July 10, 1867.
Upon completion of the revision ofreg-
istration, the boards of registrars will
Immediately proceed to make up their
precinct poll books-for this purpose
| vi I,a OtrS ut
the last election, making the necessary
corrections. They will also forward to
these headquarters tabular statement,
! giving the number of persons registered
| (white and colored) during the revision;
the number rejected (white and colored);
the names of the persons refused regis
tration and stricken from the rolls, will
be given with statement showing the
causes therefor. ll.;.,s's . %.
2. The polls will be opened at every
voting precinct in each parish at the
places designated by law. No person
will be allowed to vote whose name does
not appear on the registry list. The
election will be by ballot. ''Those vO-
ting in favor of the Constitution. shall
have written or printed on the ballots,
by which they vote as aforesaid, the
words, For the Constitution and those
voting against the Constitution, shall
have written or printed OH such ballots,
the words, Against Constitution
Each ballot presented by a colored voter
shall be marked .sColored" by one of
the judges of election. Poll books will
be kept of the names of the voters as
at ordinary elections in the State. AS
each voter presents Ills certificate one of
the judges will indorse on it "Voted,"
with the date, and signed by one of the
commissioners. ......... ~.
3. The boards of registration of each
parish will be superintendent of, and
will conduct the election, and will see
that all the necessary preparations are
made for properly conducting the same;
that due and sufficient notice is given of
the time and object of the election, COM
missioners appointed, proper ballot
boxes prepared, etc.
If, from any cause, any of the regis
trars OF parish fail to perform the duty
incumbent upon them, either at the re-
vision directed in paragraph L, OF at the
election, their places will be filed by
the clerk of the district court, or recor-
der of the parish, or assessor of the
parish court in the order named, provi-
ded they can qualify according to law.
If vacancies cannot be thus filled, the
remaining portion of the registration
board will fill them with persons who
can uuly qudlhyi HoIAlSI Ing lnlS ounce Vi
the same.
d. The election at each precinct will
be presided over by the three commits
sioners, who will be sworn in the same
manner as the registrars.
Should only two of the commissioners
be present, they shall appoint third;
should only one be present he shall ap-
point another, and they together shall
appoint third.
To carry out this, commissioners are
authorized to administer the required
oath.
8. At the close of the election, the
commissioners will carefully count and
make duplicate returns of the result of
the election; stating, also, in four sepa-
rate lists, respectively, the number of
white voters for, the number of colored
voters for, and the number of each
against the Constitution. The ballots
will then be replaced in the ballot boxes,
which will be sealed, and together with
the registration and election records,
will be carried by one of the commission
ers TO the Court House, or place desig-
mated, and turned over to the board of
registrars. I
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