The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1869-02-12

any election bOarC thus appointed
touching the qualifications of an elector
an ! all questions relating to the con.
duet Of the election, shall be decided by
a majority OF such board when all the
members are present, or by the afffrma>
tive vote of three members Of the
board
SEC. IL. Provides for filling vacancies
that may occur from any cause In the
election board after the election has
commenced, tho same regard being had
to party representation.
SEC. 12. Provides that any member Ol
any election board. duly accepting and
taking the oath, who shall willfully dis
regard this act, or the Territorial cleo
tion laws. or shall officially attempt ia
deprive q voter of his legal right to vote
or to defeat the fairly expressed will Of
the electors, by refusing to sign and Ger.
tify the poll books or other act designed
to defeat the expressed will of the peo>
pie, shall be deemed guilty OF misde>
meanor. and il convicted before the
courts be fined from $1,000 to 5000,
and be imprisoned from one to five
years.
SEC. IL. Within 30 days alter the
election the board of canvassers of said
county shall open al! poll books return
ed to them and declare the result, trans
mittipg to the Governor certified re-
turns as at present to the Secretary.
SEC. IA. Provides that canvassers ac>
cepting and qualifying and afterward
disregarding this act of the Territorial
law, to the same purpose as defined in
Sec. 12. shall II convicted be fined from
5000 to 100000 or imprisoned from
five to ten years.
SEC. ID. Authorizes the Legislatures
to enact laws designating the courts for
contesting elections and the manner of
hearing and determining the cases.
SEC. is, Provides that each Legisla-
ture shall, at the next session after the
passage of this act, fix the compensa-
ton and provide for the payment of
members of Election and Canvassing
Boards.
SEC. Il. The Legislatures are author
lied 70 enforce this sct by Appropriate
legislation.
Sec. 1S. All United States or Terrific
rial acts or par: OF acts in conflict with
this act are by it repealed.
Such Ia the bill We do not like IL
in its present form. II is expensive and
cumbersome centralixes too much pow
er in the Executive-crowds too much
duty into few hours. and does not reach
the root Of the evil. To place unre-
stricted power in the hands OF the
Executive to appoint the persons in
each county who shall finally canvass
the vote of the county, may be readily
put to bad use by bad man. II pro-
vides for the representation of both, or
all parties on the Boards. which is an
equitable measure. II the Governors q
appointees decline to accept, then the
County Committees have privilege to
name persons To fill the vacancy why
not give them the privilege OF naming
persons at first from whom the Gov-
einor shall select Possibly Mr.. ASH
ley expects to be Governor of Terri>
tory and desires no restrictions. Again,
the whole authority To decide upon the
qualification of voters is vested in Elec-
tion Boards, ot four members. Three
of them are required to affirm any Or
der. and their decisions must all be made
within twelve hours. IL legal vote Ia
rejected or an illegal vote admitted, the
entire vote may be declared vitiated.
Does any one suppose such n law will
work smoothly when practically tested :
Containing. IA IL does. some good fea>
lures, it is. as a whole. inadequate to
the reform needed, unless in addition. a
registration Law he passed. when the
certificate of the Board of Registration
presented to the Board of Electors would
enable them to at once decide qdalifica-
tions. That, and IA modification of the
Governors authority would materially
improve it. 1t is matter OF importance
to the Territory. and our readers will
look with interest to its fate in the SEN
ate