The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-03-25
A Word of Caution to Votersl
THE NEW ELECTION Law
Importing Votes a Dangerous Pro.
ceediDg!

kS&01
order that all may be we'll informed,
we copy, this morning, the provisions
of the law bearing on this particular
point.
We will state, what is generally
known. that the election law of 1869.
under whose provisions the approach
ing city election will be held, repealed
the greater part Of the law Of 1867,
commonly known as the registry
law, and. in consequence, this year
there will be no registration of voters,
and the annoyances heretofore expe-
rienced in making a complete regis
tration of voters is done away with.
But other provisions have been adopt
ed in place of the registry law, which
are far more stringent, which make it
almost impossible for a fraudulent
voter to escape punishment for per-
jury. We copy from the law now in
force:
SEC. 6. Any person offering to vote
may be challenged by any voter in
such township, precinct or ward, Gas
the case may be,) and if the person so
challenged insists upon voting, and
the challenge be not Withdrawn, said
Board of Election or some member
thereof, shall administer to him the
following oath: You do swear or
affirm Gas the case may be), that you
are a citizen of the United States,
that you are over twenty one
years of age, to the best of your in
formation or belief, that you have
been a bona fde resident of this State
for six months Immediately preceding
this election; hal you are Ro90 and
hare been for TWENTY DAYS
LAST PAST. a bona tide resident
of this township, precinct or ward,
(as the ease may be-, that you are
generally known by the name in
which you now desire to vote, that
you have not voted at any other pre-
cinet. township or ward, Gas the case
may be), in this election" And in
case of persons of foreign birth, the
oath relative to citizenship shall be
dispensed with, and the following
words used in lieu thereof: That
you have resided Ia the United States
one year, and have declared your in
tention to become a citizen thereof in
conformity with the laws thereof
And in addition to such oath of such
person proposing to vote, the follow
ing oath or affirmation of some free
holder who is a resident and voter OF
such township, precinct or ward, Gas
the case may be), in which the
challenged person asks to vote,
shall be required: You do swear
or affirm, Gas the case may be,) that
you are q freebooter, owning real es-
tate in your own right, held by deed
in your own name, and that said real
real estate IS situated iB his election
precinct, and that, who now de-
sires to vote, has resided in this State
for six months Immediately preceding
/ the election, and has been a bona tide
resident Of hiS precinct for tl1enty
ddgs last past" which oath shall be
written or printed, and shall be signed
by the person making such oathin
the presence Of such Board Of Elec
tions, which oath shall be admins
tered by some member thereof, who
| shall afix his jurat thereto; which
afidavits shall be attached to and be
| EGLuInGA Win LAO pun AA0NS ~ w
Office of the County Clerk.
Sec. z. The Common Council of
any city, or the Trustees of any town,
shall appoint three freeholders, quail
fled voters in each ward, one to act
as Inspector, and two as Judges OF
elections, such Judges to be appoint
ed, one from each of the political
parties casting the highest number OF
-okau - rrrnh mawI 60 khakaoah oF rofI
political parties may have a repre-
sentative on such board: Provided,
There are different political parties in
she ward; and the persons thus APP
pointed shall choose two Clerks of
such elections, from each of the po-
litical parties casting the highest mum
Der of votes in such ward: Provided,
there are different political parties IN
such ward"
By this law a voter, if challenged,
must swear that he has been a bona
fde resident of the precinct in which
he Offers to vote, for TWENTY
DAYS Immediately preceding the
election. In addition some freehold
or must also swear that he, (said free
holder,) owns real estate within the
boundaries Of that precinct, and that
he kRowS that the person whose vote
is challenged, has been living in that
precinct for the TWENTY DAYS
Immediately preceding said election
and q resident of the State for six
months, and both the freeholder and
voter sign an affidavit to this effect in
the presence of the inspector and
judges of the election. When this is
done the inspector receives the ticket
and places thereon the number which
stands opposite said voters name on
the poll book.
Thus it will be seen that q complete
chain of evidence is made up against
fraudulent voting and swearing, and
two men can be made TO smoke for
every fraudulent vote east.
We urge Republicans to be on the
look out in the different wards. We
warn them that, not being discour-
aged by their defeat last Spring, our
opponents will attempt to repeat the
importing game this Spring. We are
informed that the work has already
hoan bn0rn which can oDIv pro,a