The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-09-30
THE ELECTION LAW.
An Act Providing FOR the General Eiec-
tions, and the Manner Of Conducting
the Same.

House of Representatives of the State of South
Carolina, now met and sitting In General AS
sembly, and by the authority OF the same
That the general elections in this State shall
be held, pursuant to the constitution thereof
on the third Wednesday In October, eighteen
hundred and seventy, and forever thereafter,
on the same day in every second year, and
shall be regulated and conducted according to
the rules, principles and provisions herein
prescribed.
SEC. 2. Every male citizen Of the United
States, of the age of tweIty-one years and up
wards, not laboring under the disabilities
named in the constitution, without distinction
shall have been O resident of the State for one
year, and In the county in which he offers to
vote for sixty days next preceding any general
election, shall be entitled to vote; provided,
that no person while kept in any almshouse
or asylum, or OF uusound mind. or confined
in any public prison, shall be allowed to vote.
SEC 8. That for the. purpose OF carrying on
such election, 1t shall be the duty OF the Gov
ernor, and he is hereby authorized and en-
poWered, at least sixty days prior to any such
election, to appoint in and for each county
three commissioners of elections, whose duty
1t shall be, and they are hereby authorized
and empowered, to appoint three managers OF
elections for each election precinct of the coun-
ty for which they shall respectively be appoint.
eO,
said managers Of elections, shall take and sub
scribe, before any officer authorized to admin
lister oaths, the oath of office prescribed by
Section 30 of Article II Of the constitution,
and the same shall be Immediately filed, In
each instance, In the office OF the clerk Of the
county In which said commissioners and man
ayers shall be appointed; and If there be no
such clerk duly qualified by law, then In the
office of the secretary OF State.
Crr A That the mauaGprS are hereby
authorized to appoint clerk to assist them In
whatever duties may be required of them,
who shall take the oath of office prescribed by
Section 30 of Article II OF the constitution be-
fore the chairman of the board of managers.
SEC. 5. That the commissioners aforesaid,
and the managers aforesaid. at their first
meetings, respectively, shall proceed to organ
ize themselves as board, BY appointing one
of their number chairman of the board, and
such chairman, in each instance, shall be en-
powered to administer the necessary oaths.
SEC. 6. The polls shall be open at such voting
places as shall be designated at 6 o'clock IN
the forenoon, and close at o'clock In the af-
ternoon of the day Of election, and shall be
kept open during these hours without Inter
mission or adjournment, and the managers
shall administer to each person Offering to
vote an oath that they are qualified to vote at
this election, according to the constitution Of
this State, and thut they have not voted dur
ing this election.
SEC. I. Representatives IN Inc House OF
Representatives of the Congress of the United
States shall be chosen at such election, In the
several Congressional districts, by the qualified
electors therein.
SEC. s. The State constables, and other
peace officers of each county, are hereby re-
ouired to be present during the whole time
that the polls are kept open, ana until the
election Is completed, and they shall prevent
all interference with the managers. and see
that there Is no interruption of good order. II
there should be more than one polling place IN
any county, the State constable OF such conn-
ty is hereby empowered aud directed to make
such assignment of his deputies, and other
peace officers, to such polling places as may,
in his Judgment, best subserve the purposes OF
quiet and order.
places tor the sale OF liquors by retail, shall De
closed at G o'clock of the evening preceding
the day OF such election, and remain closed
until o'clock in the morning OF the day there
after, and during the time aforesaid the sale
of ali intoxicating liquors Is prohibited. ANY
person duly convicted before O competent
court of violation of this section, snail be
punished by fine not exceeding hltydollars,
or by Imprisonment not exceeding six months,
or by both such fine and Imprisonment. In the
discretion of the court.
SEC. TO- That every person who shall vote
at any general election, who Is not entitled TO
vote, and every person who snail, 0y lorce, IN
timiiation. deception. fraud, bribery or UNDUE
influence obtain. procure or control the vote
of any elector to be cast tor any candidate or
measure, other than as Intended or desired by
such elector, shall be punished by fine OF not
less than one hundred, nor more than one
thousand dollars, OF BY imprisonment IN jail
not less than three months, nor more than
twelve months, Or both. within the discretion
OF the court. IT,,
SEC. II. The voting shall be by ballot. which
shall contain written or printed, or partly
written and partly printed, the names OF the
persons voted for, and the offices to whlcn
such persons are intended to be chosen, ana
Shall be so folded as to conceal the contents;
and such ballot shall be deposited in box 10
be constructed. Kept aud disposed OF as mere
inafter provided. .:o,.o+
SEC l2. There shall be one general ticket,
on which shall be the names OF the persons
voted for az representatives IN congress auu
State, circuit and county officers. .,,.,;,,,
SEC l3 The commissioners 0l eieclions
shall provide one box for each e!ectlon pre-.
cinct An opening shall be made IN the I'D OF
Smch hoy. not larger than shall be sufficient
Ior n sinrle ballot 10 be inserted therein at one
tIme through which each ballot received,
nroper TO be- placed in such box. shall be in
seTted by the person voting, and by no other;
each box shall be provided with sufficient
lack. and shall be locked before the opening
OF the poll. aud the keys retained by the COM
missoiers. aud shall not be opened during the
election. Such boxes shall be labelled as fol-
lows: Congress, State, circuit and county off,
GERS.
SEC. II. Each clerk of the poll shall keep a
poll list, which shall contain one column head
ed names of voters" and the name of each
elector voting shall be entered by the clerk III
such column.
SEC. Is. At the close of the election, anu
within three days after the day thereon, tIs at