The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-10-01
THE ELECTION LAWS.
The Provisions for Conducting Elec.
lions, a, Now Existing.
IMPORTANT SUGGESTION

the election laws of this State during the
last four years, that many persons are in
doubt as to the provisions Of the acts
now in force. We have, therefore care-
fully examined aud tigated the sub
ject, and submit the following synopsis
ofthe most important provisions Of the
laws applicable to the approaching elec>
ton. TO this we call the especial at
tention of the Township Trustees and
press of Indiana. 1t should be widely
published
REGISTRY LAW.
The registry law of 1867 has been re-
pealed by the act of May 13, 1869. No
register of voters is therefore required.
WHO ARE VOTERS.
The Constitution OF the State, as
amended ty the fifteenth am .ndment,
defines the qualification Of voters, thus
Every male citizen Of the United
States of twenty oae years Of age and
State during the six months imme1iate-
ly preceding the election, and every
male. of foreign birth, of twenty>one
sided in the United States one year six
months of which Immediately preceding
the election he must have resided in this
State and who shal. have declared his
intention to become a citizen o the U
ted States, shall be entitled to vo1e in
the township or precinct where he ie-
sides,
RESIDENCE.
In order to acquire q resid ence to en-
title any person to vote, he must have
been a BONA FIDE {that is with the inten-
ton of making it his b ,me) inhabitan. of
the township, city Or ward in which he
proposes to vote, at least twenty DAYS
before the day of election Section %,
Act of March IL, 1870.
TICKETS.
All tallots (tickets) shall be writ en-
or printed ON pain white paper, without
any distinguishing mark or other embel-
lishment except the name of the candi>
dates and the Office for which they are
voted for, and inspectors of election shall
refuse all ballots offered of any other de-
scription. A voter. however. may write
his own name on the back of his tickets
if he so desires Section %, Act Of
March | l, 1865.
1t shall be- the duty of the Inspector,
| on receiving the ballot of any voter, to
have the same numbered with figures, on
the outside or back thereof, to correspond
with the number placed opposite the
nan of such voter, on the poll lists kept
open by the clerks. Il Section 2, Act Of
March 13, 1869.
| If two tickets are lound purposely
folded together they shall both be rejec>
ted, and if more persons are designated
on any ticket to any office than are to be
elected to such Office, such part Of the
| ticket shall not be counted to any of
them, but no ticket shall be lost for
want of form, if the Bo ,rd of Judges can
| determine to their satisfaction the per>
| son voted for and the Office intended
| [Statutes of Indiana, Gavin & Hord
Volume l, page 8l1, section 27.
APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES AND cLERks.
!! The Township Trustee is inspector of
elections in his township. and shall ap.
point two freeholders, qualified voters Of
the preciuct, Judges of the election, such
judges to be of diffe. ent politics end to
be selected from the two political partiss 8
casting the highest number of votes in
such township or preclLct, provided
there are different political parties there's
| in, and the Inspector and Judges thus
selected shall constitute Board Of EIec.
| tion. = Section 3, Act of March 13. 1869.
/ The Board Of Election shall appoint
two clerks of different politics, one for
each political party. etc. Section 5 Act
of March 13, 1869.
If there are more than one precinct in
the township the Board Of County Com
missioners at their June term, shall ap-
point an Inspector of Election for the
new precinct, who shall proceed as set
forth above.-[ Section 4. Act Of March
13, 1869.
CHALLENGES, oATHs, ETC.
When the right of any person to vote
is challenged, the Board shall administer
to the challenged party the following
oath
"You do swear Tor affirm. as the case
may bs,) that you are 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
q bona fide resident of this State for six
months Immediately preceding this elec>
tion that you are now, and have been
for twenty days past, iona fide resident
of this township. precinct, or ward, ias
the case may be); that you are general
| ly known by the name in which you de-
sire to vote; that you haye not voted nor
will not vote at any other precinct, town.
ship or ward in this election
i In the case of persons of foreign birth,
that part of the oath relative to citizen
ship shall be dispensed with, ard the fol-
lowing words used in lieu thereof: That
you have resided in the United States
one year, and have declared your inten-
ton to become citize n thereof in con-
formity with the laws thereof"
In addition to such oath of himself the
person challenged shall get some free
holder who is resident and voter in the
township, precinct or ward in which he
proposes to vote to take the following
oath
You do swear or affirm Gas the case
may be) that you are freeholder, own
ing real estate in your own right, held by
deed in your own name, and that said
real estate is situaI ed in the election ere.
| cinct, and that - -. who now de-
sires to vote, has resided in this State for
six months Immediately preceding this
election. and has been . bona Fl ie resi-
deut of thus precinct Tor twenty days last
past which oath shall be written or
printed, and shall be signed by the per-
son making such oa tn in the presence OF
the Board OF Elections, which oath shall
be administered by some member thereof.