The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-01-13
Amendment of the Election Law.

--AHSUu Qbut VI tlic l1lCOt1VN low
Ono Of tho most important meas
:ures of the Session is tho bill intro
duced by Senator Corbin, for the
amendment Of the present odious
election law of the State. Tho bill
proposes to remove tho most objec-
tionablc features OF the present law,
and if properly enforced would seem
to.afford o sufficient safeguard against
ahe frauds which may be pcrpctra'
ted under the law as il now exists.
The first section Of tho bill amends
thc.third section of the Act, SO that
of the three Commissioners, and
dhreo Managers Of Election, one at
least of each shall be appointed from
each political party.
The second section Of tho bill
amends the thirteenth section of the
Act, by striking out the words ''eack
box shall be provided with q sufficient
lock, and shall be locked before the
opening Of the POLL and the keys re-
tained by the commissioners, aud
shall not be opened during tho elec-
tions," and inserting the words "each
box shall he provided with sufficient
Jock, and said Lox shall bc publicly
opened and inspected to see it is emp
,ty7 and secure, and then locked just
4 before tho opening of the poll and
the keys retained by the managers,
and shall not be opened daring the
election.
q Section third Of the bill, amending
section fifteen of tho Act, makes the
following important cllangc-as to
the time, place and mode of counting
The votes:
"That at tho close of th. election
the managers and clerk shall imme-
diatcly proceed publicly to open the
ballot box, and count the ballots
therein, and mako such statement Of
tho result thereof, and sign tho same,
AS the nature of tho election shall
.aeqnire. If in counting, two or more
baiaots DO found folded together COM
pactiy, the samo shall bc destroyed
and not counted. If moro ballots
shall be found on opening tho box
|. than there are names on the poll list,
ali the ballots shall be returned to
thc box, and thoroughly mixed TO-
gethcr, and one Of tho managers OF
the clerk shall, without seing tho bal
lots. draw therefrom and Immediate
ly destroyas many ballots as there
are in excess of the number Of names
on the poll list. Within three days
thcreaflerthe chairman Of the board
of managers, or one Of them, to be
designated in writing by the board,
shall deiiver. 10 lhc,commissioncrs Of
election the poll list, and the written.
statementof the result of the election
in his precinct.
This public counting at the place Of
roting, and at the close of tho cleo
tion, affords q needed protection
against that tampcriag with the vote
which may bo practised under the
present law.
Section eighteen of tho Act, rcla-
ting to the osunting Of the votes by
tho commissioners, is..repealcd, and
the following substituted in its stead :
'tThat they shall proceed publicly
to canvass tho returns Of the mana-
gers of election of+the county, and
from said returns. make such state
ments as the nature Of tho election
shall require, and, within three days
of the time of tho first meeting as q
board of commissioners, transmit the
Same to the, board of State Canvass
ers, together with any and all papers
relating to the. .elcction.:
Under tic provisions of the foroge-
ing sections, the result of: the County
sote will be known within six days
instead of sixteen, from the day of
election, as is now:
Section 21 is repealed, and the fol
lowing offered in lieu thorcof:
That upon such statements they
.(the State canvasscrs) shall then pro
eced publicly to determine and dc-
clare what persons have, by the
greatest number of votes, been elect
Gdto such offices, Or r.eilher of them"
This section restricts the power of
the State Board to o dctefRinat on
,of .fho greatest,numbero of votes cast
and dcpriycs them Of their present
power Of passing upon the legality of
tho election. This power is moro
properly vested sin other bodics-in
Congress and gtho State Legislature
where the elcctionis for members of
those bodies yely-and in the
courts Of the county whore the cleo
zion bis for county anL other officers.
Such are ths proposed nod llfcations
of a law, one Of tl6most odioae ever
passed, and (which wall rcadcrs tolora-
bic that which might be still further,
modified with benefit to the country
ma wo regret TO :annouace the
death Of Mrs. P..s. Ratledge, On estl-
,nahla ladx formerly of orr village,