The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-02-08
The General Election Bill.

The General Election Bill.
We have received a copy Of Senate
bill No. 81, bill to amend chapter
III OF the Code Of West Virginia, by
which several changes Of the utmost
Importance are made in the election law
of the State. For the information OF our
readers, we note the following provisions
Of the bill. ...I.t.
t II renesls so much Of the existing
law as relates to the election Of "inspec
tors of election" in each township, and
provides that the Governor shall ap.
point two inspectors OF election in each
Countrywide shall appoint two inspectors
of election in each township, and, in
each township, theset-inspectors shall
select a third person to act as supervisor
of elections. They are not to be re-
movable from Office by the supervisors
of the county, and their duties are thus
defined:
1.-The supervisors and /. inspectors
(which words shall be assumed to In
clude those who are such temporarily or
otherwise,) shall superintend, conduct
and return, according to law. every
election provided for in said chapter
which may be held in their townships
while they are in office. The supervls,
ors shall preside at the election and
when the inspectors shall differ In opln
ION, shall decide between them. Said
inspectors shall, at such elections, admit
all persons to vote, who are entitled
thereto, By the laws and constitution OF
this State, and may hear and determine
the right Of any person to vote, whose
vote may be challenged at the polls by
voter of the townships; but no one
whose vote is challenged for having
since the first day Of June, 1861, given
voluntary aid or assistance to the re,
bellion against the United States, shall
be excluded from voting on account
thereof unless proved to have been
guilty, bv the evidence Of at least two
creditable witnesses, showing satisiac-
torily when and where such voluntary
aid and assistance was given, and upon
the hearing of such challenge, the party
challenged NAV be a witness in his own
behalf but shall not be compelled to he
"A witness against himself.
Instead of the "iron-clad test oath,
which is embodied in the present code,
the officers employed in holding the
election are to take the following oath
OF office, which may he administered by
the supervisor, or one of the inspectors,
or by any person authorized to admin
ister oaths, and is to appear properly
certified upon the poll books
Il, (A.B.) do solemnly swear that
will support the constitution OF the
United States, and the constitution OF
the State of West Virginia. ] further
swear that in the election about TO be
held, | will faithfully and impartlally
discharge my duties, to the best OF my
skill and judgment, so help meHod.
The provisions OF the present law IN
relation to ballot boxes and poll
books, the compensation of the officers
and clerks Of elections, the prevention
Of disorder at the polls, the mode OF
voting by ballot, the counting OF the
vote. the return to be made to The
supervisors OF the county, the
manner OF declaring the result and
issuing certificates of election to the
officers chosen, remain unchanged but
the whole fabric OF registration provided
in the Code is completely swept away.
Every section Of the law relating to the
appointment and duties OF Boards Of
Registration and registrars is repealed
bv this bill. Thirty-si1 of the sixty
nine sections of Chapter III Of the Code
are wiped out by one sweeping act OF
repeal, and the election law is freed
from the excrescence, greater than the
law itself, which has heretofore made
elections 10y the people nudity or a
farce.
What amendments may be made to
this bill in its passage through both
houses Of the Legislature and before II
becomes law, it is impossible, at this
distance from the Capital, to say. It's
progress will be anxiously watched and
its final passage hailed with acclama'
ton bv the people Of the State.