Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1872-04-20
ARTICLE VI.
LEGISLATURE.

!. The Legislative power shall be vested IN
the Senate and House of Delegates, The style
Of their acts shall be, BE it enacted by the
Legislature of West Virginia"
>. The Senate shall be composed Of twenty
four, and the House Of Delegates of sixty-fve
members, subject to be increased according to
the provisions hereinafter contained.
8. Senators shall be elected for the term Of
four years and delegates for the term of two
years. The Senators first elected shall divide
themselves into two classes, one Senator from
every district being assigned to each class; and
of these classes, the first to be designated by
lot. in such manner as the Senate may deter
mine. shall hold their seats for two years, and
the second for four years, so that after the first
election, one-half of the Senator'S shal! be cleo
ted biennially.
4. For tie election of Senators, the State
shall be divided into twelve Senatorial districts,
which number shall not be diminished, but
may be increased, as hereinafter provided
Every district shall elect two Senators, bat
where the district IS composed of more than
one county, both shall not be chosen from the
same county. The districts shall be compact,
formed Of contiguous territory, bounded by
county lines, aud as nearly as practicable, be
equal in population, to be ascertaiued by the
census Of the United States. After every such
census, the Legislature shall alter the Senate
rial districts, 50 far as may be necessary to make
them conform to the foregoing provisions.
.. Until the Senatorial districts shall be al
tered by the Legislature as herein prescribed,
the counties Of Hancock, Brooke and Ohio,
shall constitute the first senatorial district
Marshall, Wetzel and Marion, the second /;
Ritclie Dodlridge, Harrison, Gilmer and CAL
houu, the third Tyler, Peasants. Wood and
Writ, the fourth jackson, Mason, Putnam and
Roane, the fifth Kanawha, Clay, Nicholas,
Braxton and Webster, the sixth Cabell,
Wayne, Lincoln, Boone, Logan, Wyoming,
Mcdowell and Mercer, the seventh Monroe,
Groenbrier Summers, Pocahontas, Fayette and
Raleigh. the eighth; Lewis, Randolph, Upshur,
Barbour, Taylor and Tucker, the ninth; Pres
ton and Monorgalia, the tenth Hampshire,
Mineral, Hardy, Grant and Pendleton, the
eleventh Berkeley, Morgan and Jefferson, the
twelfth
g. For the election Of Delegates, every Coun-
ty containing population of less than three
Giths Of tie ratio Of representation for the
House Of Delegates, shah, at each apportion-
mcnt, te attached to some contiguous county
or counties, to form a Delegate District.
I. After every census the Delegates shall be
apportioned as follows: The ratio Of represeu-
tatiou for the House Of Delegates, shall be as
certaiu,d by dividing tie whole population Of
the State, by tie number Of which the House
is to consist, and rejecting the fraction Of a
unit. If any, resulting from such division. Dl-
vidiug the population Of every delegate dis
trict, ard Of every county not included in
delegate district. by the ratio thus aScertained,
there shall be assigned 10 cach a number Of
Delegates equal to tie quotcnt obtained by
this division, excluding the fractional remain
der. Tie additional delegates necessary to
make W the number Of which the House is to
consist. Shall then be assigned to those delegate
districts and counties, not included in a dele
gate district, which would otherwise, have the
largest fractions uuropresented, but every dele
gate district, and county not included IN dele
gate district, shall be entitled to at least one
delegate.
s. Until a new apportionment shall be de-
clarei the counties Of Peasants aud Wood
shall form the first delegate District, and elect
three Delegates Richie and Calhoun, the sec
one. and elect two Delegates Barbour, Harri
sou aud Taylor, the third, and elect one Dele
gate; Randolph and Tucker the fourth, and
elect one Delegate; Nicholas, Clay and Web
ster. the fifth. and elect one Delegate; Me
Dowcu aud Wyoming, the sixth, and elect one
Delegate.
O. Until new approtionment shall be de-
clarcd the appointment Of Delegates
10 the counties not included in delegate dis
tricts and TO Barbour, Harrison and Taylor
counties embraced in such districts, shall be as
follows;
To Barbour. Boone Braxton, Brooke, Csbell,
Doddridge. Fayette, Hampshire, Hancock,
jackson, Lewis, Logan, Greenbrier, Monroe,
Mercer, Mineral, Morgan, Grant, Hardy, Lin
coin. Pendleton, Putnam, Roane, Gilmer, Tay- !
Tor, Tyler, Upshur, Wayne, Wetzel, Writ Po- |
cahon;as, Summers and Raleigh counties one
delegate each.
To Berkeley, Harrison, Jefferson, Marion
Marshall, Mason, Monongalia and Preston |
counties, two Delegates each.
To Kanawha county, three Delegates.
TO Ohio county, four Delegates.
10. The arrangement Of the Senatorial and |
Delegate Districts and apportioument Of Dele /
gates, sLa, hereafter le declared by law, as soon