Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-02-14
Primary Election Law.

Below will be found Senate bill No.
IT'S, relating to primary elections
This bill is now before the Legislature,
and will in all probability pass and
become a law. TO our mind it is
wholly useless others no doubt think
otherwise If "new departure" is
to be made upon this point, let an act
be passed applying the general elec.
ton law to the case. This act all un-
ders.and, and the less law we have
the more likely we are to live up to
il. The intimalion that we need such
law TO restrain and curb men. is bad
enough, without encumbering the law
books and advertising ourselves as
void Of all honesty in political affairs
AN ACT
To regulate elections aud punish frauds therein
In the county of Clearded.
SECTION /. BE ii enacted by the Sen.
ate and House Of Representatives. of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Gen.
erdt Assembly met, and il is herety en-.
acted by the authority Of the same, That
in all elections hereafter to be held
by any voluntary political association
or party in tho county Of Clear6eld,
for the nomination of candidates for
public Office the persons chosen to
hold said elections as judges and in
spectors or clerks and officers. or any
person in their absence or refusal to
serve assumingo or chosen in their place,
shall first be sworn or affirmed by
some officer authorized to administer
oaths, or in the abscnse of such officer
by one of the inspectors or clerks of
such election.
SIC. 2. The oath to bo taken by the
officers holding such election shall be
in the following words: 81 do solemn.
ly swear Tor affirm that as an officer
of this election | will faithfully per
form my duty, and will do my utmost
to prevent fraud or unfairness thereon;
that will permit no one to vote there.
mt who is not possessed of all of the
qualifications OF an elcctor Of this Com.
monwealth and of those presented by
the rules Of the -- party of Clear
field county as adopted by the stand.
ing committee; that | viii receive no
vote thereat unless it be a printed or
written ticket presented at the place
fixed by the standing committee by
the voter himself; that | will permit |
no man to vote at said election more
than once that | will faithfully and
correctly conduct such election aud
make out and duly return in writing
a trnc- nc,-seturn Of all of the votes cast |
tbereatn A,'ed any officer who shall !
violate any portion OF p'.i,s oath shall
be deemed and taken to be guilty of
wilful perjury, and on conviction there.
of shall be punished by fine not less
than one hundred dollars and impris.
onmcnt not less than thirty days.
SEC. 3. 1t shall be the duty of the
officers Of such election TO entertain
objections made by any qualified eec.
tor to any vote that may be offered |
on the ground that the person Offering
IL is not entitled to vote at said elec.
tion, or that he has received or been
promised directly or indirectly any
money, promise or reward for his vote
for any candidate, or hat he has voted .
before at that place or some other on
that day in the same election; and il
shall be the duty of the officers of the
election, if such objection be not with
drawn, ,toadmnister to the person so of
fering to vote AN oath affirmation that |
he will'truly testify to all matters, rclat-
ing to his said qualification or recev.
ing or being promised directly or in
directly any money, promise or re.
ward for vote for any candidate, and |
whether he has voted at that or any
other place on that day at such clec.
ton; it shall then be the duty of the
officers Of election. to interrOgate Tho
person so objected to us to all the mat.
tors upon whicl, said objection was
made, and generally as to his qualif.
cations; if the person so objected to
shall refuse to answer such questions |.
after said oath or affirmation shall |
have been administered, or shall
refuse to take such oath or affirmation,
it shall be the duty of the officers Of
election TO reject such vote; but i'll
such vote be taken and sneh questions
be answered satisfactorily aud not
contradcted successfully by the sworn
testimony Of other witnesses who may
be called, it shall be duty of the officers
Of election to admit the vote, having
the word "sworn' noted opposite the
party's name on the poll list
SEC 4, Any officer Of said elections,
Or any voter thereat, who shall violate
any OF the provisions OF this act, and
any person or voter who shall offer
any money, reward or promise for
voting thereat, and any pcrson will.
fully making false statement on oath
or affirmation at any such election,
shall be guilty Of u misdemeanor, and
on conviction shall be punished by u
fine not less than one hundred dollars
and imprisonment not less than thirty
days, or both.
ScALAwAGERY.-Tho Congressional
committee appointed to investigate
the lato outrages at New Orleans, has