New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-11-24
LAWS or THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY.
AN ACT

the freedom and purity of elections: to pre-
scribe the mode of making returns there
Of; to provide for the election Of return.
ing officers, and defining their powers AND
duties: - prescribe the mode of entering
on the rolls of the Senate and House Of
Representatives; and to enforce article
enc hundred aud three of the constitution
SECTION !. Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Re representatives. of the State
sf Louisiana in General Assembly convened
That al elections for State, parish and Judi
GiAi officers, members of the General AS
sembly and for members Of Congress, shall
he held on the first Monday in November
and said 'eiet ton shall be styled the gen
eral elections. They shall be held in the
manner and form and subject to the reguls-
tons hereinafter prescribed, and other.
SEC. .. Be it further enacted, etc, That
ave persons, to be elected by the Senate
from all political parties shall be the re-
turning officers for all elections in the State,
p majority of whom shall constitute d quo
rum, and have power to make the returns
Of all elections In case of any vacancy by
DEATH resignation, or otherwise, by either
Of the board, then the vacancy shall be
fIlad by the residue Of the board of re-
turning officers. The returning officers
shall, after each election, before entering
on their duties, take and subscribe to the
following oath before Judge OF the Su
prene or any district court;
l. \. b., do solelnnly swear TOR AFFIRM
that will faithfully and diligently perform
the duties Of a returning officer as pre-
scribed by law; that | will carefully and
honestly canvass and compile the statements
Of the votes, and make a true and correct
return of the election. 50 help me God.
Within ten days after the closing Of the
election said returning officers shall meet
i'll New Orleans to canvass and compile the
statement of votes made by the COmms
S~-1, 4 y FsI,,
election to the Secretary OF State. They
shall continue in session until such returns
have been compiled. The presiding officer
shall, at suCh meeting, open, in the presence
OF the said returning officers the state
ments of the commissioners OF election, and
She said returning officers shall, from said
statements, canvass and compile the returns
OF the election in duplicate; one copy Of such
returns they shall file in the Office OF the Sec
rotary of State, and of one copy they shall
make public proclamation by printing III
the Official journal and such other
newspapers as they may deem proper, de-
elaripg the names OF all persons and officers
voted for, the number of votes tor each
person and the names of the persons who
Lave been duly and lawfully elected. The
return of the election thus made and pro-
mulgated shall be prima facie evidence in
oil courts of justice and before all civil
officers until set aside after a contest
according to law, of the right of any person
named therein to hold and exercise the
office to which he shall by such return be
declared elected. The Governor shall,
within thirty days thereafter, issue com
EMISSIONS to all officers thus declared elected,
Who are required by law to be com
miRsioned.
SEC g. Be it further enacted, etc, That
II such canvass and compilation the return
ing officers shall observe the following or
der: They shall compile first the state
Glents from oil polls or voting places at |
which there shall have been tair, free and |
peaceable registration and election. When /
ever, from any pGll OF voting place, there |
shall be received the statement of any SUI |
peFvisor of registration or commissioner OF |
election, in form as required by section |
0Henty-six of this act, on affidavit OF three |
az more citizens, of any riot tumult acts of |
violence, intimidation, armed disturbance,
bribery OF corrupt influences, which pre-
vented, or tended to prevent, fair, free
and peaceable vote of all qualified electors
entitled to vote at such poll or voting place,
ouch returning officers shall not canvass,
count or compile the statement OF votes
from such poll or voting place until the
Easements from all other polls or voting
places shall have been canVassed and com
piled. The returning officers shall then pro
Geed to investigate the statements of riot,
@1muIt, acts Of violence, intimidation,
armed disturbance, bribery or corrupt inttu-
dRnceR at any such poll or voting place and
IF from the evidence of such statement they
ehal be convinced that such riot, tumHlt;
acts Of violence, intimidation, armed dis
curb ance, bribery, or corrupt inhuences did,
not materially interfere with the purity and
freedom of the election at such poll or Vot-
ang place. or did not prevent sufficient
0umber Of oqualited voters thereat from
registering or voting to materially change
che result of the election, then, and not
otherwise, said returning officers shall can
Sass and compile the vote of such poll or
voting place with those previously can
gassed and compiled; but ii said returning
officers shall not be fully satisfied thereof
it shall be their duty to examine further
testimony in regard thereto, and to this end |
6hey shall have power to send for persons
and papers. If, after such examination,
she said returning officers, shall be CON
WINGED that said riot, tumult acts of
intimidation, armed disturb
ance, bribery or corrupt influences |
did materially interfere with the purity and
freedom OF the election at such poll or
goting place, or did prevent sufficient
number OF the qualified electors thereat
from registering and voting to materially
change the result of the election, then the ;
said returning officer shall not canvass or
compile the statement of the votes of such ,
poll or voting place, but shall exclude 1t p,
from their returns; provided, that any per
BON interested In SAID eI6CElOQ DY reason OF =
being candidate for office shall be allowed :,
: hearing before SAID returning officers upon
making application within the time allowed :
for The forwarding of the returns OF said :
election. 9
SIC. 4. Be it further enacted etc, That :
elections for Representatives in General As
sembly shall be held On the first Monday OF
one thousand eight hundred and 9
and every two years thereat !
,er, and all elections to supply the place OF q
Senator's in the General Assembly, whose
arnl of service shall have expired, shall
De held at the same time as herein pro !
rided for the election of Representatives. J.
$50. s. Be it further enacted, etc, That q
II elections shall be held in each parish at :
ia several election polls or voting places
b be established as is hereinafter pre-
SEC &, Be it further enacted, etc, That V
III elections eAsll be completed III one day, 9
,Dd the polls shall be kept open at each Il
oil OF voting place from the hour OF SIX in q
he morning untA six O'clock in the after a
$40, ?. Bg it further enacted, ETC., That /
Arb parish In the State, except the par X
Sbes of Orleans and Jefferson, is hereby g.
xed as an election precinct, and the police ! "
lYies shall direct whAt number of polls or q
Dtinr places shall be established in each | y
reoincS: shall fix the places of holding the u
lection. and appoint commissioners of elee- Is
op far each poll or voting place For the 81
ar;sb of Orleans, each ward Of the city | OF
F New Orleans shall constitute precinct, OF
nd the Civ Council shall fix the voting I'll
gacas in each precinct, and appoint | 81