The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-10-28

L. Two months rcSlucncc III INC cicctioh
district is required instead of ten days.
This renders the ~.colonizing' Of divisions
less easy and more expensive.
III. The State or county taxi must be as
sessed at least two months instead OF ten
DAYS, and must be paid at least 4 month
before the election.
III. Every ballot shall be numbered
when received and The number recorded
on the list OF voters opposite the name, and
the voter mar write his nanie OF cause II
TO be written on his ticket.
". In trials of contested elections and
proceedings for the investigation Of cleo
lions (which will include the proceedings
before the judges OF the court in receiving
and counting the rctufns) 3 witness IS COM
pelled TO testify although his evidence may
criminate himself. This sweeps away the
right which the perpetrators OF frauds
heretofore had TO decline to answer, and
compells them TO tell the whole truth IN
crurt or expose themselves 70 an indlct-
ment for perjury.
V. Nobody can he an election officer
who holds, or for TWO months prior to the
election has held, any Office, appointment,
or employment in or under the Govern
ment Of the United States. or OF this State,
or OF any municipal board, commission, or
trust in any city. This excludes an OBJ
~iectionable class of persons who have here
tofore figured largely among the election
officers.
vi. Two ogersceTS may be appointed
biz the Court of Common Please. on the
application Of five citizens. They have a
right 10 supervise the proceedings OF cleo
ton officers, may report to the court, and
where the election officers differ in opinion,
the overscers, if they agree, may decide
the difference.
VII. The '~natnralizeG" citizen mus
have been "naturalized' Ut least one month
before the election.
Changes IN the election iaiOs By he act q
1874.
Tie polls shall be opened at ~. IN. and
closed at : . p IN Under the old law
the polls closed at & P. m. and voters who
could not afford to lose half a day from
their work could not reach the polls IN
time TO vote.
To entitle a person 70 vote he shall have
resided in the division W months before
the election. Under the old law ten days
was all the time required for a residence
To eniitle q person to vote he shall have
paid q State or county tax within two
years, which was assessed two months and
paid at least one month before Tie election.
Ii he has lost his receipt he may make an
affidavit OF the fact. Under the old law
the tax could have been paid at any time
within the two years, but the receipt WAS
required 10 be produced if the voter was
challenged, and unless he could produce
the receipt he was not entitled TO vote.
ApersOn, WHO'S otherwise qualified may
vote although his name does not appear on
the assessors list. lie shall produce AZ
least n qualified voter Of tie district - i
witness to his residence. who shall be
sworn OF affirmed. and subscribe an athda-
Wit Of the fact. The person claiming a
right to vote must also sign partly writ
ten and partly printed affidavit, setting
forth The grounds Of his claim and right,
and that le las not moved into the district
for tie purpose OF voting. These aiidaylis
require time and care in their preparation,
az are placed by the election officers with
the votes, tally lists, and other papers IN
the box and scaled up.
All persons claiming a right 10 vote may
be challenged, and pro0i OF their right
must be made. There is a penalty Of nne
and Imprisonment for any election officer
to disregard a challenge uid TO refuse or
require proof when 4 person is challenged.
Every ballot shall be numbered IN the
order in which il shall be received, and the
number recorded by the clerk in the list
opposite the name OF the eiector from
whom received Any elector may write his
name upon his ticket, or u tie same 70
be written thereon and attested by a citizen
of the district. This is entirely new and
IS obviously advantageous. Il viii pre-
vent ballot box stuifing the substitution OF
tickets or placing OF stickers over the
names on the ticket after the vote is cast,
and will assist in the detection OfirGud al
any contested election.
The election officers shall severally be
sworn or affirmed not to disclose how any
elector shall have voted, unless required
10 do 50 as a witness in a judicial proceed
ing. 1t is made a misdemeanor, and is
therefore an indictable offence for any elec.
ton officer to disclose how an elsetOr 70
ted. This is also entirely new, and viii
enable timid people or those holding posi-
ton under an employer TO cast their votes
according 4 their choice, without being
called to account therefor. by any person
or party.
Ii is a misdemeanOr Tor any person not
resident Of the division to use any intimi-
dation or violence TO prevent any Officer
of election from perfprming his duties,
or TO prevent any person from exercising
his right To challenge q person offering
to vote.
As soon as the polls close. the officers Of
the election shall proceed tocOunt all the
votes cast for each candidate voted for.
Under the old law the votes were counted
every hour, and il wss thus rendered an
easy matter 10 tell what number of fraudu.
lent votes would b required to secure an
election.
The vote, as soon as counted, shall bt
publicly and fully declared from tine win.
dow to the citizens present, and a briel
statement showing the votes received by
each candidate, shall be made and signed
by the election officers as sCOn as the vote
is counted, and the same shall be immedi.
ately posted up or the door of the cleo
ton house, for information to the public.
The officers Of election are liable TO Il
penalty of fine and Imprisonment for neg
lecting or refusing TO perform their duties.
And il is a misdemeanOr for any person
to willfuily tear, defaee, or destroy the
statement or return so put up.
The returns hail be made out in tripli-
cate, with, in addition, q return sheet, in
ali of which the votes received by each
candidate shall be given after his name,
first in words and again in figures. and
signed by all the officers and certified by
the overseers, if any. OF these returns,
one is placed in the box and the other two
In envelopes, sealed up, and one of the en-
velopeS is given 10 the minority inspector
TO keep, and The other, with the return
sheet, IS taken 10 the Parliamentary OF the
Court of Common Pleas.
The second day after the election the
PrOthonotary OF the Court OF Common
Pleas shall present the returns of the cleo
ton 10 the court. Three or more of the
Judges shall be present Except in
counties where there is no President Judge,
and there the Associates shall act The
sessions shall he open TO the public. The
returns shall be opened by the court aud
computed, by such OF its officers aud such
of its sworn assistants as the court shall
appoint, ia the presence of the judges OF
the said court. In case the return of any
election division shall be missing, or IN
case OF complaint Of a qualified elecior I'M
der oath, charging palpable fraud or mis-
take. or where fraud or mistake IS appar-
ent on the return, the court shall examine
the return. and il. IN the Judgment of the
court. il shall be necessasy 20 a just return,
said court shall issue summary process
against the election officers and overseeTs,
ifany, OF the division complained OF. to
bring them forthwith into court, with all
the election papers in their possession (;
and ii paipable fraud OF mistake shall be
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