The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-10-27

WE puplihntu w i"hi "" ~" ~
morning, the net OF congress prescrlb'
Ing the mode Of conducting the elec-
tlon of members 10 congress. AZ liz
length may deter many from Ieading
II, we propose to rccapitulate, M brief
ly ny we Gnu, its main features
The first section provides that the
election shall be by ballot.
Tho second section makes II the duty
of the sheriff OF the county to furnish
TO the officers OF the election In each
precinct, two days before the election,
"a strong and well made ballot box,
sufficiently large to contain all the BAL
lots to DO cast at the precinct or voting
place TO which II IL sent such box TO
have on II lid, working on hinges,
and provided with a lock and key"
This box Is TO have only one opening
tan aperture sufficient only for the
Insertion OF the ballots and the DILL
GERS of election are to satisfy them
selves, before they beginto receive pai-
lots that the box Is empty.
The record of the voters for members
of congress Is required by the third
section, to be kept separate and dis
tinct from the record of voters In any
other election that may be held at the
same time and place. Said record Is
to be headed as follows; IA list OF
those voting for representative In con
gress at - precinct or voting place,
in - county, at the election held on
the ----- day Of - lS--." The blanks
are to be appropriately filled by the
officers Of the election Mt each precinct.
Section fifth requires that all ballots
shall be written or printed ON whife
paper, and shall have no other distin-
gushing marks ON them than the
name of the person voted for. 1t also
requires that all ballots shall be folded
so rs to conceal the name of the per-
son voted for. The common heading,
democratic ticket" would vitiate a
ballot and make it necessary for the
officers of election to throw it out.
Section sixth goes with particularly
into the manner Of depositing the bal
lot. 1t shall be given to the judges OF
election, who shall examine 1t far
enough 10 see that 1t Is one ballot, and
then deposit it in the box. 1t is made
punishable offence for any officer OF
the election to so far examine the vote
of any voter as to see the
name Of the person voted for.
The seventh section requires that
the officers Of election, OH the same
day of the election, after the close OF
the polls, shall, in private and without
the presence of any one but themselves,
open the box and count the votes, and
upon such count shall make up their
certified returns. After the count is
finished the ballots shall oil be re-
turned to the box, and the box being
locked up shall be delivered to the
clerk of the county court.
Section eight provides for a recount
of the ballots by the county examining
board.
Section nine provides for the ballots
being filed away with the clerk Of the
county court to be preserN ed by him
for two years at least.
Sections ten, eleven and twelve,
specify the punishments for violations
of the preceding provisions.
Section thirteen makes it the duty OF
the sheriff "to announce, In an audible
voice. the name of every voter who
offers his ballot to the judges of elec-
ton.
A close reading of the act shows that
1t was based upon the election law OF
some Of the states, If 1t was not bodily
taken from the statute books of some
of them. II requires a machinery al
together different from that provided
for our state elections, but in spite of
that. every effort must be made by
those charged with the management
of the polls to see that its requirements
are literally carried out as far as possi-
bic. A failure to do so may result
very disastrously to us.