Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-15
THE ELECTION LAW
WHICH DESTROYS SANCTITY OF
BALLOT BOX.

WHICH DESTROYS sANcT1TY OF
BALLOT BOX.
Read Section Eight and See the Nice
Little Game for Ascertaining How Every
Man Votes--How Tickets Must be Print
ed--Machinery Enough for the Govern
ment of the United states.
We give below the new election law in
full. As the first election under it will soon
be held both in this city and Minneapolis it
will be found of particular interest.
AN ACT to provide for elections and registration of
electors in incorporated cities of over 600 inhab
itants, according to the census of one thousand
eight hundred and seventy-fve 1915.
Be it enacted by the Legislature Of the State of Min
nesota:
Sec. l. The common council of each Incorporated
city of over 600 inhabitants SHALL twenty days be-
fore general special election appoint three quail
fed electors of each election precinct or district of
sald c sha be the judges Of election in their
an opposite party if practicable. Said judges shall
appoint two qualified electors Of their election dis
trcts as clerks of said election, of opposite party
if practicable The election shall be held in each
election district at the place where last preceding
election was held, unless otherwise ordered by the
Sec. 2. The sheriff or judges of election may APP
point one more special constables to attend each
place OF holding election. It shall be the duty Of po
lice ocers or constables to keep open place of at
least six feet square from the place of voting SO
that the person voting do SO unmolested by any
other person. II the above named officer negects to
perform that duty then the judges of election shall
swear IN enough private citizens to enforce order,
VINO shall have power as cOnstables conservators
the peace to make arrests for breah of the peace
l x. off cSoh1a otto,
such election may call to his aid sufficient number
or citizens to arrest any disorderly person or sup
press any riot or disorder during the election. Who
| ever conducts himself IN rotous or disorderly
manner at any election and persists In such conduct
after being warned to desst may be arrested without
! warrant.
Sec. 4. The polls shall be opened at the hour Of
nine oclock in the forenoon and continued open UNI
til five O'Clock in the afternoon Of the same day, at
which time the polls shall be closed; but If the judges
Shall not attend at the hour of nine O'Clock in the
forenoon, or it be necessary for the electors pres
ent to appoint judges to conduct the election here
In before prescribed the polls may in that case be
opened at any hour before the time for closing the
same shall arrive, as the case may require,
Sec s. Each clerk of election shall keep poll list,
| another headed t'Names of voters" The name of
each elector voting shall be entered upon each of the
poll books by the clerks in regular succession under
the proper headings, and the number of each voter
placed opposite his in the column headed
| Number"
Sec. 6: The manner of voting shall be by ballot
printed and partly written, upon plain white paper,
with the names of each candidate voted for and the
title Of the Offices when the ballot printed the same
shall be printed upon plain white paper in plain type
IN straight lines, with blank space below each name
OF width not less than equal to the width of the
line IN which the name is printed. No ballot shall
be used or voted at any election containing any cut
or device on It's face, any cut device or any
written or printed matter OH the back, or in any
| other.
Sec. Z The names Of all candidates for which the
elector intends to vote shall be written or printed
upon the ballot, and the office to which he de-
ballot
Sec g.. The ballot shall be folded by the voter and
delivered to one of the judges of election who shall
forthwith lay the the top of the ballot box
at the same time in audible voice proclaim the
name OF the person Offering to vote to the board and
If the judges be satisfied. according to the evidence
as herein described that the person Offering the vote
Is legal voter the clerks of election shall enter the
name of the voter and his number under the proper
heading IN the poll book, and the judges shall en-
dorse on the back of the ticket offered the number
corresponding with the number of the voter on the
poll book, and shall Immediately put the ticket into
Sec. 9. After the opening of the polls no adjourn
ment shall be had, shall any recess be taken I'M
til all the votes cast such election shall have been
| counted and the result publicly announced
Sec. 10. Immediately upon closing the polls the
Judges shall proceed to canvass the votes polled
Ihey shall first count the whole number of ballots
the box without opening the ballots. If the ballots
| shall be found to exceed the number Of names en-.
tered each Of the poll lists they shall reject the
marked IF the number Of BALLOTS M,en s nH
number of names each poll list they shall
be replaced in the box and the box closed and well
shaken and again opened and one of the Judges with
his face averted shall publicly draw out, one by one
and destroy 30 many Mllots, unopened as shall be
equal to such excess; and the ballots poll lists
agreeing being made to agree the board shall pro-
coed to count and estimate and publish the votes
and when the judges Of election shall open and read
the tickets they shall read and announce each ballo
separately and proclaim to the clerks the name OF
each candidate voted for, each clerk shall CAREFUL,
mark down upon the tally list the votes SO proclaimed
each candidate receives in separate column pre-
pared for that purpose with the name of such cand
date at the head OF such column and the office des
| ignated by the votes such candidate shall fill. II
case OF the judges or clerks wfuy or corrupy fail
IN this section, the said judges clerks SO offending
shall be subject to fine of one thousand dollars
imprisonment IN the State prison one year, or both
Sec. II. II more persons are designated for an,
Office than there candidates to be elected or i
more votes parts Of votes are designated on an,
ballot for representative other offices than the vote
is entitled to cast such part of the ticket shall not
counted for either Of the candidates.
Sec. II. An the ballots counted by the judges O
election shall after being read be strung upon
strong thread or twine in the order in which the,
have been read and shall then be carefully envelopet
dree h sealing by the Judges
district voted to the officer to whom by law they ar
required to return the poll books, and shall be de
Will pOu DOCKS 10 SuCn O1nCer
who shall carefully preserve said ballota for 81,
months, and at the expiration of that time shall de
stroy them by burning. without the package being
previously opened. Provided, if any contest of cleo
ton shall be pending at such time in which said bal
lots may be required as evidence the same shall no
be destroyed till such contest is finally determined
Sec. Is. In all cases of contested elections the par
ties contestng the shall have the right to hay
The said package of ballots opened and said ballot
to by Witnesses for the pursose of such
test. But said ballots shall only be so examined ant
referred to In the presence of the officer having thu
! custody thereof
Sec. II. The judges of election shall allow at leas
one and not than two legal voters of each party
to the contest to be chosen by the parties respective
ly into the room where the election is held to act al
chaengers of voters at such election, and such chal
lengers may remain with the board of election unit
the votes are all canvassed and the result declared
. sec: 10. whenever at any general or special cleo
aon IN any precinct or district, any person Offering
to vote is not personally known to all Of the Judges
OF election to have the qualification of voter if ht
vote challenged by legal voter at such election be
shall make and subscribe affidavit in the following
form blanks to be furnished by the proper ofcers]
| returned by them with the poll book:
STATE OF MINNESOTA,
County OF -,
have resided in the United States one year and il
this State for four mouths next preceding this cleo
on and for ten days next preceding this election r
this election districts that am citizen of the United
States, or have declared my intentions to become
such; that now reside at here give the particular
house or place of residence, the street and number
In this election district; that twenty-one years Of
age, and have not voted at this election so help m,
God Tor this: do solemnly and sincerely affirm al
| the case may be).
| Subscribed and sworn to before me this --
| day of ----, A. D. Is