The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-04
The Election Law.

The state Executive Committee desire
election officers TO make themselves thor
ouebly familiar with the laws in regard to
elections-cspecially the provisions quoted
below:
HOW POLLS CLOSED AND VOTE CANvAsSED.
As soon as the polls are finally closed (of
which closing proclamation shall be made
by the Judges fifteen minutes previously.
t6ereto). the Judges shall Immediately pro-
coed to canvass the vote given at such cleo
ton, and the said canvass shall be con-
tinucd without adjournment until com
pleted and the result thereof declared.
The canvass shall commence by taking out
Of the box the ballots unopened except
SO far as to ascertain whether each ballot is
sjngle) and counting the same to ascertain
whether the number of ballots corresponds
with the number of names on the poll
hooks: and II two or more separate ballots
are found 80 folded together Is to present
the appearance Of a single ballot, they shall
he laid aside until the count Of the ballots
is completed. Then, If upon a comparison
Of The said count with the number OF
names OF electors on the p0l-bOoks it
appears that the two ballots thus folded
together were east by the same elector they
shall he destroyed. Ii the ballots in the
ballot-box are still found TO exceed The
number OF the names on tic poll-bookS,
then the whole Of the ballots shall be re-
placed in the balIoi-boX, and after the same
shall be well shaken, the conductor or one
Of the Judges OF the election, being blind
folded, shall draw therefrom a sufficient
number of ballots 10 reduce the same to a
number equal TO the number OF names OF
electors on the pOll-boOks. The number OF
ballots thus being made to agree with the
number of names on the poll-books, the
books shall be signed by the judges and
attested by the clerks, and the number OF
names thereon shall be set down in words
and figures at the foot Of the lists OF cleo
tors on the poll-books, and over the sigma
tuire OF the Judges and attcstation OF the
clerks, in the manner and form prescribed
by the twcuty-seventh section Of this act
1.-THE "tweuty is the section that
prescribes the form of pol-books, &C.; see
pages Q and a: Provided, That whenever
the number OF ballots is reduced, by the
destruction of fraudulent ballots, below tie
number OF names OF electors on the poll
books, the cause OF such reduction shall be
stated at the foot of the list OF electors on
tic poll-books before the signing and at
testing the same by the judges and clerks
respectively.
COUNTING AND RECORDING THE VOTES.
After the p0ll-books are thus signed the
Judges shall--in the presence, il desired,
OF not exceeding two friends OF each poll
tical party represented by the persons
voted for in such elcctiOn-proceed TO
count and ascertain the number OF votes
cast for each~ person voted for; and the
tickets or ballots shall be distinctly read,
and rs soon rs read and canvassed shall be
strung by one Of the judges on a string,
and the clerks shall set down on the poll
books, next after the certificate OF the
Judges, at the foot OF the list OF
electors as the returns OF the cleo
tion, the name Of every person voted for,
written at full length, the office for which
such person received such votes, and the
number Of votes he received, the number
expressed in figures, and also at full length
in writing, IN accordance with the form
prescribed in section 81 Of this act [see
form on pages and Al; which said re-
turns, when so made out, shall be signed
and attested as provided in said 2Tth see
tion OF this act Provided, That no person
other than the judges of the election shall
handle The ballots.