The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-09-23
Election Law.

| pie should be aware Of the fact that
the Legislature has made some very
radical changes in the election law OF
this State. Section 8 of Chapter 155
OF the Gets of last winter provides
that the County Court of each county
shall, before the general election, pro-
vide three persons, one of whom at
least shall be of opposite politics to
| the others,to act as Commissioners OF
Election at the Court House, and a
similar appointment for every other
voting place in the county. But at
precincts where more than five hun
bred votes were cast at the last gen
eral election for State officers, the
Court shall appoint,in addition, three
canvassers. At precincts at which
canyassers are appointed, two ballot
boxes shall be provided, and Section
16, of the same act, provides that the
canvassers, assisted by two clerks, to
be appointed by them, all of whom
shall be duly sworn, shall as soon las
fifty votes have been cast, begin the
counting of the vote, the Commits
sioners using the other box until the
canvassers have finished counting
the ballots in the first box, when the
canvassers shall take the box into
which ballots have been deposited
while they were counting, giving
to the Commissioners the emptied
box, and so on till the polls are
closed.
Under the head of "Offenses relat-
ing to the elections" (Chapter 1897,
tits provided in Section 0,that if any
person give, or offer TO give, or dis
tribute any Intoxicating drink to a
voter on election day he shall, II elect
ed, forfeit his office and be removed
therefrom.
But more important than any of
the foregoing provisions is that relat-
ing to the kind of tickets to be used
at elections. Section 5 of Chapter
139, of the Acts Of 1882 says
"And when any political party
shall in convention assembled nomi-
nate the full number of persons to be
voted for at the ensuing election for
State or county officers or for Repre-
sentatiyes in the Congress of the
United States, and shall print and
circulate, or cause to be printed and
circulated, ballots to be used in vot-
ing at such election, containing all
the names Of the persons so nominal
ed, printed in Roman letters and with
| black ink, with headline showing
the name of such political party, it
shall be unlawful for any person to
print CT circulate, orto furnish to any
voter, or other person to be used in
voting at such election, any printed
ballot with the same heading, and
similar in appearance of, and to the
ballot printed as aforesaid, containing
the names of such nominees, with
any name or names printed thereon
other than those so nominated as
aforesaid, unless the other name or
names so printed thereon be printed
in italics, and in such style or man
ner as shall be easily distinguishable
by voter from said first named bal
lot. 1t shall also be unlawful for any
person to paste or place the printed
name of any person other than that
of one of the nominees of such conven-
tion on or upon such ballot so printed
as aforesaid, unless the name so
pasted or placed thereon be printed
| in rod ink And if shall also ba nm
lawful for any person to print or cir
culate, or cause to be printed or cir
culated, any ballot purporting to be
such ballot as is hcreinbefore men
toned and purporting to contain the
names of the persons so mentioned as
aforesaid, but emitting therefrom the
names of any one or more of such
nominees, unless q blank space be
left on such ballot ofat least one-third
of an inch in width and extending
across the said ballot from one side
to the other, for the name of every
such nominee omitted therefrom
Any person who shall knowingly vi
olate any of the provisions of this
section shall be guilty Of misde-
meanor, and for each offense shall be
fined not less than twenty or more
than one hundred dollars; and may
at the discretion of the Court be
confined in the county Jail not
less than one nor more than six
Notwithstanding Sentinel.