The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-11-15
TEE CANVASS OF THE NEW
YORK VOTE.

vi ~
The general interest now Centered
in the result of the canvass of the vote
cast 1t tie recent election in the state
of New York, justifies us in giving our
readers all available information as to
the methods provided by law in that
state for ascert3injng who is entitled to
lis electoral vote.
The canvass which began on Tues
LAY last IS that required under the state
Law to be made by the Canvassing
Board of each county. the returns of
which are afterwards TO be reviewed by
the State Board Of Canvassers. The
Boards of County Canvassers are COM
posed Of the Supervisors of towns or
wards in the counties of tie state, ex-
cept in the case Of the city of New
York, where under a special charter
provision the local Board Of Alderman
constitute the County Canvassing Board.
5he prerogative of the Board of Coun-
ty Canvassers it seems is purely clerical,
its duty being to collect and add up
the returns. These returns are required
by law to be made to the Supervisor Of
each township by the Inspectors Of
Election within twenty four hours after
the completion of their count, and
comprise 4 certified statement of the
number of votes given for electors Of
President and Vice President, showing
how many ballots of the same kind
have been received and attaching to
the paper one original ballot of each
kind. To this statement must be at
tached also ali original ballots which
have been rejected, the law authorizing
the destruction of all other ballots. A
duplicate statement is also required to
be filed with the county clerk of each
county. Taking these returns the
County Board reviews and collates
them. rs the vote of each district is
called it is set down upon tally sheets
previously prepared, and having ascer-
tanned by counting the vote Of the en-
tire county, it prepares return show
ing the whole number of votes thrown
in each town and district, the names
Of candidates and the votes of each,
of which return certified copies after
being sealed are deposited with the
county clerk, who after making 4 rec
ord of the vote, forwards by mail one
copy to the Governor of the state and
two copies to the secretary of state, one
by mail and the other by special mes
senger. Upon receipt by the secretary
of state Of returns from all the counties
of the state, the State Board OF Can
vassers is convened on the first We'd
nesday after the third Monday in No
vcmbcr, which this year falls on the
10th instant. The State Board of Can
vassers consists of five members, the
Secretary Of State General Carp, the
State Comptroller, the State Engineer,
the Attorney General and the State
Treasurer, all of whom are Democrats
except the first named. This board
seems to be invested with the delegated
authority 70 determine and declare
what persons have been by the greatest
number Of votes duly elected"
To those not familiar with the cleo
ton machinery and laws of that state
the question naturally occurs, which of
these boards, if either OF them, has the
authority to go behind the returns !?
The County Canvassing Board it seems
can do nothing in the case OF fraud or
material error, its sole prerogative be-
ing to cause the canvass to be correctly
stated, to this end, for the correction
of clerical errors or palpable omissions,
they have the power to remand the re-
turns back to the town inspectors, who
to make such clerical omissions are re-
CURED to meet at once, but who can
not make any material change in their
original return. 1t no less seems to be
an open question whether the power to
go behind the returns is a prerogative
of the State Board, the best opinion
holding that this board has no higher
prerogative in case of material error or
fraud than the County Boards. The
Supreme Court of the state it appears
is empowered by law to correct errors
of the canvass made by either board,
the order of which court is final, the
record established by it as correct be-
ing substituted for the original one.
With the prospect Of certain appeals to
the Supreme Court, from the County
Boards just in session, and the further
prospect of others from the State Board
yet to meet, it may be a number Of
days, even weeks, before the final result
is determined in that state.
There are no new deYclOpments in