The Indianapolis journal., 1884-11-10
NEW YoKK,s oANvAssING BOARDS.
Procedure in the Country Districts in
Presidential Election.

Procedure in the Country Districts in
Presidential Election.
New York Times.
The discussions with regard to the handling Of
election returns in this State have within the
past two days called public attention to the
manner in which votes are canvassed through
out the State, exclusive of such cities where
special election laws govern. The Revised Stat
utes prescribe that two inspectors Of election for
each election district shall be voted for at the
annual town meetings charter elections. No
more than two names are counted on any one
ballot for such inspectors. After the votes of
the town meetings or charter elections have
been canvassed the presiding officers of the
election appoint another inspector for each
election district The third inspector is Sc
lected from the two persons in an election dis
trict who have received the highest number of
votes next to the two inspectors elected. Va
cancies are filled by appointment by the super
visor town clerk and justices of the peace of
each town. Inspectors thus elected and ap-
pointed serve at all elections held during the
year.
The inspectors organize in each election dis
trict on election day by appointing one of their
number chairman, and all take the oath of office
required by the Constitution. They appoint two
poll clerks in each district. The polls are kept
open until sunset The voting is by ballot in the
usual way. When the poll is closed the inspect
ors in each district proceed to count the votes.
Their canvass is public and must not be al.
journed or POSTPONED until finally completed
When electors of President or Vice president are
balloted for the inspectors make separate can
and statement of the votes given for electors
by ascertaining how many ballots of the same
kind, corresponding in respect to the names on
them, have been received The result being
found, the inspectors securely attach to paper
one original ballot of each kind found to have
been given for electors They are required to
state in words at full length opposite such bal
lot, and written partly thereon and partly on the
paper to which it is attached, the whole number
of ballots for electors that were found to have
been received corresponding to the one so at
tached. They are also required to attach to the
paper all original ballots for electors which have
been rejected as defective
The statements made by the inspectors con
tain a recital of the number of ballots cast for
each person and a certificate, subscribed by the
inspectors, that the statements are correct in
all respects. The original statements i'll each
district so certified must be delivered to the
supervisor of the town or ward within twenty
four hours. If there be no supervisor or if he
be absent the statement must be delivered to
one of the assessors of the town or ward. The
supervisors or assessors to whom the statements
are delivered form the county board of can.
vassers. They meet in the office of the county
clerk, at l o'clock in the afternoon of the Tues
day following the election, except in Hamilton
county In the latter they meet the Friday
following the election and send the result to the
canvassers in Hamilton county. The clerk Of
a county is the secretary of the coanty board Of
canvasSers.
The county canvassers take oaths of Office
and proceed to estimate the votes OF the county
They may make such statements as the nature
of the election requires, and deliver them to the
county clerk. They make separate statement
of the votes given for presidential electors In
these statements there are contained the whole
number of votes given in each town and dis
trict the names of the candidates and the num-
ber Of votes given to each The whole state
mert, numbers and all must be written out in
words at full length Each statement is certi-
fed as correct, and attested by the signatures
of the chairman and secretary of the board A
copy, duly certified and attested is delivered to
the county clerk, 10 be recorded in his office.
The county clerk Of each county makes three
certified copies of the statment of votes for
presidential electors in his county Immediately
after recording the statement One of the copies
is sent by mail to the Governor, another, also by
mail, to the Secretary Of State, and the third is
sent by messenger, according to certain methods
prescribed by statute to the Secretary of State.
This latter officer is required to see to it that
returns are forwarded from every county. He
appoints q meeting of the State Board of Cam
vassers, to be held in his Office or before the
18th of December. The State eanvassers con-
sst of the Secretary of State. Comptroller, State
Engineer and Surveyor, Attorney general and
Treasurer If a majority of these persons are
of State calls in the mayor and recorder of
the city of Albany who together with the
officers attending, form the Board Of State Can
vassers. This board mades out and certifes the
vote by districts and counties. The members
sign their names to the statement, which is
given to the Secretary of State. If canvasser
dissents from the decision of the board he is
obliged to state1.. writing the reasons for the
dissent The Secretm5' of State after receiving
the statement of the StS.~ Board. sends u
certified copy to each elector chosen. These
electors then meet in Albany the first Tues
day in December, choose president and secre-
sealed and certified is sent on to Washington
and also given to the federal judge for the
Northern district of New York.
Powers and Duties of the State Board.
The Board of State Cauvassers is composed
this year of four Democrats Comptroller Alfred
c. Chapln, Attorney general Denis O'Brien,
Treasurer Robert A Maxwell aud Engineer and
Surveyor Elnathan Swect-and one Republican,
General Joseph B. Carr, the Secretary of State.
The board is required to meet in Albany on or
before the 18th day of December after each gem
eral election The duties of the Secretary of
State previous to the meeting of the board are
thus defined by Article III, title ), chapter G.
Part 1 of the Revised Statutes:
Section % 1t shall be the duty of tho Secretary Of
State to hse in his Office the certified statements
from the Governor and the Comptroller every such
certified statement received by either of them and to
file the same in MS office
Sec 2t. If from any county from which such state