Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-06
THE MCCORMICK BILL,
WITH ANDERSON AMENDMENT
Full Text or the Law Providing ''f tue '"''s'
ina OF Registrars and Judges OF E'ee'on--
when They 20 into Office.


Full Tex, or the law Providing for the choos'
Ing or Registrars and Judges OF Election
when They 10 into Office
The following is the law. popularity
known as the Anderson n-McCormick bill.
which provides that the Electoral Boards
elected by the two houses OF the General
Assembly shall appoint all registrars
Judges, and commissioners Of election-a
power now vested in the judges OF the
corporation and county courts:
An Act 20 Provide forthe Manner OF Choos-
inc Registrars and Judges and Clerks OF
Election for the Several Counties and
Cities OF the Commonwealth. and 10 Re-
neal Sections and "a Of CHAPTER s. and
sections and OF Chapter OF the Code
Of 1873. as Amended and Reenacted by
an Act Approved August 25, 1884, En-
titled an Act 10 Amend and Reenact Sec
fions 1 and 10 OF an Act Entitled an Act
TO Provide for General Registration OF
Voters, Approved April IL, 1870. Chap
ter 40, Sections and 10, Pages 55 and
81. Acts 1s69-'70. which are sections
and 3 OF Chapter OF Code OF 1873. and
Section "a OF an Act Entitled an Act to
Provide for General Election, Ap-
proved May IL. 1870. Chapter 76. Section
"a, Page s2. Acts OF 1867 10, as Amended
by an Act Entitled an Act 10 Amend and
Reenact Section "a OF the Act Approved
Nav Ia, 1870, Entitled an Act TO Provide
for a General Election. Approved Marcl
90, 1873. Chapter 900. Section /. Page
1s5. Acts 1872.'73, and which is Section
s Of Chapter 8. Code OF 1873. and Section
a M al tef 70 ln
for a General Election, Approved May
IL, 1870. Chapter 20, Section 40, Page SO,
Acts 1SG9-'70, rs Amended by an Act
Entitled an Act to Amend and I,ecnact
Sections 80. 40, and SO Of an Act Entitled
an Act 10 Provide for General Election,
Approved NAV IL, 1870, as Amended and
Reenacted by an Act Approved July II,
1870, Chapter 270. Section /, Page $40,
Acts 1901, and which is Section 81 OF
Chapter 8 OF Code Of 1873, and TO make
Valid all Registrations aud Elections
held since the Act OF February II. 1884,
became in Force, and Defining the Duties
and Powers OF the Electoral Boards
Created under this Act.
/. BE IL enacted by the General assembly
OF Virginia, That the Offices Of all the regis
traTs and judges, clerks, and commissioners
OF election. in each county and city OF this
Commonwealth shall become and be vacant
as soon as their successors in Office, as here
matter provided for, have been appointed
and qualified; and that the General AS
sembly shall, during its present session,
and al its session commencing in December,
1887, and at each alternate regular session
thereafter, proceed to elect three qualified
voters, who shall be residents OF each cOun-
~ and city for which they are appointed,
in this Commonwealth, to be known as the
County or City Electoral Board, as the case
may be, who shall 90 igto Office on the first
day of January succeeding their election,
or as soon thereafter as possible, having
first taken and subscribed the usual oath Of
office prescribed for city and county OIL
GERS, and whose term OF Office shall con-
tinue for four years, or until their success
sors are duly elected and qualified. The oath
pre- cribed by this section may be taken
before any person qualified TO administer
oaths in their respective cities or counties,
ana when so taken and subscribed ii shall
be filed in The Office OF the County Court in
a county or in the Office OF the Hastings
Court in a city, as the case may be.
2. The said Board shall elect one OF their
number chairman, and another secretary,
any two shall constitute quorum for the
transaction of business; and any vacancy
occurring in any Of said Electoral Boards
during the recess OF the Legislature shall
te filed by the remaining members or
member Of the Board: and the person so
chosen shalt remain in Office until the end
Of the term of the person in whose stead
lie was chosen
3. The General Assembly may elect said
Electoral Boards for each and ali the cOun-
ties and cities by one OF more joint rosOlu-
iions, rs the General Assembly may see fiji.
4. The said Electoral Boards for each city
and county shall have power, and IT
shall be their duty 10 proceed TO fill the
Offices of registrars aud judges, in the man-
ucr provided for IN this act.
3. IL shall be the duty Of the Electoral
Board OF each city and county, at some time
prior TO the lst day OF March in each year,
- select ana appoint three competent male
citizens, who sball be qualified voters. for
each yotiug.place in their respective coun-
ties and cities, who, when so selected and
appointed, shall constitute the judges OF
election for all elections 10 be held in their
respective districts, precincts, or wards,
for the term OF one year, dating from their
apr ointment, and which said judges shall
have power to appoint .wO clerks for each
place OF voting ut such election, TO whom
shall he administered by the Judges. or
either OF them. the same oath as that taken
by the said judges. IL shall he the duty OF
each Of said Electoral Boards, bicnnally. at
the same time, TO appoint a registrar for
each votng-place Of their respective cOun-
ties and cities, who shall be discreet citi-
zen and resident Of the magistcrial district
or ward in and for which he Il appointed,
and who shall hold Office for the term OF
two years from the ii day OF March follow
ing their appointment, and until their sue
cessOrs are duly appointed and qualified;
and in the city Of Richmond IT shall be law
full for each registrar 10 appoint clerk
and 10 administer 10 him the same oath a.
that taken by the registrar: provided.
however, that for any " ard containing over
one thousand voters. the said Electoral
Board shall appoint one registrar 70" every
thousand voters, and one for every frac-
tional part Of thousand above five hun.
dred, and there shall be at least as ma1y
yOting-places in each ward as registrars for
such ward. The SAID Electoral Board shall,
from time TO time, till any vacancy that may
occur in the office Of registrar. Whenever
il is possible TO do 80, persons 30 selected
and appointed as judges OF election shall
be chosen for each ycting-place IRON per-
sons known TO belong TO different political
parties, and each one OF whom shall be- able
TO read and write, aud the members OF any
Electoral Board who shall wilfully fail 10
comply with this requirement shall he
guilty OF Il misdemcanor, and on conviction
thereof shall be fined not less than one
hundred nor more than five hundred dol
lars. But no election shall be deemed to be
invalid when the citizens appointed as
judges shall not belong to different pOliti-
cal parties. or who shall not possess the
above qualifications And should any
Judge OF election fail 10 attend at any place
Of voting for one hour after the time pre-
scribed by law for opening the polls at
such election, it shall be lawful ior the
Judge or judges in attendance 10 select
from among the bystanders one or more
persons. possessing the qualifications Of
judges of election, who shall act as Judge
or Judges OF such election. and who shall
have all the powers and authority Of judges
appointed by said Electoral Board: pro
vided, however. that II the Judge or judges
present have information that the absent
Judge or Judges will not attend, he or they
need not wait for the expiration of an bOur,
or any other time. Should all the judges ap-
pointed for any place Of voting fail to
attend at the place Of voting Tor one hour
after the time prescribed by law for open
ing the polls at such election. it shall be
the duty of any justice Of the peace OF
the district in which the election Is held,
who shall be applied TO for that purpose. or