The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-29
The New Electoral Bill.


The following is a synopsis OF the EIec-
toral Count Bill which has passed the
House. Tt is Senate bill, and having
been amended in an unimportant particu-
lar, by striking out the clause directing
the President Of the Senate upon the deela-
ration Of the vote to announce the names
Of the persons elected, it will, doubtless,
shortly become law:
Ii directs that the electors of each State
shall meet and give their votes on the
second Monday IN January following their
appointment
Section provides that if any State shall
have provided by laws enacted prior to the
day nxed Tor the appointment of electors
Tor It's final determination of any contro-
veIsy concerning the appointment of all or
any OF the electors of such State, by Judi
elal or other methods or procedures, and
such determination shall have been made
at least six days before the time fixed for
the meeting OF the electors, such determi-
nation shall be conclusive and shall govern
IN the counting of the electoral votes so far
as the ascertalnment OF the electors APP
pointed by such State is concerned.
Section preseribes the manner in which
the electoral vote of each State shall be
certified and communicated to the Secre-
tary OF State at Washington.
Section prescribes the meeting of the
Senate and House in the hall OF the House
on the second Wednesday in February sue
ceedlng the meeting of The electors,
After providing Tor the appointment of
teliers and the reading by them of the GER
thcates and papers purporting to be GER
tlhcates OF the electoral votes. the bill
continues And the votes having been
ascertained and counted in the manner
and according to the rules in this act r,ro-
vided, the result of the same shall be
delivered to the President of the Senate,
who shall thereupon announce the state of
the vote, which announcement shall be
deemed a sufficient declaration of the per-
sons, II any, elected President and Vice
President OF the United States and, to-
gether with a list OF the votes, be entered
on the journals OF the two houses. Upon
such reading OF any such certificates or
paper the President oil the Senate shall call
Tor objections, if any. Every objection
shall be made in writing and shall state
clearly and concisely and without argu-
ment the ground thereof and shall be
signed by at least one Senator and one
member of the House of Representatives
before the same shall be received. When
all objections so made to any vote or paper
from State shall have been received and
read the Senate shall thereupon withdraw
and such objections shall be submitted to
the Senate for Its decision and the Speaker
OF the House OF Representatives shall in
like manner submit such objections to the
House OF Representatives for its decision,
and no electoral votes which shall have
been regularly given by electors whose ap-
polntment shall have been certified accord
Ing to the third section of this act from
any State from which but one return has
been received shall be rejected. If more
than one return or paper purporting to be
a return from a State shall have been re-
ceiyed by the President of the Senate those
votes and those only shall be counted
which shall have been regularly given nv
the electors who are shown by the deter
mipation mentioned in section 2 of this
act to have been appointed if the determi-
nation in said section provided for shall
have been made, or by such successors or
substitutes, in case of a vacancy in the
board of electors SO ascertained as have
been appointed to fill such vacancy in mode
provided by the laws of the State but in
case there shall arise the question which
of two or more of such State authorities
determining what electors have been ap-
pointed as mentioned in section 2 of this
act, is the lawful tribunal of such State
the votes regularly given of those electors,
and those only of such State shall be
counted whose title as electors the two
houses, acting separately, shall concur
rently decide is supported by the decision
OF such State so authorized by its laws;
nd NAB =
or paper purporting to be 2 return from
State, If there shall have been no such de-
termination of the question in the State
aforesaid, then those votes, and those only. |
shall be counted which were cast by cleo
tors whose appointment shall have been
duly certified under the seal of the State |
by the Executive thereof in accordance |
with the laws of the State, unless the two |
houses, acting separately, shall concurrent. |
Iy decide such votes not to be the lawful |
votes of the legally appointed electors of |
such State. When the two houses have |
voted they shall Immediately meet again
and the presiding officer shall then an
1ounce the decision of the questions sub
nitted.
No votes or papers from any other State
hall be acted upon until the objections
previously made to the votes or papers
rom any State shall have been finally dis
posed OF.
Section limits to two hours the debate
which shall be had on any question after
he two houses shall have separated.
Section provides that the joint meeting
hall not be dissolved until the count of
Electoral votes shall be completed and the
esult declared, and prohibits either house
rom taking a recess beyond the next
alendar day. In case the count of the
lectoral votes shall not have been COM
'leted before the fifth calendar day after
he first meeting of the two houses, no
urther recess shall be taken by either
ouse.