The Brookhaven leader., 1890-09-18
THE STATE CONVENTION.
The Franchise Committee Make an
Interesting Report.


the Safeguards Thrown Around the
| Ballot.
The following is the report of the
| Franchise Committee now before the
Constitutional Convention:
FRANCHISE.
Under this head the committee recon-
mends that only persons possessing the
following qualifications shall be allowed
| to vote:
Each sane male citizen of the United
States 2l years of age, except Indians
not taxed who has resided in the State
| two years and one year in the election
| district, who has registered, never been
| convicted of bribery, burglary, theft,
arson, obtaining money or goods under
| false pretenses, perjury, forgery, en-
| bezzlement, murder or bigamy, and who
has paid poll tax of So on or before
the first day of February for the year
next preceding the year in which he
| shall offer to vote, and who is not de-
| linquent for the poll tax of the preced-
| ing year. Ministers in charge of
churches, otherwise qualified, will be
| allowed to vote after a six months resi-
| dence in the election district.
A poll tax of 81 is imposed on all male
residents of the State between the ages
Of 81 and CO. except persons deaf and
| dumb, blind or MANNED by loss of hand
or foot, said amount to be used for the
| benefit of the common school fund.
| The Board of Supervisors of any county
have the power to increase the poll tax
| to So.
After January 1. 1896, every qualified
| elector shall be able to read any section
| of the State Constitution, or shall be
| able to understand the same when read
| to him or give reasonable interpreta
| tion thereof.
THE BALLOT.
1. That all ballots in all elections in
| this State shall be printed and dis
| tributed at public expense, as herein
| after provided, and shall be known as
| an official ballot. The expense of
| printing all such ballots shall be paid
out of the respective county treasures,
except that in municipal elections such
| expense shall be paid by the cities or
| towns authorizing them.
2. That the ballot printed for use un-
| der this ordinance shall contain the
names of all the candidates who have
been put in nomination by any conven-
tion or other nominating body or at
primary election of any political party
of this State, at least fifteen days pre-
| vious to the day of election. 1t shall
be the duty of one of the commissioners
of election, to be designated in his com
mission by the authority appointing
said commissioner, to have printed all
necessary ballots for use in said cleo
| tions, except ballots in municipal cleo
tions; and said officer shall cause to be
printed, by q printer sworn to keep
secret said ballots under penalties to be
prescribed by law, the name Of all can
didates so nominated, upon the written
request of any one or more of the can
didates so nominated, or of any quail
fled voter who will affirm that he was a
member of such convention or other
! nominating body, or participant in such
primary election, and that the name
presented by him was the nominee of
said convention or nominating body or
primary election. Said commissioner
shall also cause to be printed on said
ballots the name of any qualified voter
who has been requested to be candi-
date for any Office by written petition
signed by at least fifteen qualified
electors, for any beat or municipal
office, or fifty qualified electors for any
other Office, and when said petition or
request has been presented to said COM
missioner at least fifteen days before
the election, but if any qualified elector
has been nominated as aforesaid, or has
been requested to be candidate as
above specified in less than fifteen days
before any election, then the names of
such candidates shall not be printed
upon said ballots. There shall be on
said ballots one blank space under the
title of each office to be voted for, and
! in the event of the death of any candi-
date whose name shall have been
printed on the official ballot the name
of the candidate duly substituted in
place of such deceased candidate may
/ be written in such blank space by the
voter.
3. After the proper officer has been
notified of the nomination, as herein
before specified, of any candidate for
office, said officer shall not withdraw
| the name unless upon the written re-
quest of the candidate so nominated,
made at least ten days before the cleo
tion.
4. Every ballot printed by virtue of this
ordinance shall contain the names of
! all the candidates nominated as herein
before specified and not tduly withdrawn.
| The arrangement of the names of all
of the candidates, and the order in
which the titles of the various officers
to be voted for shall be made, and the
size, print, and quality of the official
ballot is left to the sound Judgment of
said officer charged with printing said
ballots; provided said arrangement need
not be uniform. 1t shall be the duty of
the Secretary of State, with the ap-
proval of the Governor, to furnish to
the commissioners of the several coun-
ties sample of an official ballot, the
form of which shall be followed as
nearly as practicable. Whenever the
question of constitutional amendment
or other question admitting of an affirm
ative or negative vote is submitted to a
vote of the electors, such amendment,
question or matter shall be printed on
said official ballot, and the names of the
candidates, if any, and also the words
yea and nay to be arranged by the
officer so that the voter can intelligently
vote his preference by making a cross
mark (X) opposite the proper word.
Immediately following the title of each
officer shall be printed the words vote
for one or vote for two or more, accord
ing to the number to be elected. On
the back and outside of the ballot shall
be printed "Oficial Ballot" and the
name of the voting precinct or place for
which said ballot is prepared and the
date of the election.
5. All official ballots intended for use
at any voting district or place of voting
shall be fastened together in convenient
numbers, and in some secure manner
and in such way that such ballots may
be detached for use. A record of the
Inumbes of official ballots printed and
furnished to each voting district or