River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-02-13
Cooper Election Law.
MADISON, WIS, Jan. %. 1890

To the electors Of the State Of Wis:
In response to numerous inquiries
addressed to this office, this circular
is issued to explain the provisions of
chapter 248 of the Laws of 1889, pop
ularly known as the Cooper Election
Law. 1t is not intended for COM
plete exposition of the law for the
reason that that could not be done
i'm the space to which 1 am limited;
however, it is believed that the fol-
lowing covers the salient points there
of, and will serve as an index to it.
L. This act applies to all elections
except for town and village officers,
and the city and county of Milwaukee.
2. Candidates may be nominated at
party caucuses as heretofore. Sec-
tions 5, and 5.
8. Candidates may be nominated
in other modes than by political and
party conventions. BY proceeding
similar to what is known as "Call. !"
To authorize and require the county
clerk to print upon the official ticket
the name of a person receiving a call,
there must be at least one thousand
names signed to the paper or call in
case the candidate is to stand for a
state office. In counties or districts
less than state, must be signed by at
least one voter for each one hundred
voting at last election; in no case to
be less than fifty. Sec. 6.
4. In case of candidates for state
offices, or of division or district
larger than a county, the certificates
of nomination are filed with the secre-
tary of state; in all other cases. with
the county clerks of the respective
counties. Sec. Z.
5. Certificates of nomination filed
with the secretary of state, must be
filed not less than twenty days nor
more than forty days before election.
Certificates filed with the county clerk
must be filed not less than fifteen nor
more than thirty days before election.
Sec. s.
6. All certificates of nominations
and nomination papers filed under the
provisions of this act, shall be open to
public inspection. Sec. Q.
Z. No person shall accept nomi-
nation to more than one office. Sec. s..
8. Vacancies occurring after nomi-
nations are made are filled in the same
manner required for original nomi.
nations. Sec. 2.
9. All ballots and cards of in
struction shall be printed by or under
the direction OF the county clerk, and
shall be a county charge except in
municipal election; the expense for
such elections shall be chargeable to
the city. Sec. 2.
10. Ballots shall be printed and in
the possession OF the county clerk at
least four days before election, and
shall be open to inspection by candi-
dates and their agents. Sec. 10.
IL. The county clerk shall print
the ballots in accordance with the GER
tificates furnished him; and he must,
at least twenty-four hours previous to
the day of election, supply each poll
ing place in his county with the nee
essary tickets. Sections Is, 10 and
81.
II. No ballots except official shall
be cast or counted in any election
where this act is applicable. An
elector may, however, write or paste
upon the official ballot the name of
any person for whom he desires to
vote. Sections Is and SO.
I3. No person shall show his ballot,
after it is marked, in any way to re-
veal its contents. No person except
an inspector shall receive from any
voter ballot prepared for voting. No
voter shall receive a ballot from any
other person than one of the ballot
clerks or inspectors of election. Sec.
tions % and SO.
IA. Section 20 of said act as amend.
ed by chapter 494, of the laws of 1889
contains a provision to enable persons
unable to mark their own ballots to
have the same marked by an inspect.
or. 1t is not necessary to require the
inspectors to mark the ballots that the
voter should file an affidavit that he is
unable to mark it, but it is sufficient
if such voter shall simply state such
fact under oath orally. The phrase,
"by reason of physical disability he is
unable to mark his ballot" as used in
the amendment to section 2o, is OF
somewhat uncertain meaning; and in
| spectors are advised to give it a lib
eral Interpretation, and to mark and
receive the ballots of any legal voter
whenever such voter shall state under
oath that he is unable to mark it him
self.
Is. The said act also applies to the
conduct of judicial elections, except
that the name of the candidate for ju
dicial position should be printed on q
separate ticket and deposited in a sep
arate box, and the return of such
votes made to the county clerk in
stead of the city clerk as in municipa
elections.
| CHARLES Z. EsTABRooK,
Attorney General.
A Kansas Justice has rendered de
cision that has excited considerable,