Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-01-08
An Election in Texas.
SAN DIEGO, TEXAS,

An Election in Texas.
San DIEGO, TEXAS,
Dec. 81, 1889.
Editor Spectator All elections in
Texas are held from s A. H., to 6 PM,
and for one day only. The election pre-.
cincis in each county are regulated by the
Commissioners Supervisors in Val Court
at the first regular term of said Court 10
each year, where and when said Court de-
signates the voting place in each precinct
not to exceed one. The County Judge of
each county orders elections for county ard
precinct officers, and the Governor of the
State, all elections for officers higher than
these 20 days notice shall be given.
WHO CAN VOTE.
Every male rerson 81 years old, who is a
citizen of tho United States aud who shall
haya resided in tho State for one year pext
preceding all elections and the las. 6
months within ths precinct in which tt
offers to vote, and every male persou oi
foreign birth, who at any time before an
election makes q declaration as follows,
can vote:-
THE STATE OF TEXAS, I In County Court,
County of Duval. Personally ap-
peared Tomas Molino Tor in English
Thomas MilD who declares upon oath, that
he ia a natural born subject of Mexico; that
he was born in the State of Nuevo Lion
that he is 80 years of age; that he emil
grated to the United States Of America
and arrived at the port of Brownsville, in
the State of Texas, on or about the 10th
day of May, 1884, that it is his bona tide
Intention to become citizen of the United
States, aud renounce forever all allegiance
and fidelity to any foreign Prince, Poten-
tate, State or Sovereignty whatsoever, and
particularly any and all allegiance to the
Repabllc If Mexico.
[Signed] TOMAS MOLINo.
This paper 10 signed officially, and a
record OF that same kept, aHd the original
delivered to the af1ant.
WHO CANNOT VOTE
Idiots and lunatics; all paupers supported
by the county; all persons convicted of
felony, unless pardoned by the Governor;
all soldiers, marines and seamen employed
in the service of the army or navy Of the
United States.
TIE RESIDENCE
of q married man, if not separated from his
wife, shall be whore his wife resides, and II
he shall be considered single
man. The residence of single man shall
be where he usually sleeps.
THE VOTE MUST BE BY BALLOT
and must be numbered; and two or more
ballots folded together shall not be count
ed; and when or more names are upon q
ballot for the same office, when one person
is to be elected to that office, such ballot
shall not be counted for either of sncb
persons.
KIND OF BALLOTS TO BE USED.
. They shall be written or printed on plain
white foolscap, legal cap, or letter paper,
without any picture, sigu, vignette, device
or stamp or mark, except the writing or
printing, in black ink Or black pencil, of
the pames of the candidates, apd the
so-eral officers to be filled, and except the
name of the political ne-tv whose candi-
dates are on the ticket, and all ballU.s Sel-
tanning the name of any candidate pasted
over the name of any other candidate,
shall not be counted for such candidate
whose name is so pasted, and any ticket
not in conformity with the above shall not
be counted.
EACH VOTING PRECINCT
has presiding officer appointed by the
Com issioners' Court of the county, who
on the day of election selects from among
the qualified voters 3 judges and four
clerks. Two of said judges TO be counting
Judges and the presiding judge and the
other remaining judge, receiving judges;
two of said clerks as eanvassing clerks, shall
keep tally lists, and the other two clerks as
receiving clerks, shall keep poll lists. Said
Judges and clerks to be selected from the
,>olifio,l m rtiaa rraaant
TWO BOXES
shall be furnished the presiding Judge
n,bered / and 2. Oae receiving judge
shall receive the ballot of each voter, pro-
nounce the name of each voter and then
pass the ballot 10 the other receiving
Judge who shall number the same and de-
post 10 said ballot box No. 1, which shall
be kept closed one honr from the time of
opening the polls. At the expiration of
said hour. the receiving judges shall de-
liver said ballot-box. No. l, to the counting
Judges, who shall turn over TO the receiv-
ing Judges ballot box No. 2, which box
said receiving judges shall use Tor the next
hour. The counting judges shall, during
this second hour, open and count the bal
lots in box No. l, taking out one ticket at
a time, and by one of the counting judges
who shall read said ticket, pass it to the
other counting judge. who shall place the
ticket counted in third box where all tho
counted tickets are to be placed and
RETURNED TO THE COUNTY CLERK.
The same method shall be observed with
each ticket, and so on; when box No. is
emptied it is returned back and No. 2 taken
up until the polls are closed. No person
shall be allowed in the votipg-room except
tho Judges and clerks, and one witness
from each political party present. When
any person shall be objected to, tho pre-
siding officer and the two first judges
named on the list of judges shall examine
the person offering to vote upon oath touch
ing such objection, and decide whether or
not he be allowed to vote, and if he Is al
lowed to vote, the clerks shall write the
word sworn upon the list opposite his name.
o. the Monday following the day Of
election, the Commissioner Court shall
open the election returns, estimate the re-
suit, and the County Judge deliver certif-
Gates of election to those who are entitled
to such in his county. All these things
are closely carried out, and the writer has
been present at no less than seven elections
in Texas, and never has he seen any trouble
on election days.
THE FUN AND WORK
always precede the days of the election
The fights, speeches, rallies, barbecues,
broken heads and noses, all come before
The trials in Courts for fights, the empty
pockets of candidates, the disappointments
and doctor bills, all come afterwards
Duval county ought to poll about 1900
votes, and has population of nearly 7,c00
all Mexican except about 800
families whom we term Americans, and
who vote about 100 in the county.
BOOTS AND SANDALS.
In Duval county we have two parties
which are about evenly divided. The
"Bota'' or boot party, which is supposed
to be the rich mans party, who are able to
wear boots; and tho ''Guarache" or sandal
party, which is supposed to represent the
poor mans party, who. from oppression
and the consequence of bad government