Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-02-21
THE COOPER ELECTION LAW.

The coming election of officers for
the city of Mineral Point, to take place
on the first Tuesday in April must be
held under the provisions of the new
general election law, passed at the
last session of the legislature and
known as the Cooper law. The salient
points of this law are given by Attor-
ney General Estabrook, as follows:
/. The act applies TO all elections,
except for town and village officers
and the city and town of Milwaukee
2 Candidates may be nominated
ut party caucuses as heretofore. Sec
tions 3, and 5.
3. 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 person receiving a call
there must be at least 1000 names
signed To the paper or call III case the
candidate is to stand for state Office
When in counties or districts less than
state, the call must be signed by at
least one voter for at least 100 voting
at the last election; in no case to be
less than fifty. Sec. 6.
t. In the case of candidates for
state offices, or of a division or district
larger than county, the certificates of
nomination are filed with the secretary
of state; in all other cases, with the
county clerks of the respective coun-
ties. Sec. 3.
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 8.
.. All certificates of nomination
and nomination papers filed under the
provisions of this act shall be open to
public inspection, Sec Q.
z. No person shall accept nomina-
ton to more than one office Sec 5.
8. Nancancies occurring after nom
nation are made are filed in the same
manner required for original nomina-
tiOns.
9. All ballots and cards of inStruc
ton shall be printed by or under the
direction of the county clerk, and shall
be county charge except in munich
pal elections; the expense of such
election shall be chargeable to the city
See >.
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. |.
IL. The county clerk shall print the
ballots in accordance with the certih-
Gates furnished him; and he must, ut
least twenty four hours previous to the
day of election supply each polling
place in his county with the necessary
tickets. Secs. Is and 81.
l.. 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 ballots the name of
any person for whom he desires to
vote. Secs. Is and Is.
-. No person shall show his ballot
after it is marked in any way to reveal
its contents. No person except an in
Spector shall receive from any voter a
ballot from any other person than one
of the ballot clerks or inspectors of
election. Secs. - and IS.
H. Section 20 of said act as
amended by chapter 494 of the laws of
1889, contains 4 provision to enable
persons unable to mark their own bal
lots to have the same marked by an
inspector. 1t is not necessary to re-
quire the inspectors to mark the ballots,
that the voters should file an ailidavid
that he is unable to mark it, but it is
sufficient if such voters shall simply
state such fact under oath orally. The
phrase by reason of physical diSabil-
ity he is unable to mark his ballot" as
used in the amendment to section 26,
is of somewhat uncertain meaning,
and inspectors are advised to give a
liberal Interpretation to it, and to mark
and receive the ballots of any legal
voter whenever such voter shall state
nnder oath that he is unable to mark
it himself
Is. The said act also applies to the
conduct of judicial elections, except
thas the name of the candidate for
judicial position should be printed on
a separate ticket and deposited in a
separate box and the return of such
votes made to the county clerk instead
of to the city clerk as in municipal
elections.