The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-03-19
sournrRNEns MAY HOWL
waen they Read the sc deral Eiec
ton Law as introduced by
Congressman Lodge.

ton LsEW ao AtO~AA~o~ -
Congressman Lodge
wasurxsTcx. y. C., March l5.-1Ir. Lodge.
Of Massachusetts. introduced IN the House
20 day bill to regulate the election Of rep
resentstives in Congress by means Of ieder-
Al election law The bill provides that
whenever 500 persons, voters in any congres-
sional district in the Cnitei State, not less
than two months prior to the next election
Of representative in Congress, petition the
Judge Of the United States court for that sec
tion to place the next congressional election
in that district under the provisions Of the
act. il shall be the duty Of the judge TO an
nounce that the act will govern the next
election in the district and he is directed to
appoint the proper officers Of election. Two
registrars are to be appointed, one from each
Of the two principal political parties for each
voting precinct. The registration is to close
not less than ten days before the election
Registrars who place on the lists the names
of ineligible parties are 10 be subject to fine
or Imprisonment or both. Other violations
ofthe law are also amenable to punishment.
Two inspectors and two deputy inspectors
are TO be assigned to each voting precinct to
take charge of the ballot boxes and 10 check
of a list of registered voters furnished by
the registrars the name of each voter before
he votes, and no person viii be allowed to
vote until his name has been checked. No
one shall be admitted within the rail to vote
unless his name appears on the registered
list. nor until his name has been checked oil
the list by the inspectors. Inspectors tailing
TO perform their duties will be subject TO
punishment. After the registrars have pre-
pared their preliminary lists, it is provided
that they shall meet publicly to register all
duly qualified voters who may come before
them and who are not registered already,
and to strike names from the preliminary
list when cause is shown. The names OF
candidates nominated for Congress are TO be
| furnished to the clerk Of the United States
district court in which the election district
is situated. and the ballots are to be prepared
/ bv the latter at the public expense. All
ballots are to be uniform and are TO contain
all the names of persons nominated, the one
/ to be voted for TO be checked off by the voter.
A blank space is 70 be left al the end Of each
ballot in which the voter may insert the
name of any person not printed on the bal
lot. A record of the number Of ballots
printed and furnished by each polling place
is to be kept At the opening of the polls
in each polling place the seals Of three pack
ages Of ballots furnished the registrars are to
be broken and the ballots made ready for
use. The second and third set of ballots are
/ to be retained until needed. The election
inspectors are to select the voting places, and
the registrars shall cause these places 10 be
suitably provided with sufficient number
! Of voting shelves or compartments. at which
voters may conveniently mark the ballots
so that they may be screened in doing so
] from the observation Of Others. and guard
! rail shall be so constructed and placed that
only such persons that are inside the rail
can approach within twenty feet of the bal
/ lot boxes and of the voting shelves or COM
partments. The arrangements shall be such
/ that neither the ballot boxes nor voting
! shelves or compartments shall be hidden
from view Of those outside the guard rail.
/ The number of voting shelves TO be not
1 less than one for every seventy-ive voters,
and not less than three in any precinct and
not less than ten in any city voting precinct.
! When a properly registered person comes to
/ the polling place the registrars arc to give
! him ballot The voter is then to go to one
of the shelves and AFTER preparing his ballot
is to place it in the box and leave the eneio-
sure. Each voter rs allowed six minutes
and no more in which TO deposit his ballot.
Persons who are blind or who cannot read
or write may have their ballots prepared by
the inspector. Challenges are to be allowed
only under certain conditions. When the
person is challenged for cause recognized
by law the eleolion officers are TO have his
name written on the ballot, bOgether with
the challenger, and no challenges for the
purpose of delaying voting are to be enter
tanned The inspectors of election are TO
count the votes a. the closing OF the polls
and announce the result publicly. Two
certificates of the result are to be prepared
court Tae judge Of the court and the clerk
are to count the total votes of all the pre-
cinct for each candidate, and TO transmit a
certificate Of election Of the candidate receiv-
ing thegreatest number Of votes to the clerk
of IheHOuse in Washington.