Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-05-08
STATE LAW.
An Act TO Provide for the Holding of a
Special Election for the Purpose of
Ascertaining the Sense Of the People in
Respect to Calling a constitutional Con-
ventfOn

Respect TO Calling Constitutional Con
veation.
Whereas there appears to be general
desire that the General Assembly, at its
| present session, shall provide by law for
the holding of special eleetion for the
| purpose OF ascertaining the sense of the
majority Of the citizens of the State en-
| titled to vote for Representatives. in re-
spect to the calling Of convention to
change, alter and amend the Constitu-
tion, therefore
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
OF Representatives OF the State of Della
ware in General Assembly met:
Section /. That on the third Tuesday
OF May, in the year Of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and ninety -one, a
special election shall be held for the
purpose Of ascertainlng, by ballot, the
sense OF the peo pie Of this state In respect
to calling convention to change, alter
and amend the Constitution Of the
State.
At the said election the citizens Of the
state entitled to vote for Representatives
may have written or printed on their
ballots the words For Convention, or
Against Convention, said ballots may
be Of any size and form, not exceeding
the size now provided by law,
Section z. That at said special cleo
ton to be held as prescribed in Section
OF this Act, the Inspectors and Judges
chosen in the several Hundreds through
out the State to hold the last general
! election, shall hold said special election.
Every vacancy in the said offices shall be
hlled in the same manner as now pre-
scrlbed by law.
Section 3. The Sheriff of each county
shall, on or before the twelfth day Of
May in the said year Of holding said
special election, deliver to the inspector
of zach Hundred or Election District of
his county, two suitable ballot boxes
with tape and sealing wax therefore. to-
gether with alphabetical lists of voters
and of delinquents, and written or
printed forms of tally lists, Of certih-
Gates of election, of Official oaths or afr
nations of the election off GERS and the
certificates and directions relating thereto
and also proper election stamp-all pre-
pared subject. however, to such altera-
tions thereof as may be necessary 20
adapt them to the requirements Of said
special section as now prescribed by law
for the General Election. The said alpha
betical lists Of voters and of delnquents
shall be delivered by the Clerk of the
Peace of each county to the Sheriff of his
county, on or before the Fifth Day Of
May in the said year of holding said
special election. The said special election
shall be held at the same places, during
the same hours, In tho same manner,
according to the same regulations and
subject to the same penalties. SO far as
the same may be applicable to the pur-
poses of this Act, As now prescribed
concerning the General Election; and
the votes cast at said special cleo
tion shall be counted, Tailed and
certified by the Inspector. Judges and
Clerks Of each poll and the state of the
said election shall be ascertsined and
certified by the Board Of Canvass of each
county, on the Thursday next succeeding
the day Of holding the said special cleo
ton at the same time, in the same man
ner, at the same places and by the same
persons as prescribed in Chapter Eighteen
of the Revised Statutes, and any amend
ments supplements thereto, for the
counting, tallying and certifying the
votes cast at, and for the ascertainlnp
and Ger flying the state and result Of the
last General Election, throughout each
county The certificates, respectively,
Of said special election shall contain and
show accurately the number, in words at
length, of votes cast "For Convention
and Against a Convention"
Section That the returns of said
special election, so certified by the Board
of Canvass OF each county as aforesaid.
and duplicates thereof. shall be delivered
in the same manner, by the same persons,
in the same way, aud to the same officers
as the returns of the election for Gov
ernor, and duplicates thereof are required
to be delivered by direction of the
Constitution Of the State.
Section 5. That the General Assembly
shall, at the next session thereof after
said special election and on the second
Wednesday after its organization,
meet in joint session, in the Hall of the
House of Representatives, to be present
at the opening aud publishing of the
said returns of such election, and tt
ascertain therefrom the result Of sait
election throughout the State by calcula
ting the aggregate amount Of all the
votes that shall have been given respec-
lively "For a Convention" and Against
! a Convention" In all the counties OF the
State
Section 8. That If thereupon It shall
appear that a majority Of all the citizens
in the State, having a right to vote FOL
representatives, have st sale
special election, "For Cow eaton, thu
General Assembly shall, accordingly. a
its said next session after said election
make provision by appropriate legisla
ton, for the calling and election Of
Convention, to consist of at least as m an,
members as there are in both houses 0
. the Legislature, to be chosen in the sam
i manner, at the same places and at th
same time that Representatives are b,
, the citizens entitled to vote for Repre-
sentatives, on due notice given for on
month, and to meet within three month
after they shall be elected The maiorit,
Of all the citizens in the State
! having right to vote for representa-
/ tives. shall be ascertained by referenc
to the highest number Of votes cast il
, the State at any one of the three genera
I elections next preceding the day 0
voting for Convention, except whei
; they may be less than the whole humble
Of votes voted both for and against
Convention, In which case the sal
/ msjority shall be sscertained by reterenc
4 TO the number OF votes given on the da
4 of voting FOR or against Convention
Section T. That it snail be the dut
I Of the SherIffs, or other officers to whoI
the ballot boxes used at said specis
! election shall be delivered for the pur
> poses of this Act, to keep the said boxes
t. | and the ballots and certificates and tall
! | lists Of said election, deposited therein
4 safely until the meeting of the 6enerE
: Assembly as its said next session afte
I - y Al rN1 L..