The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-05-16
THE OHIO BALLOT LAW.
Full Text of the Measure Enacted
by the Legislature.

elections to insure the secrecy OF the ballot
and prevent fraud and intimidation Mt the
polls, and TO rep al certain statutes therein
named.
SECTION l. BE IL enacted by the General
Assembly Of the State of Ohio, That hereafter
elections Of all public officers, except school
directors, IN the state OF Ohio shall be conduct
cd in accordance with the provisions of this
act
SEC. Q IN addition to the duties now i'm.
posed on him by law, the secretary Of state
shall prepare and furnish forms for the guid.
ance OF Inc county boards Of elections, for oil
the blants, cards of instruction. including poll.
9 Do9ks ,9i'SsaeetS Ss ,idda SeiTndcGtes ; OF noml
for the conduct of elections in this state. The
secretary Of state is hereby authorized and re.
quirod to coilate md publish all the election
laws in force applicable to the conduct OF cleo.
tions. There shall bo foCr thousand copies of
such collation. Of laws printed three thousand
flve hundred to be bound in paper and bve
hundred TO be bound in cloth, and the same TO
be distributed in proportion to the number of
voting precincts in each county, such distribu.
tion 10 be made through the county board OF
elections
COUNTY BOARDS OF ELECTIONS
SEC, 8. On or before the Eflrst Mon
day in July next ensuing after the
passage OF this act, except in counties contain.
Ing cities OF the first class, the probate
Judge in each county in the state shall appoint
o county board OF elections consisting OF four
persons, who are qualified electors of such
county, two of whom shall be appointed for ono
year and two of whom shall be appointed for
Judge shall appoint two momDers OF said board
for two years. Two Of the members OF said
board, one for the long and ono for tho short
term, shall be selected from the political party
which cast the highest number OF votes in this
state ut the last preceding November election
and two from the political party which east the
next highest number OF votes All vacancies
shall be filled, and all appointments to new
terms shall be made from the political party to
which the vacating member belonged unless
1here be third political party casting greater
number OF votes in this state thnn did the party
10 which the retiring member belonged. at the
next preceding November election, in which
event said vacancy shall be filled from said
third party. But all appointments shall be
made from the two parties casting the highest
and next highest number Of votes; not more
than two members Of such board shall belong to
the same political party: provided, that II the
executive committees of the two political par.
ties in the county casting tho highest and
next highest number of votes in this state at
the last previous November election recon.
mend qualified persons, then the probate
Judge shall appoint such persons so recon-
mended to the number to which such party is
entitled, but II no such recommendation is
made, then the probate judge shall make such
appointment agreeably to the provisions herein
contained. A member of tho county board of
elections may be removed by the probate Judge
for misfeasance or malfeasance in ofilce or for
any other good and suf1cient cause, except
when the appointments are made by the mayor
of any city having power to appoint members
of boards OF elections in which case the mayor
may remove any member OF the board for sim
iar or sufficient cause.
the board OF elections heretofore provided for
such cities by section 2926b of the revised
statutes shall in their respective counties,
vided by this act and shall hereafter be Sc.
lected as in said section provided In counties
containing cities of the second class, the
boards Of elections heretofore provided for said
cities. shall have the powers and be subject to
the duties prescribed in section twenty nine
hundred and twenty.six of the revised statutes,
and supplemental sections, as heretofore
amended, except that all the returns of the No
vember election shall in such counties, be
made to the county boards of elections as here.
matter provided; and in addition thereto, such
boards shall, in the conduct OF municipal cleo.
tions have all the powers and duties and be
subject to all the provisions, penalties and re.
4quirements of the county boards Of elections
prescribed in this act
The probate Judge immediately upon the up.
pointment OF the county board of elections and
upon filling any vacancy In such board. shall
notify the secretary OF state giving him the
full name and post office address Of all such ap-
pointees. And when such board organizes the
president thereof shall immediately notify the
secretary of state of the name and post ONCE
address OF the clerk Of such board.
ORGANIZATION AND COMPENSATION.
SEC. L. In all counties except counties con.
tanning cities Of the first class the board of
elections shall. at least thirty days previous to
the November election in each wear. meet in the
ONCE Of the county commissioners and organize
by electing one OF their number as president, and
resident elector OF such county other than q
member of the board as clerk both OF which Off.
GERS shall continue for one year, and until their
successors are elected and qualified And the
balloting for such officers shall commence at or
before one O'Clock p IN. on tho day of conven-
ing. and at least one ballot shall be taken every
thirty minutes until such board is organized
And If, after ten ballots no person shall be
agreed on as president, the Oldest member OF
such board shall act as president for the ensu.
ing year. And II, after like number of ballots,
no person is agreed upon as clerk, the clerk
shall be selected by lot from among those bal.
loted for The clerk OF such board shall he paid
n salary, in quarterly installments, not to
exceed one hundred dollars (Sl00l per year,
which compensation shall be fixed by the
county board OF elections. At such meeting for
organization, such board may remain in session
not more than two days for the purpose of such
organization, for the purpose of receiving in.
s,ructions from the secretary Of state as to
their duties. and may at such time provide for
the publication OF the notice for bids for print
ing as hereinbefore required. Such board shall
meet on the twelfth day before each election,
and shall remain in session for such length OF
time as may be necessary, and shall adjourn to
such day as their duties herein prescribed may
require. For attending all meetings OF the
board. the members thereof shall receive as
compensation the sum of two dollars day, not
10 exceed twenty days in any one year and
mtlcage at the rate of five cents mile going to
and returning from the county seat If the dis
Eance be more than one mile.
COMPENSATION HOW PAID.
SEC 5. The compensation provided for in the
preceding section, and all expenses arising for
printing and distributing ballots cards of ex
planation to officers of the election and voter.
blanks and all other proper and necessary eX
penses, shall be betrayed out of the county
TREASURY as other county expenses and the coun
ty commissioners shall make the necessary levy
TO meet such expenses. The expense OF print
1ng and delivering ballots and cards of instruc
tion in local elections shall be charge upon
the city, town village or political division In
which such local election shall be held.
THE PRINTING OF BALLOTS.
SEC. g. The printing provided for in the
foregoing sections except poll books and tally
sheets shpll be let to the lowest responsible
bidder in the county, upon ten days notice pub
lishod not more than three times in two leading
papers Of opposite politics published in such
county The person to whom the contract fol
printing the tickets is let, SHALL in the presence
of the clerk of the board OF county elections
seal up securely in packages, one for each pre-
,inGt in the county, the designated number oil
ballots to be printed for such precinct and in
dorse thereon the number of ballots so printed
and sealed up, and deliver the same to the
county board OF elections at such time as the
said board may direct
DELIVERY OF BALLOTS AND INSTRUCTIONS
SEC. 4. Not less than three DAYS before any
general election the county board OF elections
shall summon the presiding judges of election
In each precinct in such county TO appear be
fore the board OF elections and receive the nec
essary blanks pollbooks, tally sheets, neoes
sary certificates cards OF Instructions and bal
lots for such precincts and shall deliver u
such Judge the sealed packages OF ballots
b anks poll books and other required papers
provided, however, that in cities OF the irs
and second class when the presiding judge
or chairman is chosen at the meeting OF the
regis rars and judges OF election. on the even
ing preceding any November election, pursuan
10 section 2826n OF the revised statutes, or oI
tho Saturday evening preceding any April cleo
ton, Il shall be the duty Of such Judge
immediately after suoh meeting, TO cal
at the ofce of the board OF elections for sucl
pnokageS and provided further, that in an.
.;ity Of the frst grade OF tho arst GLASS, tn
hoard OF elections may, by resolution, provid
for the distribution OF tho ballots through tn