The Portland daily press., 1891-03-25
THE new LAW.
TcoNr1NvED FROM FIRST rAGE.l

Ing In accordance with the pro-
visions of this act, shall biennially in the
place. For each polling placd In cities and
towns Of more than one thousand Inhabitants
four clerks, and for, each polling place
In lard plantations s S4 and for each Island
and district OF the town of Cumberland and
for every town of less than 1000 Inhabitants
two clerks shall be appointed. Said clerks
shall equally represent each Of the political
parties which cast the largest number of
votes in the state ell 'ction next preceding
their appointment. Each of said officers
shall be sworn to the faithful performance
of his duties. and shall hold Office for two
years from the date of his appointment. and
until successor Is appointed and qualified;
or he Is removed. Such election officers shall
attend at the times and places designated for
meetings in their respective wards, towns or
plantations for the election Of any national,
state. county or ward officers. and for the de-
termination OF any question submitted to the
qualified voters OF any city by lawful author
ity. and shall receive such reasonable COM
pensation for each days actual service as
the municipal officers of their respective cit
les, towns and plantations may determine.
Ne p psTsGn shall 81 election BE e dess to
any ward. town or plantation where he is a
candidate to be voted for.
Two OF the clerks In each polling place,
one from each political party, shall be de-
tailed by the municipal officer to act as bal
lot clerks. The two ballot clerks thus de-
shall have the charge Of the ballots therein.
and shall furnish them to the voters in the
manner hereinafter set forth.
A duplicate list of the qualified voters in
each ward, town or plantation shall be pre-
pared for the use of the ballot clerks, and all
the provisions OF law relative to the prepare
tion, furnishing and preservation of check
lists shall apply to such duplicate lists.
VOTING SHELVES.
Sect %. The municipal officers In each
city and town as aforesaid, shall cause the
polling places therein to be suitably proyid-
ed with sufficient number of voting shelves
or compartments, at or in which voters may
conveniently mark their ballots so
that IN the marking thereof they
may be screened from the observation
OF Others, and guard rail shall be so con-
structed and placed that only such persons
as are inside said rail can approach within
six feet OF the ballot boxes, and of such yot-
Ing shelves or compartments. The arrange
ment shall be such that neither The ballot
boxes nor the voting shelves or compartments
shall be hidden from view of those just out
side the said guard rail. The number of
such voting shelves or compartments shall
not be less than one for every 100 voters
qualified to vote at such polling place. and
not less than three in any town, and not less
than fve In any ward of city No persons
other than the election officers and voters
'mitted as hereinafter provided, shall be
permitted within said rail, except by authori-
keeping order and enforcing the iaw Each
voting shelf or compartment shall be kept
provided with proper supplies and conyen-
fences for marking the ballots.
APPROACH TO THE POLLS.
Sect: %. Any person desiring to vote shall
give his name, and, If requested SO to do, his
residence, Ito one of the ballot clerks, who
fhnrannnr he.
and distinct tone of voice, clear and audible
and II such name is found upon the check
list by the ballot officer having charge there
of, he shall likewise repeat the said name,
space enclosed by the guard-rail, as above
provided. The ballot clerk shall give him
one, and only one ballet, and his name shall
be Immediately checked on said list.
Besides the election officers. not more than
ing shelves or compartments provided shall
be allowed in said enclosed space at one
time.
PREPARATION OF BALLOTS.
Sect. "a. On receipt of his ballot the voter
snail forthwith, and without leaving the en-
closed space, retire alone to one of the yOt-
ing shelves or compartments so provided and
shall prepare his ballot by marking in the
appropriate margin or place, a cress x as
follows: de may place such mark opposite
the name OF party or political designation,
in which case he shall be deemed to have
voted for all the persons named in the group
under such party or designation; or he may
place such mark opposite the names of the
individual candidates of his choice for each
office to be filled, or he may fill in the name
OF the candidate of his choice in the blank
space provided therefor and place the mark
opposite as aforesaid in which cases, he shall
be deemed to have voted only for the indi.
vidual candidates opposite whose names he
has placed such mark. In case of a question
submitted to the vote of the people he shall
place such mark In the appropriate margin
against the answer which he desires to give.
Before leaving the voting shelf or compart-
ment the voter shall fold his ballot, without
displaying the marks thereon, in the same
way 1t was folded when received by him,
and he shall keep the same so folded until
he has voted, He shall vote in the
the enclosed and shall deeost b fsb ag
lot in the box with the official endorsement
uppermost. He shall mark and deposit his
ballot without undue delay, and shall quit
said enclosed space as soon as he has voted.
voting shelf or compartment already occu-
pied by another. nor remain within said en-
closed space more than ten minutes, nor to
occupy voting shelf or com
utes in case all of such shelves or com
are waiting to occupy the same. No voter
not an election officer whose name has been
checked on the list of the ballot officers.
shall tbe allowed to, re.enter said enclosed
duty OF the presiding election officer for the
time being to secure the observance of the
provisions Of this section.
Sect. 20. No person shall take or remove
any ballot from the polling place before the
close of the polls. II any voter spoils bal.
lot he may successfully obtain othersllope at
time, not exceeding three In all, upon re-
turning each spoiled one. The ballots thus
returned shall be Immediately cancelled, and
together with those not distributed to the
check lists used, which shall be certified by
the ballot clerks, to be such, shall be Sc
cured, sealed. and sent to the several CITY.
town and plantation clerks.
BLIND OR ILLITERATE VOTERS.
Sect: 26 Any voter who declares to the
presiding election officer that he cannot read
ms DailGt, on tnat by blindness or other
ballot, shall, upon request, receive the as
slstance OF one or two of the election otficers
In the marking thereof, such officer TO be SO.
lected by the voter, and such officer or Off
1t was so marked with his or their Assistance
and shall thereafter give no information re-
garding the same. The presiding officer NAV
In his discretion, require such declara.
ton OF disability to be made by the voter
under oath before him, and he is herehv
qualified to administer the same.
Sect. II. Ii voter marks more names for
any one office than there are persons To he
elected to suchIoffice, or IL for any reason n
Is impossible to determine the voters choice
for an office to be filled, his ballot shall not
be counted for such Office No ballot with.
out the official endorsement shall. excent &c
herein otherwise provided. be allowed to he
deposited In the ballot box, and none but
ballots provided in accordance with the pro.
visions of this act shall be counted. Ballots
not counted shall be marked defective" np
the back thereof, and shall be preserved as
required by section twenty-five. 10
TIME OF OPENING AND CLOSING THE POLLS
Sect %. Meetings for the election of ma.
tional, state county and municipal officers
may be opened as early as eight O'clock a
M, and In no case shall the polls be kent
open later than five O'Clock p. M, and notice
Of the time of opening and closing shall be
given In the warrant calling the meeting.
PENALTIES.
Sect 30. A voter who shall, except as
herein otherwise provided. allow his ballot
To he seen nv anV OnrSOn with an anna