The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-25
AMENDING THE
ELECTION LAW.
Summary of Proposed Bill for
That Purpose.
1t Is the Result of Conferences Between the
Warehouses Of the Two Great
Political Parties.

A joint meeting OF the representatives Of
the Republican aud Democratic County
Committees was held yesterday alter
noon, for the purpose of drafting bill TO
amend the law relating to Boards of Flee
ton Commissioners. Those present were:
Max Pepper, T. |. 0'Brien, A r. Spots,
Never Jacobs, DR.. r. c. Meyers. William
Brodefick, John Dougherty and Registrar
Smiley.
After Max Pepper had raped the meet
ing to order Mrssrs. SPOTS and O'Brien,
who had been appointed a committee for the
purpose at preceding meeting, offered the
draft OF a measure drawn on the lines pre-
viously indicated.
This was Immediately taken up, para
graph by paragraph, aud after three hours
had been consumed in trausposing, elim-
mating and adding to the paper the draft, as
amended, was agreed upon.
The proposed measure is entitled AN act
TO provide for the appointment of a Board of
Election Commissioners for the several
counties, cities, cities and counties, towns
aud townships throughout the State of Cali
fornia, and to regulate the registration of
voters, and the conduct control and manage
ment Of elections therein"
PROVISIONS OF THE ACT.
By its terms the Board of Supervisors
Common Council or other governing body of
the several counties, cities, etc, have the op-
ton of adopting the new law or a1hering to
the old, as they see fit. If they conclude to
adopt the new one, they must do so by reso-
luton or order on or before July l. 1891
Aftes.the adoption of the said order or reso-
luton the governing power is Authorized to
appoint board of four Election Commits
sioGers, who must have been residents and
electors of said county. city, or city and
county, etc, for at least three years before
said appointment
This board shall be Immediately inyes ted
with the control and management of the
registration of voters. the holding of cleo
tiOus and all matters pertaining thereto
In order that the board shall be nOn-parti-
san the appointing power is instructed to
select two members from each of the two
political parties which shall have the largest
number of votes at the Presidential election
preceding their appointment. the county
committees of the political organizations TO
furnish list of six names from which their
party representatives are to be taken,
LOOKS WELL on PAPER.
No person who holds Office under the Fed
eral or State Government or any county or
municipal government of the State, or who
is Il candidate for any such Office or a men,
Der OF nominating convention, county or
State committee having the control of 4 DO
ltical party, shall be eligible for the office
of Election Commissioner, and it is provided
that the very fact Of the acceptance of any
such Office or membership, after the said ap-
pointment, shall Immediately make tue seat
of the offending Commissioner vacant.
In Section the Registrar is made ex-
ofliciO Secretary Of the board, with the right
to participate In its deliberations without
the power to vote.
The State is to be divided into two classes
of counties, cities, etc, those of the first
class consisting of all with a population of
more than 100000 and those Of the second
class with population of less than that
number.
The Commissioners in counties ard cities
of the first class are to receive 500 a month
for their services for a period of six months
from the lst day of July in each election
year until the 31st day OF December of that
year, and in counties, etc, of the second
class the compensation is 10 be fixed by the
Supervisors or Common Council Oh other
governing power.
BLOW AT MIR. BROWN.
With the exec ton of the Chief Deputy.
whom the Registrar is to appoint all OF the
necessary clerks viii be appointed by the
Commissioners, who will select them equal
ly from each of the two great parties
Section provides for the appointment of
precinct boards, which shall consist of four
members, two from each of the political
sessment-roll of the previous year. In
counties, etc, of the first class these snail be
paid at the rate OF IS per day for their serv-
ices; and in counties, etc, of the second
class at the rate Of s. per day.
Section provides that a register of the
names Of all qualified electors shall be kept;
that 100 days before each general election
the person charged with the registration of
voters, where the resolution or order pro-
vided in the act has been adopted, shall
Commence new aud complete registration
OF all voters entitled thereto. Such regis
trauon Is to continue at the central Office
Tor slxty-iye days. One day will be al
lowed Tor transferring the precinct registers
TO the different precinct boards This will
be followed by five days precinct registra.
ton, ten days for printing and nineteen da We
Tor purifying the register "''
Two IDEAS are embraced in the hill ono
TO constitute non-partisan board and the
otier 10 secure as much time as possible he
tween the closing of registration and tha
fraudulent voters ou' VI