The Portland daily press., 1892-02-10
How Voters Shall Cast Ballot.

How VOTERS Shall Cast Ballot.
Having marked ballot, the voter will-be-
fore leautng the booth-fold the ballot
without showing the marks or letting them
be seen by any one, SO that when folded the
ballot will be folded the same as when he
got it from the ballot clerk, and the voter
shall place the ballot in the ballot box SO
that the official Endorsement on the back of
the ballot will be uppermost.
The voter shall mark and cast his ballot
without undue delay"-as speedily as pos
mble. No voter can remain inside the
guard rail over ten minutes, nor inside the
booth over five minutes, and no voter (un-
less he be an election officer can go inside
the guard rail but once during one and the
same election.
Spoiled Ballots.
If a voter spoils the first ballot given him
he may return it to the ballot clerk from
whom he got it and may receive second
ballot If he spoil the second ballot he may
also return that to the ballot clerk and re-
ceive third ballot, but no voter can re-
ceive more than three ballots.
Spoiled ballots shall be returned, with un.
used ballots and check lists, to the city,
town or plantation clerk by the ballot
clerks, who shall certify the same to be
spoiled or unused, as the case may be, and
also shall certify the check lists to be those
used at election.
Ballots and check list SO returned by bal
lot clerks to be returned under seal.
No person. can take or remove ballot
from the polling place before the polls are
closed under penalties.
Blind or Disabled Voters.
May notify the presiding election officer
of their inability to see, to read or to mark
the ballot, and may then have the assist
ance of one or more election officers in mark
ing. The voter may select such election
officer and must, if required, make oath to
his disability. In all cases where an election
clerk so aids voter he must so certify on
the ballot before it is cast BY the Uoter.
Polls.
Polls are to be opened as early as o'clock
a. M, but in no case can be kept open later
than 5 o'clock p. m.
Election Clerks.
Election clerks shall be appointed bien-
nially in May by municipal officers; shall
hold Office for two years; shall be sworn;
shall equally represent the ttoo political par
ties which at the state election next pre-
ceding their appointment cast the highest
number of votes, but no candidate can be
an election, clerk.
If polling place contains more than 1000
inhabitants mot voters, there must be four
such clerks-two Republicans and two Dem
ocrats.
If polling place contains less than 900
inhabitants, two such clerks are enough
one Republican, one Democrat. In all cases
one clerk from each of the two parties shall
be detailed by the municipal officers as bal
lot clerks, who shall have charge of the bal
lots and deliver them to the voters.
The appointments of election and ballot
clerks should be in writing and recorded in
the Office of the city, town or plantation
clerks.
Division of Towns and Wards.
This section applies to wards of cities and
to towns containing more than 1000 irhdb-
Sta4ltS, such division being discretionary,
not mandatory.
If such divisions are made each polling
place so provided for must contain not less
than 800 U0tGrs-and such division must be
made siIty days before election.
Wherever such division is made municipal
officers should at once notify the secretary
of state of the names of the voting precincts
in such towns or cities, if any, as No. l, No.
2, etc.
Instruction Cards and Specimen Ballots.
There are two kinds of these cards, known
as No. and No. 2 Municipal officers and
clerks are directed to post one card of in
structions of each number in each voting
booth or marking compartment; also to
post in or about the polling place, outside
the guard rail, not less than three of each
kind of these cards, and not less than tiUe
specimen ballots. These to be posted inn
mediately after the ballots are delivered to
the ballot clerks, at the opening of the polls
The cards and ballots necessary under
this section will be furnished by the secre-
tary of state with the general ballots.
Check Lists.
This law is not intended to change exist
ing laws relating to check lists, except that
the ballot clerks must be provided with such
a check list, and at all polling places there
must be such ballot clerks, oil polling places
must be supplied sOith taDo such lists, one
for use of the presiding officers and one for
such ballot clerks.
Municipal Officers and Town Clerks.
This law is not intended to change exist
ing laws relating to the duties of these Off
GERS at meetings held for elections.
The municipal officers preside at such
meetings. pass upon the qualifications Of