Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-09-01
The Walton Election Law.

Walton election law, giving in full the
section in regard to the duties of the
constable
The 1st, I'd, Sd and 4th sections pro
vide for the registration of the cand
dates name. and state the kind of bal
lot to be used-one like the b4llots
used in our primary elections conduct
ed on the Australian plan.
Section places the duty of having
the ballots printed by the electoral
board, and specifies that there shall be
twice as many as the number of voters
Section provides for an oath to be
taken by the printer that he will keep
secret the size, &C., of the ballots, and
destroy all above the number required.
A member of the board is to be pres
ent when the ballots are printed and
counted, and receive 50 as his pay. The
members of the board are also pledged
to secrecy, and any violation of the sec
ton shall be punished by fine of $500
and one month in Jail.
Sections Z and provide for the dis
tribution of the ballots to various pre-.
cincts and voting places, requiring all
ballots remaining unused shall be de-
stroyed before the ballot box is opened
and the vote counted. Same punish
ment as section for violation.
Section provides for the booths.
Section 10 requires that only the
voter and parties specified shall be
within forty feet of the booth; that the
Judges of election shall decide any dis
pute, except in case of challenged
vote, when all parties go before the
Judges.
II. The voter is provided with bal
lot and is to scratch all except the cal :
didate he wishes to vote for, and it is
required that the pencil or pen mark
60 through three-fourths of the names c +
the scratched. If more than one candi-
date for an office remain unscratched
the ballot shall be void, unless other
officers are properly voted for, then IL at
much of the ticket is valid.
Section u provides that the ballot
shall not be taken further than the
booth, and that no person shall advise
or assist the voter in any way in prepar-
ing his ballot.
Section Is limits the voters time to
two and half minutes.
Section II provides for an exchange
of ballots when the voter has defaced
the first.
The appointment and duties of The
special constable are given in section 3
as follows:
"The electoral board of each county
or city shall appoint for each voting
precinct the rein one constable. who
shall be an honest and discreet person
of said precinct, and be able to
read and write, and who sha |
be conservator Of the peace,
and shall be especially charged with
enforcing the provisions OF this act,
having all the powers of constable;
and for such services he shall be allow
ed one dollar per day. He shall have
the power of arresting, upon the YER
bal order of the judges of election, or
majority of them, of the precinct to
which he is appointed, any person who
is offending or attempting to violate
any of the provisions of this act or dis
turbing the peace, and the person so
arrested shall bo taken as soon as pos.
sibe before justice of the peace hav-
ing cognizance of the offence, and be
then proceeded against under the gen.
eral laws OF the State. At the request
of any elector in the voting booth who
may be physically or educationally un-
able to vote, the said special constable
may render him assistance by reading
the names and offices on the ballot, and
pointing out to him the name or names
he may wish to strike out, or otherwise
aid him in preparing his ballot. In
case said elector be blind, said special
constable shall prepare said ballot for
said elector in accordance with the in
structions of said elector. Before en-
tering upon the duties of his Office, the
said special constable shall take an
oath to faithfully perform the duties
thereof, and for corrupt violation oi
the same he shall be deemed guilty of
a misdemeanor, and be fined not less
than five hundred dollars and be i'm.
prisoned not less than one nor more
than twelve months in jail.
Section II provides for the removal
of the constable by the judges of the
election at their pleasure, and the ap.
pointment of his successor.