The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-05-16

der Of court pending a contest. The sew
eral boards OF supervisors shall keep 9
record of the number of all ballots printed
for each polling place in their respective
counties or city, and shall preserve the
same for at least six months after the
election for which 1t was made.
ELECTIONS.
timore city shall. not more than three
days. and not less thar one day proceed
ing the election, deliver to the Board of
Police Commissioners of the city OF Bal
timore the two registers of every precinct
of said city, together with the cards or
instruction and ballot-bo& therefor, the
latter being locked, with the key in the
lock, and containing one Of the sealed
packages of ballots for said precinct, the
specimen ballots, the two poll-books and
all blanks, indelible pencils and stationery
required for such election; and the super
visors of elections of the several counties
shall, within the same period prior to
every election, make up into sealed pack
ages for each precinct the two registers
for said precinct together with the cards
of instruction and the key of the ballot
box for such precinct, having first placed
in the ballot-box one of the sealed pack
ages of ballots for said precinct, the speci-
men ballots. the two poll-books and all
blanks, indelible pencils and stationery
required for such election, and shall de-
liver the said packages and ballot-boxes,
properly addressed, 10 the sheriff OF the
county and the said Board OF Police Com
missioners and sheriff shall, respectively,
receipt therefor, and shall deliver, or
cause the same to be delivered, to the
judges of election of the respective pre-
cincts at or before the opening OF the
polls on the day of election. The several
boards Of supervisors shall keep a record
of the time when such deliveries are made
by them and OF the particulars thereof
80. The judges of election. and each OF
them, shall have authority to keep the
peace and to cause any person to be ar
rested for any breach of the peace, or for
any breach of the election laws. or any
Interference with the progress OF an cleo
ton, or of the canvass of the ballots; and
ii shall be the duty of all officers OF the
law present to obey the order of any judge
of election. and an officer making an ar
rest by the direction OF any judge shall
be protected in so doing as fully as il
warrant had been issued to him to make
such arrest.
IS. The polling places shall be opened by
in the city of Baltimore and at eight
o'clock in the morning in the counties,
and in said city shall be kept open until
FIVE o'clock, and in the counties until six
o'clock, in the afternoon Of the same day,
at which time the polls shall be closed.
If any judge or clerk shall not be present
at the expiration of fifteen minutes after
the time Tor opening the polls. the judge
or judges present shall fill the place of
such absent judge or clerk by appointing
in his stead person Of the same polit-
cal party as the absentee. One of the
judges shall administer to such substitute
the oath required Of the judge or clerk
originally, appointed. After the opening
OF the polls no judge or clerk shall absent
himself therefrom until all the ballots
cast shall have been counted and the re-
turns completed. II. in case of absolute
necessity, any judge or clerk in attend
Rnce shall be compelled to absent him
self, he shall appoint some fit person of
the same political party with himself to
act in his stead until his return, having
first administered to such substitute the
same oath as he himself has taken. Blank
forms for the appointment Of substitute
judges and clerks, and of the oath afore-
said, shall be supplied by the supervisors,
and the oaths. when administered, shall
be preserved and returned by the judges
20 the supervisors. The appointment and
Rwearing-in of all such substitutes, and
the reason therefor, and the time when
such substitutes began and ceased to
poll-book of the precinct Such substi-
tute shall cease to act whenever the
judge or clerk in whose stead he was ap-
pointed shall be present.
81. Each political party or other body of
voters having a candidate or candidates
duly nominated shall have the right to
designate and keep a challenger and
watcher at each place of registration and
election, who shall be assigned to such
position near the judges of election, in
side the registration or polling-room, as
10 enable them to see each person as he
offers to register or vote, and they shall
be protected in The discharge of their duty
by the judges of election and the police.
a certificate. signed by the candidates or
by the presiding officer Of the chief man
aging committee of their party in the city
or county, shall be sufficient evidence OF
the right OF such challenger and watcher
TO be present in the registration or poll
inS-room. In case any challenger or
watcher does not produce such certificate.
the judges Of election shall recognize a
challenger or watcher vouched for by the
persons present belonging TO such political
party or by the Judge representing such
party. Such challenger and watcher shall
have the right to remain in the polling
room, outside the rail hereinafter mem
toned. from the time the polls are opened
until they are closed, and after thai time
he shall be permitted to remain within the
rail until the returns are completed. The
refusal 10 permit any such challenger SO
70 remain shall be misdemeanor, punish
able by fine not exceeding one thousand
dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding
one year, or by both fine and impri5on-
ment but 1t shall be unlawful for any such
challenger TO inquire or ascertain for
what candidate or candidates any voter
may intend to vote or has voted, or to
confer in the polllng-room with any voter
or to assist him in the preparation of his
ballot, and any challenger offering or at
tempting to do so may lawfully be elected
by the judges, and shall also be subject
TO the punishment hereinafter provided.
n challenger or watcher may be removed
at any time by the same person or COM
mittee or by the chairman of the commit
tee which appointed him. Citizens, other
than accredited challengers or watchers.
who desire to challenge the vote of any
person then inside the polling-room shall
purpose, but a majority of the judges may
limit the number of persons to be allowed
in the polling-room at any one time. for
such purpose, and all such persons shall
leave the polling-room as soon as the right
20 vote of the person challenged by them
shall have been decided.
S. Each clerk OF election shall keep a
poll-book containing column headed
Number" and another headed Name Of
Voter" All entries therein shall be made
in ink, and the number and name OF each
to hall hall
entered on each of the poll-books by the
clerk having charge thereof in regular
number Of such voter being placed oppo-
site his name in the column Headed
Number" but If the vote of any person
whose name has thus been entered on
poli-books shall be afterwards rejected by
the judges. the clerks shall thereupon
draw d line through his name and num-
Der, as hereinafter provided
50. The supervisors of elections shall
provide in each room designated by them
as polling places a sufficient number of
voting booths, or compartments. in which
voters may conveniently mark their bal
lots. Said booths or compartments shall
be constructed of plank not less than one
inch in thickness, and shall be of such
width, depth and height that the voter, In
marking his ballot therein, shall be
screened from the observations OF others,
and for this purpose a short curtain shall
as to extend a little below the shelf here
matter mentioned. Each compartment
shall have shelf within the same and
shall be provided with proper supplies
and conveniences for marking the bal
lots, and guard-rail shall be constructed
in said polling place so as to divide the
space occupied by the judges OF election
and other officials and persons permitted
by law to be within the same from the
public. Said grard-rail shall have an en-
trance and exit therein. and shall also
be so constructed and placed that only
persons who are inside said rail- can APP
proach within five feet of the ballot-boxes.
The arrangement of such polling places
shall be such that neither the ballot-boXes
nor the voting booths or compartments
shall be hidden from view of those just
outside of said guard-rail. The number
of such compartments shall not be less
than one for every one hundred voters
qualified to vote at such polling place. and
not less than 1--WE in any city, and not less
than three in any polling place in any
county No person other than voters en-
gagged in preparing or depositing their
ballots and the election officers shall be
permitted to be within said rail unless by
authority of the judges of election for the
purpose of keeping order and enforcing
the law. The ballot-boX shall be within
said rail, and not more than six feet there
from. The expense Of providing such
booths or compartments and guard-rail
shall be public charge. and the same,
after the election is over, shall be pre-
served by the supervisors OF election for
subsequent use.
60 As soon as the polls are opened. and
Immediately before any ballots are re-
celved by the judges, they shall open every
ballot-box used or to be used, and, having
taken therefrom the poll-books, ballots
and all the blanks and stationery pro-
vided by the supervisors of elections. they
shall permit all persons rlghtfully present
to examine such ballot-box, and every
part thereof. so that they may be satisfied
as to the structure thereof, and that such
ballot-box Is empty. The ballot-box shall
then be locked and the key delivered to
one of the judges. and shall not again be
opened until the closing of the polls; and
until such closing each ballot-box shall