The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-02-01
ELECTION AND REGISTRATION
LAW.
A synopsis Of the Provisions of the Balti-
more Reform League.

| The bill has been under consideration by the
! Committee on Election, and may be reported
to the Senate at any time.
The bill covers SO large printed pages and
contains about 80, 900 words. 1t goes into
very minute details.
1t begins with the election of supervisors of
election, of whom there shall be three in each
county or city. Four candidates will be
nominated two from each political party.
Each voter shall vote for two only and the
governor shall commission the three receiv-
ing the greatest number of votes. Their sal
aries shall be $1,000 per year each in Balti-
more city and S75 per year in the counties.
The supervisors shall select four judges,
before the first day of July in each year, and
two clerks before Sept 10, in each voting
district precinct two judges and one clerk
to be from each of the leading political par
ties.
In the selection of clerks and judges, veto
power will be exercised by the minority
judge. The supervisors must also select poll
ing and registration places.
The officers in charge of vital statistics are
obliged to furnish election supervisors with
lists of males of voting age who die during
each year.
Ten days notice of registration must be
given by posting notices and publishing the
fact in two newspapers in the counties and
In all English dailies in Baltimore. The
judges shall be registration officers, and,
while acting as such, have the power of mag
istrates.
There shall be general registration of all
voters begun on the Tuesday seven weeks
preceding the first election after the passage
of the law, and continued on the Tuesdays
six, five and four weeks preceding election
The act goes infinitely into the manner in
| Il, oh tl,a LII
1t provides that any voter shall have the
right to be present and challenge every per
son seeking to register.
Beginning on Sept. /, each year before the
registration, the police board shall have a
census taken, which it shall furnish to the
registration officers of each precinct, and the
officer taking the census in precinct shall
be assigned to duty at the registration booth
of that precinct. After each days registra-
ton the lists shall be signed immediately
after each letter, so that no more names may
be added without detection
Voters suspected of irregular registration
shall be notified to appear before the board
and explain. If they fail, their names shall
be stricken from the lists.
A final revision shall be made on the Tues
day three weeks preceding the election, but
no new names added. When the registry is
complete each clerk shall certify to the fact
and to the number of legal voters registered
in the precinct.
Lists of voters dropped must be printed
and posted within three days after last
revision. There is an appeal from the action
of the registers to the courts.
There will be an annual registration in Bal
timore city and registration in the counties
before each presidential election with annual
revision. The registers must be open to the
| public inspection
The act provides for nominations by con-
vention or by petition. Names of all persons
nominated for office must be published twice
by the supervisors of election, in all English
dailies in Baltimore and in two papers in each
county
Provision is made in the act for the con-
struction of ballot boxes and printing of bal
lots, which shall be done under the direction
of election supervisors and at public expense.
None but official ballots shall be used these
to be of white paper, printed with black ink
The act prescribes in detail the way in which
the ballots are to be arranged.
The ballots, ballot-boxes, poll-books, etc.,
shall be distributed by police commissioners
of Baltimore and sheriffs of counties. The
polls shall be open in Baltimore from e a. M
to p. M; in counties from TO ). Each
political party or body of voters having a
candidate is entitled to watcher in election
| anu registration DO0tnS.
The polling places and booths are specified
at length. The booths are set off from the
public by guard rail- within which none but
officers and the voter preparing his ballot can
enter, but ballot boxes and booths must be in
plain view from outside. Ballot boxes must
be opened and inspected before being used.
Before delivering the ballot to the voter his
name and number is written on coupon at
tached thereto and also on the back of the
ballot. Ballots shall be counted before al.
lournment and in the presence of watchers.
The coupons are destroyed and in the poll
book the voters are marked as voting or not
voting before the ballot boxes are opened
The books are signed and the ballots counted
and their number announced.
When the canvas of ballots is completed.
each of the judges in turn shall announce in
loud voice the number of votes cast for each
candidate. The judges shall make duplicate
statements of the returns which they shall
sign. These shall be sealed and endorsed in
separate envelopes one directed to clerk of
| superior court of Baltimore, or circuit court
in each county, as the case may be, and one
to the mayor of Baltimore, or to county COM
missioners.
Tally sheets sealed and signed must be sent
to the supervisors of elections. When bal
lots are replaced in the box n slip of paper
pasted over the keyhole and slit in the lid of
the box, so that opening the latter would de-
stroy the signatures. One judge takes the
box and another of the opposite party takes
key. In the same way the statements, tally
sheets, ETC., are distributed and must be de-
Evered up to election supervisor before noon
on the day after election in Baltimore; day
later in the counties.
The board of supervisors must examine and
then deliver TO clerks of court Ballots shall
be kept securely for six months and then de-
stroyed.
The county commissioners, court clerks
and mayor shall securely keep under lock
and key the statements delivered to them
until the canvassing board meets on Tuesday
next following the election, when these state
ments shall be delivered to them. Supervi-
sors of election, states attorney and presid-
| ing judge of orphans court shall constitute
the canvassing board. They shall canvass
and add up and transmit signed statements of
the result to clerk of court for record. Errors
discovered whereof mere clerical nature
may be corrected. In case the board of
canvassers fail to correct errors, they may be
compelled to do so by writ of mandamus.
In like manner the secretary of state, comp
troller, treasurer, clerk of court Of appeals
and attorney general shall be state board
of canvassers.
False registration, or attempted false regis
tration, or in any way advising or aiding in
such an act or attempt, or otherwise violating
such law, is made punishable by Imprisonment
for not less than six months nor more than
five years.
The same penalty is attached to any at
tempt or participation in or advising of any
such attempt to traudulently vote or violate
the law with regard to voting. When done
by clerk it shall be felony punished by
one to FIVE years Imprisonment. Signing or
making false return shall be punished by i'm
prisonment from one to ten years. Stuffing
ballot-box is punishable by Imprisonment
from one to five years. Wilfu neglect is
punishable by fine and imprisonment.
Concealing, mutilating or destroying cleo.
ton records is a felony punished by one to ten
years in the penitentiary Advising or aiding
in such acts by outsiders subjects them to the
same penalty. Those who procure or advise
false swearing in election matters, or do the
swearing, are subject to the penalties of per-
jury.
Breach of peace at polling places is punish.
able by $50 to $1,000 fine. The same for at
tempted obstruction or bribery of election
| officers or ehalengers. Wilfully breaking