The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1902-01-03
The DORTCH LAW.


Legislature, 1891, an Act was pass
ed requiring voters in civil districts
of $500 inhabitants and over to reg
lister, and vote under what is known
as the Dortch, or secret ballot, law.
Districts No. 4 and now each
has more than that number, IT, ere
fore, 10 one can vote in the corpo-
ration election that has not regis
tered.
Sec. 1888 of Shlnnon's Cole pro-
vides that the ballots printed shall
contain the names of all the candi-
dates who have been put in nomina
ton by any caucus, convention,
mass-meeting, or other assembly OF
any political party in this state at
least ten days previous to the cleo
ton. 1t shall be the duty of the
chairman of the board of commits
sioners to have printed all necessary
ballots, and cause to be printed upon
said ballots the names of candidates
so nominated, or upon the written
request Of any qualified voter who
was a member of said caucus and
the name presented by him was the
nominee of said caucus, convention,
or mass-meeting, or other assembly.
Sec. 1884 provides that said officer
shall cause to be printed the name
of any qualified voter, who has been
requested to be a candidate by a
written petition signed at least by
fifteen citizens who are qualified
voters, when said petition has been
gwen him. ten days previous to
election.
Sec. 1885 provides that blank
space under each office to be voted
for be left, for those who become
candidates within ten days of the
election.
Sec. 1888 provides that the names
of all the candidates for the same
office shall be pri tied together, aud
arranged alphabetically, irrespective
of party. The ballot shall not be
less than eleven, or more than thir-
teen inches wide.
Sec. 1915 provides that the Off
GERS of the election shall provide
polling places and cause the same TO
be provided with voting shelves or
tables on which the voters may
mark their ballots; said tables TO be
so arranged that it shall be impossi.
BILE for one voter at one table TO see
another voter at another table IN
the act of marking his ballot; nc
person except the election officers
and voters admitted shall be per
mitted within the room where the
election is held.
Sec. 1916 provides that the regis.
ter having official ballots shall sta nc
not closer than ten feet of the room
in which the ballot-box is placed,
and no one who has already voted
or qualified to vote shall come near
er than fifty feet of the entrance OF
said room.
The register having the official
ballot shall hand the voter one bal
lot and card of instructions.
Sec. 1247. The voter shall forth
with enter the room and present tC
| the assistant register his blank bal
lot and certificate of registration
The assistant register shall ther
number the ballot upon the stub
thereof and place upon the certifi
cate of registration the same mum
Der.
Sec. 1913. He shall then go tc
one of the voting tables, prepare
his ballot by marking in the appro
pirate margin, or place a cross *
opposite the name of the candidate
of his choice for each office to be
filled, or by filling in the name oil
the candidate of his choice in the
blank space provided therefor and
marking a cross (X) opposite there
| to.
Sec. l249. Before leaving the
voting table the voter shall fold his
ballot without displaying the marks
thereon, but so that the words ''of
fetal ballot for" f'llowed by the
designation of polling place, date of
election, signature of the commits
sioners of registration and number
ed stub. shall be plainly visible to
the officers Of the election, and then
present to said officers his certificate
Of registration and marked ballot;
if the number on each correspond
the officer of election shall tear off
and destroy said stub.
Sec. 1851. He shall then vote.
He shall mark and deposite his bal
lot with undue delay.
No voter shall be allowed to oc.
cupy voting table already occupied
by another, nor longer than ten
minutes if others are not waiting,
nor longer than five minutes in case
others are waiting.
Sec. 1858. No person shall take
or remove any ballot from the poll
ing pl ICE before the close Of the
polls.
If any voter spoil ballot he may
obtain others, one at time, not ex-
ceeding three in all, upon returning
each spoiled one.
Sec. 1854. Any voter who de-
clares to the officer holding the
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