Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1902-04-03
THE ELECTION LAW.
Prosecuting Attorney Ciute Defines
the several Chanegs that
Have Been Made

IONA, MICH, Mar. 20. 1907.
10 ne Board Of Election Commissioners
q me Io~nhips, Villages and Cities ~
IOnid Co.
GENTLEMRN:-H Having been asked
several times regarding changes in
the election laws ! will make this
general reply.
| respectfully call your attention
to changes in the election laws rela-
tive to elections by virtue of Act No.
PA of the Public Acts of 1901.
In my judgment this act applies to
all township, village and city cleo
tions as well as state and county cleo
tons. This act being amendatory OF
the sections Of the Compiled Laws re-
terred to in its title, the general cleo
ton laws as applying to all future
elections must now be read as if these
amended sections were parts of the
original act
Sections 1868 and 1863 G. L. '97 pro-
vides that the manner of conducting
municipal and township elections
shall be in conformity with the law
governing general elections so that in
reference to the coming election
call your attention specifically to the
important changes.
Section II of Act No pa of 1901
amends in substance Section 3625, G.
l.. 97 by adding this:
"And the ballots in each election
district shall be numbered consecu.
lively on the upper right hand corner
of the front side thereof, and no two
ballots of the same kind in the same
township or election district shall
have the same number; such corner
containing said number shall be per
forated dlagonally across the corner
of the ballots, so that it can be handi
ly torn of as hereinafter provided
before such ballot is deposited in the
ballot box
Section - of this Act of 1901 amends
Section 1862 of the Compiled Laws OF
1897 10y adding this provisions:
"The Inspector so designated shall
at once proceed to write his initials
in ink on the upper left-hand corner
of the back Of each of said ballots
but not upon the perforated corner
in his ordinary handwriting, and with
out any distinguishing mark of any
kind.
Section % of the Act of 1901 amends
Section 1896 of the Compiled Laws o.
1897 by including this language:
ION entering the room (meaning
the voter the Inspector having
charge of the ballots shall deliver Il
him one of them, and the clerk shall
enter his name upon the poll list, TO
gether with the number of the ballo
given him.
Further in this section there is thi
proviso regulating the canvas of vote
where there are two or more candi
dates to be elected to the same office
(like constables) and the voter de
sires to vote for candidates on differ
ent tickets:
provided, that if such electo
shall not cross of the names of al
equal number of candidates for sucl
Office on his party ticket he shall b,
deemed TO have crossed off the name
of each candidate for such Office which
is printed on his party ballot opposite
of a candidate on some other part
ticket in front of whose name he ha
made cross (Xl.'
In reference TO canvassing sucl
votes there is this farther clause add
ed by Section % of the Act of 1901:
"Where there are two or more can
didates TO be elected to the same o.
like office, the cross before the nam,
of the opposing candidate or candi
dates, shall be deemed one vote 70
such candidate or candidates, proyid
ed an equal number of names of candi
Gates for the same Office are erased o
can, under the provisions of this sec
ton be deemed to have been erased
from the party ticket"
Another change occurs in the latte
part of this section 20 of 1901 relating
to the use to be made of the numbe
in the perforated corner of the ballot
After the Inspector has announced
the name of the elector who offers hi
vote the amended act provides tina
he shall also announce the number o
the ballot. This is its languages:
"Who shall thereupon announce
audibly the name Of the elector offer
ing the same, and the number of tn,
ballot and shall ascertain by compari
son of the number of the ballot will
the number of the ballot given sucl
elector as shown by the poll lis
whether the ballot presented is tn,
same one given such elector, and if il
is the same the Inspector shall teal
off the corner of the ballot, wher,
perforated, containing the number
and shall then, i'm the presence of the
elector and the board of inspectors
deposit the same in the ballot boz
without opening, and if il is not the
same ballot given said elector ii shall
be rejected
Trusting the foregoing memoranda
of changes will be of aid in the dis
charge of your duties relative to con
Quoting the coming election, am