The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-21
Richmond, Va, April Fl, 1907.

Richmond, Va, April II, 1907. COLON
should be least forty days before the time for the
Assembly to meet. The method Of voting viva vocc
Ibis method frequently ignored by electors who lived at
great distance from the courthouse and often they would
subscribe their piece Of paper indicating for whom
they voted and send the the courthouse by cleo
tor who attended the election. One imagine elecor
standing for hours path leading through the woods watt
ing to catch who would carry his the court-
house The sheriff accepted this ballot to speak and en-
tered tie poll books By act OF 1o4o this practice
positively orbdden and all voters required to go
TO the courthouse election day and viva Many
years after law passed fine every voter who did not
appear and exercise the right OF suffrage.
No special provisions made for conducting these
elections until the year 1909 1t then provided that when
all the assembled if could not be determined upon
view OF the frceloders who elected that the sheriff
should proceed select many clerks he thought best
These clerks to set down in writing the names OF each
rcelolder and the person for whom he should If the
candidates. any OF them, should require it. the free
holder had to that he qualified voter under the
law. When the had been completed, the
made to the secretary OF the colony The sheriff also
required to give copy to each candidate if he was SO re-
questcd to do If the sheriff refused take the polls accord
ing to law to give copies to the candidates. to give
legal notice, or if he made false returns, he made
turns, or il he made the returns in form not prescribed by
law, for each and every oense lie to be fined 94o
This law seemed satisfactory far the elections
cerned. but there much delay about the delivery OF
the writs and the proper notice OF elections that the Assem-
bly, in 1906 passed law remedy this trouble First the
writ be signed by the Governor and delivered by him
tc the secretary OF the colony least forty days before the
time appointed for the meeting of the Assembly Second,
the secretary had deliver the writs within days after
their receipt the sheriff. Third the sheriff had to send
copies of the wrs within three days the ministers and
readers OF the parishes in his county for them read in their
churches for Sundays. Fourth the method
OF taking the poll the provided for in the act OF
1000 This remained heom OF conducting elections until
the adoption OF the Constitution 1916 Even after the
Commonwealth had been established the viva method
continued until 1867 But with the adoption Of the Constu-
ton 1916 and the dsestabshment of the church.
istcs and readers in the parishes required promu
gate the time OF the elections AS definite time for holding
elections in each county had been fixed by law this method
Tor giving notice was not necessary.
On the day Of the election throughout colonial days,
able to Judge, the candidates their agents
always present the courthouse They usually the
usngs in the courtroom, where they could hear how each
voter poled The candidate voted for, hearing his
called accustomed and bow his thanks the
who had honored him. At the opening OF the polls each
advocate II he had been member Of the previous Assembly,
nc would explain the that he had pursued in that body
Ii voter be chalenged the candidate his agent
would prevent the sheriff from having his recorded
the time casting his This voce method
have been entirely satisfactory colonial days. and
discover very little desire for the ballot system We are
told that the Norfolk borough used the ballot system elect
thaCo far