The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-07-03
ARTICLE VIII
LEGAL Government
Counties

Section l. Each organized county
shall be a body corporate, with such
powers and immunities as shal! be es-
tablshed by law. All suits and pro-
ceedings by or against a county shall
be in the name thereof.
No change is made from Sec. 1, Art. y Ct
the present constitution.
Sec. 2. No organized county shall be
reduced by the organization of new
counties 10 less than sixteen townships
rs surveyed by the United States, un-
less in pursuance of law a majority of
electors voting on the question in each
county to De affected thereby shall so
decide. Wien any city has attained q
popula ton Cf one hundred thousand
Inhabitants, the legislature may organ
lie il into a separate county without
reference to geographical extent, If
majority of the electors OF such city
and of the remainder of the county in
which such city may be situated vot-
ing on the question shall each deter
mine in favor of organizing said city
into a separate county.
No change is made from Sec 9 Art. Y of
the present constitution, except for the pur-
pose Of imlrOyi g Che Ihaatology aud by
increasing Che population which city must
have before becoming eligible TO organize as
a county, from twenty to one hundred thou
sand. and also by requiring the affirmative
vote Of both city and the remainder Of the
county. separately, ON thu proposition Instead
of the county as whole. The reason tor
the increase of requisite population is be-
cause of the general increase Of population in
the state While the separate vote IS required
TO protect the interests Of the minority resid-
ing outside large city.
Sec. 3. There shall be elected bien-
nially i'm each organized county sher-
If, a county clerk a county treasurer,
a register Of deeds and prosecuting
attorney whose duties and
powers shall be prescribed by law. The
board Of supervisors in any county
may unite the offices of county clerk
and register Of deeds i'm one Office or
separate the same at pleasure
No change is made from See. 3, Art. Of
the present constitution, except for the pur-
pose of improving the phraseology, and
emitting the words and as often as vacan-
cies shall happen" See Sec. ., Art. NVI as
Sec. 4. The sheriff. county clerk,
county treasurer, judge of probate and
register Of deeds shall hold their offices
at the county seat.
No change is made from Sec. 4, Art X of
the present constitution.
Sec. 5. The sheriff shall hold no other
office and shall be incapable of holding
the office OF sheriff longer than four
i'm any period of six years. He may
be required by law TO renew his secur-
ity from time to time, and. i'm default
Of giving such security. his office shall
be deemed vacant. The county shah
never be responsible for his acts.
No change is made from Sec. >, Art. X Of
the present constitution.
Sec. 6. The legislature shall by gen.
eral law provide for the appointment
of a board of jury commissioners in
each county; but such law shall not
become operative i'm any county until
a majority Of the electors Of the county
voting thereon shall so decide.
This section is new. Circuit court jurors
are now selected by a commission in many
OF the larger cities and several OF the coun-
ties OF the state The foregoing provision
is designed TO require the passage OF a gen.
eral law whereby any county may avail itself
Of its provisions without being required to
obtain a special act.
Sec. Z. A board of supervisors, con-
Gsting of one from each organized
township, shall be established I'm each
county, with such powers as shall be