The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-01-09
ELECTION ADJUDGED VOID
COUNTY BOARD DECIDES TO THAT
EFFECT IN CALHOUN COUNTY.

SOOl<i1 oOANO AA~SID~S AZ AhHA
EFFECT IN CALHOUN COUNTY.
Irregularities in Various Precincts Is
charged-Appeal In Case VIII
Probably Follow.
ORANGEpURG, Jan. 2.-The county
board of canvassers after spending
two days hearing testimony and evi-
dence, today declared the Calhoun
county election illegal, null and void.
The board is composed OF John s.
Bowman, Jr., chairman; W. B. Fogle
and T. J. Hart.
The decision of the board, which
was unanimous, is as follows:
I'VE find some irregularities in
several books, such as voting out
side of right precinct, not demand
ing proper proof of payment of
taxes, ETC., but we find there are not
enough of these irregularities to
change the result of this election.
"We further find that about 65 or
more qualified electors, residing
within the area of the proposed new
county Of Calhoun, including por-
tions of Orange, Goodbys and Poplar
townships, were deprived of the con-
stitutional right to vote in this elec-
ton, as the said electors are resi-
dents Of the proposed new county,
while their voting places are without,
and the act IF the legislature relat-
ing to the formation of new counties
does not provide the means or the
opportunity to vote in such case.
"We therefore lind that IN depriv-
ing these qualified electors of the
right to vote the nstitntional pro-
vision has been violated, and on
this ground we do hereby declare
this election null and void.
It is presumed that the Calhoun
county advocates will appeal to the
State board, and should that body
not reverse the county board they
will take the matter to the supreme
court.
However, the matter would be
taken to the supreme court by the
opponents of the new county in the
event of an adverse decision by the
State board.
Should the new county not win u
will mean that the whole matter will
have to be gone over again pet-
tions, surveys, elections and ALI
should they renew their fight for the
new county. IS 8
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Friends of the new county arriv-
ing here last night from Orange
burg gave out the following state
ment concerning the decision Of the
county board bf canvassers:
'tThe board of canvassers for
Orangeburg county have been busy
fof the past few days hearing the
evidence in regard to the contest OF
the Calhoun county election. Tues.
day and Wednesday were taken up
with testimony and arguments and
today the board rendered decision.
"The parties who have contested
the election were the same parties
who recently instituted a case before
the supreme court. In that case
they made the point that certain
number of qualified electors would
not be able to vote because theiAvot
ing places were on the outside; that
is, not included within the line OF
the new county. The supreme court
in passing upon this point said very
plainly that while this was a serious
question, still it might turn out to
be purely an abstract one because
the result of the vote might be such
that those who could not vote. pro
vided that they had voted, would not
have changed the result.
cat the election, held for the for
nation of this county, 556 voted yes
in the Orangeburg territory and 99
voted no. The vote was tabulated
by the board of canvassers and
found obe correct.
Taking these fgurek the new
county advocates can spare to their
opponents 179 votes. that is to say,
the opposition to the formation OF
the new county would have to get
179 additional votes to that which
they now have on the face Of the. re
turns.
''At the contest it was shown that
g. voters were unable to vote be-
cause their voting place was on the
outside. The board of canvassers
find that 65 could not vote because
of this fact. Granting that there
were IS, and taking this from 179.
it leaves la, which the opponents OF
the new county would have to have
in order to have one-third Of the
vote polled by those who voted in
favor of the county. In other words
the opponents of the formation Of
the new county would have to show
lis more than the 6 voters who
could not vote on account Of their
boxes being on the outside Of the