The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-10-22
ABSOLUTELY FAIR
ELECTION DEMAND
OF COMMISSION
Rigid RULES GOVERNING MUNICH
PAL CONTEST ON OCT. % ARE
PROMULGATED.
NO CITi POLL TAX IS REQUIRED
But the Voters Must be Registered
And Have Paid state and County
Poll Tax for 19o8-Duties Of The
officers Set Forth.

And Have Paid state and County
Poll Tax for 19os-Duties Of The
officers Set Forth.
That there shall be an absolutely
fair election in Columbia on oct. Is,
held strictly according TO the law is
| The expressed determination OF the
Election Commissioners of this coun-
| ty. The commission met here yester-
day afternoon and adopted rules
| for the election These rules set
forth infinitely the duties of the Off
GERS. the qualifications Of the voters
and the rules for the conduct of the
| election.
1t will doubtless be a surprise to
many people to know that no city poll
tax receipt will be necessary in the
coming election. 1t had been assumed
| by many that not only was State
and county poll tax receipt necessary
but that city poll tax receipt would
be required The election commission
finds that there is no law imposing
this qualification and the officers are
instructed that a city poll tax receipt
| is not necessary to entitle a person
to vote.
The instructions follow:
The following rules and regulations
to govern the election for the city of
Columbia have been promulgated by
the Commissioners of Election and the
officers for said election are strictly
enjoined to follow them in every de-
tail:
COMMISSIONERS OF ELECTION,
Maury County, Tenn.
JAMES A. SAIISER, Chairman.
E. L. GREGORY, Secretary.
A. R. ORR.
Officers of Election.
The following officers will be re-
quired to hold the election:
Three Judges.
Two Clerks.
One officer or Receiver.
Two Registrars.
One Assistant Registrar.
Appointment of Officers.
These officers shall be appointed by
the Election Commissioners of the
county and publication thereof shall
be made at least ten days prior to the
holding of said election.
Qualification Of Officers.
JUDGES-Before entering upon the
duties of their offices the Judges shall
subscribe an oath before any Justice
Of the Peace or Clerk of any Court of
Record or other person authorized by
law to administer oaths within the
county, that they will faithfully and
honestly discharge the duties of their
offices to the best of their ability.
Duties of Judges.
JUDGES-The judges are very I'M
portant officers, as they superintend
the election See Acts of 1909. In
order to superintend the election the
ballot boxes must always be immedi-
ately before them, and must never be
out of their presence or sight until all
the ballots have been counted. They |
must also sit in such a position that
they can have a good view of the I
booths, but not to see how any one
votes. They do this to see that the I
voter is not interfered with, and that
improper persons do not mark his bal |
lot, and to see whether he is or not
proper person to have his ballot mark
ed by the officer, and to see how long
he remains in the booth, ETC., that the
law may be fairly enforced. The
judges pass upon the qualification of
voters, deciding whether or not the
votes offered are lawful
If they know they are illegal, they
reject them. If voter be challenged,
they swear him and question him, and
take the testimony of others who may
be admitted for the purpose. They
decide also whether poll tax has been
paid.
After the close of the polls, each
ballot should pass under the eyes of
the judges to see if the votes thereon
have been correctly called for tally
ing. Such ballots are to be scrutinized
by them to see if they are legal; that
is. that they are still of the form as
furnished by the commissioners, have
no Identification marks or erasures
on them and are properly marked by
a cross (X) opposite the names of the
A voter may write or place names
in the blank places left for that pur-
pose. but he must place the cross to
it, also.
IL more names be marked with cross