Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1912-10-24
Proposed BY Initiative Petition
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT.

Providing that grand Juries, In inves,
tigatine elections, may open bauot
boxes, compel the production OF re9lsus.
ton lists, voting lists and taly snee.si
providing for trials on indictments re.
turned In such Investigations prescribing
the manner OF selection and the quslhea-
tons OF election officials reau,rndhs n p
polling places In certain cities ana pre- .
scribino the manner Of voting therein
Proposed amendment to the Constitu-
ton OF Missouri. to be submitted to the
legal voters thereof, for their approval OF
rejection, at the regular general elrcuoI
TO be held on Tuesday, the hfth day OF
November, A. ID. 1912 and empowering
grand juTies to investigate onehses com
mitted in elections, to return lnnlctmcHts
thereon, and providing for the trlal upon
such indictments in the courts also pro
viding for the manner OF conquotlhg e,.,
tions, the duties OF officers ana voters
with reference thereto, ana the quali'l,,
lions and selection of judges and clerks
of election throughout the state anu III
cities OF rs 900 inhabitants or more
Section l. The ballot shall remain Sc
cret in Missouri, but where crime mas
shall yield to Justice. and no impcdlmcu'
shall be placed in the way OF me ue-
lection, prosecution and conNlcIion Oh tmc
guilty. The investigation Of an cl'Ttluns
i'm which IL is sought to open Dallol BOXES
in search of crime shall be conducted ny
a grand Jury composed OF competShl' , ~
ter. Such grand jury shall nave poWei
To compel the production OF reSlslra'lon
lists. voting lists. tally sheets anu az
also to compel the production or baiiul
boxes, to open the same ana examine lhS
ballots; also to subpoena witnesses anu
like their testimony, also to compare any
part oi the evidence, oral, written OF print
ed. with any other part OF the eNiuehCS.
Voters may state under ,1 oath , wna' rnTn
or petit, shall decide under the law anu
all the facts whether or not ballots hnSS
hecn willfully and knowingly tampeIeu
with. or changed. or misread, or falsely
counted, or false ballots placed IN theli
stead. Upon any indictment returned Il
speedy public trial shall be had, and the
hullots and documentary and oral eNl,
dance considered by the grand jury, anu
other competent evidence. may be intro
duccd in the trial under the rules OF law;
4 grand Jury, for the investigation of
elections as above provided, shaH ne
,rlled in each county and In any city
Nth "A government independent OF the
,mnty, by the several judges throughout
ne state empowered by law to call grand
ui"s. within thirty days Etier en rn,, Gen
district is composed of several counties.
then at the next term of the court there
Ifter Such grand jury shall take me
now provided for by law, to investigate
r,cctions and for other purposes ana
when convened shall possess all the pow
rs as TO Investigations and the indlct-
girnt Of offenders for felonies and mis-
rerneanors possessed by regular grand
ury. II is hereby made the imperative
,iity Of the Judge OF the court to specific
ally charge such grand jury to inVestl-
| cate the preceding general election or
ne may charge them TO- invGs,tsa bsrT 0.
under the law by limitation.
| section Il Competent persons VINO re-
Give the protection on the law ,ss sha,
| unicials. and individuals Of the very high
| CT moral character to be found shall be
selected, Neither poverty nor nor wealth,
! slunal callings however exalted. shall eN-
| cusr the citizens unless serious injury
| would result, but druggists and physi-
! GINS may be excused II they demand IT,
| M JUDGES and clerks of elections In
| cities above 900 inhabitants shall hold
! their offices for specified term, and
| shall he examined thoroughly as to their
! qualifications Any election commission
| or or, other officer charged with the Sc
! lection Of election officials who shall fan
| 10 make diligent search for men of good
| character, OF who shall wilfully pass by
| ricn of good character and knowingly
! select persons of bad reputation as cleo
ton officHls, shall be deemed guilty OF "A
! misdemeancr. In all cities Of $4,000 in
habitants or more two competent judges
| and one competent clerk OF high moral
! character shall be chosen for each pre-
| cinct from the city at large. and who
do not reside in the precinct for which
| Judges and one clerk chosen from the
! precinct. shall constitute the judges and
clerks for such precinct, and all judges
| and clerks shall be equally divided I'm
/ each precinct between the two political
| Iarties having the largest number of
| votes in the state as shown by the last
| General election, In every precinct IN
| such cities there shall be stationed two
| policemen, one outside and one inside
I've booth, who shall protect all election
| officials. challengers, watchers. voters
! and others, and who, for willful failure
, 10 do so, shall be adjudged guilty Of %
| ntlsdemeanor Wherever registration H.
ttEt cd he
| gn his name on the registration book,
! and when he comes to vote he shall again
! yign his name opposite his number on
/ tie poll book, and the election officers
] lay compare the signatures If tho
/ voter cannot sign his name then he shall
/ make his mark ip the usual way ON the
/ /. sistration book duly attested in writ
. 'Ig by two more reputable witnesses
/ B. whom he is known, and when any in
/ ,Vidual offers to vote under such name
| 10 judges may determine from the teE-
! tmony of the attesting witnesses. or II
they cannot be produced then from other
J / roof. whether or not he is the same
/ .rsor who made his mark on the regis
3 ration book, and in voting he shall again
/ make his mark attested as above re-
. CURED. II any person signs any other
/ Than his true name in registering or VOt-
/ Ing he shall be adjudged guilty Of forg-
/ cry and punished as may be prescribed
/ ~ statute. Every political party an
+ every body Of citizens organized for the
. purpose Of passing any constitutional
"mendment shall be entitled TO a repre-
/ the balloting and counting, and In addi-
! lion thereto shall also be entitled to one
! challenger Where 1t II provided herein
! HAT a violation Of any provision OF this
( incndment shall be Il misdemennOT the
punishment shall be fixed by statute II
D. inc offender is n reg lar official ne shall,
lnn conviction, forfeit HIS office, and he
~ y be- prosecuted under this amendment
mi his office forfeited independent OBJ
" statute The 'rd election az USED
II, rein shall be construed to mean auy
/ lection. general or special, whCthu
g..tc. county or municipal, including any
Urinary election held under the law
Jnis amendment shall be self-enforcing
nut legislation may be enacted To faCili-
ir ~ operation.
section III. Any constitutional pro-
vision, or law o. part thereof. iu conflict
wish this amendment Is hereby repealed