Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1912-11-01
Proposed BY Initiative Petition.
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND.
MENT,


EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
Providing thu grand Iurlss. in inves-
tion lists, voting lists and tally sheets;
providing for trials on Indictments re.
the manner Of oelec.ior and the qualihca-
tions of election officials; requiring po-
Iicemen to be stat'SEed In and near
polling places in certain cities and pre-
scriblrg the manner of voting therein.
Proposed amendment TO the Constitu-
ton of Missouri, TO be submitted TO the
legal voters thereof, for their approval or
rejection, at the regular general election
70 be held on Tuesday. the fifth day of
November, A. II. 1912, and empowering
grand juries to Investigate %offenses COM
mitted in elections, to return Indictments
thereon, and providing for the trlai upon
such indictments in the courts; also pro-
viding for the manner Of conducting elec-
lions, the duties Of officers ana voters
with reference thereto. aaa the quaiihca-
lions and selection Of JUDGES and CLERKS
of election throughout the state n In
cities Of %, 600 inhabitants or more.
Section 1. The ballot shall remain Sc
cret in Missouri, but where crime has
been committed IN any election secrecy
shall yield TO justice. and no i~npedlmenr
shall be placed in the way OF the de-
lection, prosecution and conviction OF the
guilty. The investigation of all elections
in which 1t is sought 10 open ballot boxes
in search OF crime shall be conducted by
a grand jury composed Of competent, IN
telligent citizens of high moral charac-
ter. Such grand juis shall have power
TO compel the production OF REGISTRATION
lists, voting lists, tally sheets anG All
documentary evidence of every kind;
also to compel the production OF ballot
boxes. to opel the same and Examine the
ballots; also to subpoena witnesses and
take their testimony; also to compare any
part OF the evidence, oral, written or print
ed, with any other part OF the evidence.
Voters may state under oath what their
ballots were as voted. 'Th jury, grand
or petit, shall decide under the law and
ell the licts whether on. not ballots nave
been wllfully and knowingly tampered
with, or changed, or misread, or falsely
counted, or false ballots placed III their
stead. Upon any indictment returned a
speedy public trial shall be had, and the
ballots and documentary and oral evil
dence considered by the grand jury, and
other competent evidence, may he intro
duced in the trial unGer the rules of law:
A grand jury, for the investigation OF
elections as above provided. shall be
called in each county and in any city
with a government Independent OF the
county. by the several judges throughout
the state empowered by law 10 call grand
juries, within thirty days after each gem
eral election, or If n Judicial circuit or
district is composed OF several counties,
then at the next term of the court there
after. Such grand 3Lry shall take the
place of a regular ann'ial grand jury,
now provided for by law to investigate
elections and for other purposes. and
when convened shall possess all the pow
ers as to Investigations and the indict-
ment of Offenders for felonies and mis-
demeanorS possessed by a regular grand
jury. 1t is hereby made the imperative
duty of the judge of the court TO specific
ally charge such grand Jury 70 inVesti-
gate the preceding general election, or
he may charge them TO investigate Of
tenders in other elections not barred
under the law by limitation.
Section II. Competent persons who re-
ceive the protection Of ne law han
officials. and individuals Of the very high
est moral character to be found shan be
selected. Neither poverty, nor wealth,
nor magnitude of business, nor profess
sional caIlinss however exalted, shall ex-
cuse the citizens unless serious injury
would result, but druggists and physi-
clans may be excused If they demand 1t.
All JUDGES and clerks Of elections in
cities above $4,000 inhabitants shall hold
their Offices for a specified term, and
shall be examined thoroughly rs to their
qualifications. Any election commission
er or other officer charged with the Sc
lection Of election officials wt!0ss.ilH fail
10 make diiigen: search tor men OF good
character, or who Shall wi.!ful.y pass by
men Of good character. and knowingly
select persons Of bad reputation as cleo
ton officials, shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor. in ali cities of 5000 III
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
dc not reside in the precinct for which
the,r are chosen. These. with the TWO
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 ~
each precinct between the two political
parties having the largest lumber 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
HE booth, who shall protect all election
officials, chailengers, watchers. voters
and others, and who, for willful failure
10 do so, shall be adjudged guilty. OF a
misdemeanor. Wherever registration Is
required the person who registers slall
sign his name on the registration DOCK,
and when he comes to vote he Shall again
sign his name opposite nus tuinpeT on
may compare the signatures. III the
voter cannot sign his name then he shall
make his mark ip the usual way on the
registration book, duly attested in writ
ing by two or more reputable witnessed
TO whom he is known, n when any IN
dividual offers to vote Under such name
the judges may determine from the tes-
timony of the attestins Witnesses, or II
they cannot be produced then from other
proof, whether or not he Is the same
person who made his mark on tbs, regis
tration book. and in voting he h again
make his mark attested as aboVe re-
quired. If any person signs any other
than bis true name III TeBlStGltuS " w. 4
ing he shall be adtudged guilty OF forg-
cry and punished as may be prescri6ed
every body Of citizens organized Ior tne
purpose OF passing any constitutional
amendment shall be entitled to a repre-
sentative Inside of the booth to Watch
the balloting and counting, and in addi-
ton thereto shall also be entitled TO one
c~hnllengcr. Where ii is PROVIDED herein
that a violation of any provision OF TINS
amendment shall be a misdemeanor the
punishment shall be fixed by statute. II
The offender is a regular official lie shall,
upon conviction. forfeit his office, ! ne
may be prosecuted under this amendment
and his office forfeited independent of
any statute; The word election as used
ELECTION, general or special, whether
state, county or municipal inclnding any
RMS amendment shall be self-enforcing,
but legislation may be enacted to facill-
tate its operation.
Section III. Any constitutional pro-
vision. or law, or part thereof, in conflict
with this amendment Is hereby repealed.