Fair play., 1912-10-05
Proposed BY Initiative Petition
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT.

EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND.
Providing that grand iuries, in Inves.
boxes. compel the production OF reaistra-
tion lists, voting lists and tally sheets;
providing for trials on indictments re-
turned in such Investigations preserinin9
the manner of selection and the qualifica-
tions OF election officials; requiring po-
lleemen to be stationed IN ana near
polling places in certain cities and pre-
scribing the manner Of voting therein.
Proposed amendment to the Constitu-
tlon OF Missouri. TO be submitted 10 the
legal voters thereof, for their approval or
rejection. at the regular general election
to he held on Tuesday the NTH day or
November. A. u. 1912. and empowering
grand iuries to investigate offenscs COM
mitted in elections. to return indictments
thereon, and providing for the trial upon
such indictments in the courts; also pro-
viding for the manner OF conducting cleo
tious, the duties Of officers and voters
with reference thereto, and the qualihca-
tious and selection of judges and clerks
OF election throughout the state ana IN
cities OF . 900 inhabitants or more
Section J. The ballot shall remain Sc
crct in NJ Mssouri but whore crime has
been committed in any election secrecy
shall yield TO justice, and no impeachment
shall he placed in the way OF the de-
lection, prosecution and CONVICTION of the
L
in which 1t is sought to open ballot boxes
in search q crime shah be conducted by
u grand trry composed OF competent, m
telligent citizens of high moral charac-
ter Such grand jury shall have power
to compel the production of registration
lists voting lists. tally sheets ana all
documentary evidence OF every klnu,
also TO compel the production Of ballot
boxes to open the same and examine the
ballu.s; also to subpoena witnesses aud
take their testimony; also TO compare any
Il ton NN IN l.
ed. with any other part of the evidence.
Voters may state under oath what their
ballots were as voted. The jury. grand
or petit shall decide under the law and
all the tacts whether or not ballots have
been whlfully and knowingly tampered
with ur changed, or misread, or falsely
counted, or false ballots placed In their
stead. Upon amy Indictment returned a
speedy public trial shall be had, and the
ballots and documentary and oral evil
dcnce considered by the grand jury and
! other competent evidence, may be intro
duccd in the tria! under the rules OF law.
A grand jury, for the Investigation OF
elections as above provided. shal 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 TO call granc
| jurles. within thirty days after each gen
| eral election, or II a judicial circuit oi
| district is composed of several counties
| then at the next term of the court there
after Such grand Jury shall take tht
|
now provided for by law to investigat,
! elections and for other purposes, anc
when convened s. iall possess all the pow
| ers as to Investigations and the lndict'
| ment OF offenders for felonies and mis-
| demeanors possessed by regular granC
| jury 1t is hereby made the imperative
| duty Of the Judge OF the court to specific
| ally charge such grand jury TO investi
gate the preceding general election, o
he may charge them to investigate Of
tenders In other elections not narre'
| under the law by limitation.
Section II. Competent persons who re
| ceiye the protection OF the law shal
owe It to the state to act as election
officials. and individuals OF the very high
est moral character TO be found shall D
selected. Neither poverty, nor wealth
nor magnitude of business, nor profes
sional callings however exalted, shall es
cuse the citizens unless serious injur,
| would result, but druggists and physi
I clans may he excused II they demand II
All Judges and clerks OF elections j
! cities above 25, 900 inhabitants shall hoi
their offices for u specified term, an
shall be examined thoroughly as to thei
i qualifications. Any election commission
err or other officer charged with the se
lection OF election officials VINO shall IA
to make diigent search for men OF goo
character, or who shall willfully pass b
men of good character, and knowlnsl
select persons OF bad reputation as elec
tion officials, shall bC deemed guilty OF
misdemcanOr. In all cities of 10000 In
habitants or more two competent Judge
aud one competent clerk OF hlsh mora
character shall be chosen for each pre-
cinct from the city at large, and VIII
do not reside In the precinct Tor Whlc
the" are chosen. These, with the IVY
Judges and one clerk chosen from IN
, precinct. shall constitute the Judges an
clerks for such precinct, and all Judge
and clerks shall hc equally divided !
/ each precinct between the two polluc,
/ parties having the largest number {
votes I'm the state as shown by the las
/ general election. In every precinct !
such cities there shall be stationed w
policemen one outside and one insid
p he booth. who shall protect all eectio
officials. challengcrs, watchers, voter
aud others, and who, for wllliui taUu'
to do SO, shall be adJudgcd guilty oi
, ! misdemcanOr. Wherever registration
| reuuircd the person who registers shn
: sign his name on the registration boo
and when he comes To vote he shall aga
| siCn his name opposite his number {
tho pnlI book. and the election office
, may compare the signatures. II II
r voter cannot sign his name then ne shq
make his mark ia the usual way ON q
rdEistratiou book, duly attestc1 in wri
, ing by two or more reputable witness
10 whom he ls known, and when any u
dividunl OFFERS 10 vote under such nan
/ the Judges may determine from the le
timony Of the attcsting witnesses. or
they cannot be produced then from oth
proof, whether or not ne IL me san
person who made his mark ON the regi
tratlon book, ana in voting he shan aga
make his mark attcstCd as above r
quircd II A.y person signs any oth
, than his true name in registering or No
d ing he shall bc adiudged guilty OF for
/ cry and punished as may he prescrib'
by statute Every political party az
: every body of citizens organized for Il
purpose of passing any constitution
amendment shall Toe entitled to repr
sentative inside of the booth To wat,
: she balloting and counting, and In add
tlon thereto shall also be entitled to ol
challenger. Where II Is PROVIDED mere
that "A violation OF any provision OF th
amendment shall bn q misdomcunor u
: punishment shalt be fixed bN statute.
, the offender Is a regular official lac sha
! upon conviction forfeit his office, and
: may he prosecuted under this amendino
: and his Office forfeited independent
amy statute. The word election as u.s.
herein shall be construed to mean Al
election. general or special, wheth
% state. county or municipal, Including an
( primary election held under the la
4 This amendment shall he self-enforcin
. but LEGISLATION may he enacted 10 facil
y tate its operation,
, section III. Any constitutional pr
n | Vision, or law, or part thereof, In contii
y with .his amendment In hereby repeais