The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-10-31
Proposed By Initiative Petition
EloHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT,

EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND.
MENT.
Providing that grand Jurles. In inyss::
boxes, compel the production OF rsalstra-
tlon lists, voting lists and tally sheets
providing for trials on indictments re-
turned In such Investigations; prescribing
the manner of selection and the auaiihca-
tiors Of election officiaisi requiring pc.
ilcemon to be stationed In and near
polling places In certain cities and pre-
seriblno the manner OF voting therein.
Proposed amendment TO the Constitu-
tion OF Missouri, to be submitted TO the
legal voters thereof, for their approval OF
rejection. at the regular general election
to be held on Tuesday, the NTH day OF
November. A, ID. 1912, and empowering
grand Juries to Investigate ononses com :
mittsd In elections, to return indictments
thereon, and providing Tor the trial upon
such indictments I'm the courts: also pro-
viding for the manner OF conducting elec-
tions. the duties OF officers ana voters
with reference thereto, ana the qualihca-
tiOns and selection OF judges and clerks
OF election throughout the state and In
cities OF $4,000 inhabitants or more.
Section ]. The ballot shall remain Sc
cret In Missouri. but where crime has
been committed in any election secrecy
shall yield to justice, and no impeachment
shall be placed In the way OF the de-
lection, prosecution and conviction OF tho
guilty. The investigation OF all elections
In which IL Is sought to open ballot boxes
In search Of crime shall be conducted by
a grand jury composed OF competent m
telllgent citizens OF high moral charac-
ter. Such grand Jury shall have power
to compel the production OF registration
lists, voting lists, tally sheets and all
documentary evidence OF every kind
also to compel the production OF ballot
boxes TO open the same and examine the
baiiu:s also to subpoena witnesses ana
take their testimony; also to compare any
part OF the evidence, oral, written or print
I'd. with any other part Of the evidence.
Voters may state under oath what Their
ballots were az voted. The jury, grand
or petit shall decide under the law and
all the facts whether or not ballots nave
been willfully and knowingly tempered
with. or changed. or misread. or falsely
counted, or false ballots placed In their
stead. Upon any indictment returned Il
speedy public trial shall be had ana the
ballots and documentary ana oral rNI-
deace considered by the grand jury, AM
other competent evidence may be intro
duccd In the trial under the rules Of law.
grand Jury. for the investigation OF
elections az above provided, shall lie
called In each county and In any. city
with government independent Of the
county. by the several judges Throughout
the state empowered by law to call grand
jures, within thu ~ days after each sem
cral election or II a judicial circuit or
district Is composed OF several countics,
then at the next term OF the court there
after. Such grand Jury snail tax" the
place OF regular annual grand jury.
now provided for by law to Investigate
elections and FOR other purposes and
when convened shall possess all the pow
eTs ar TO investigations and the indiCt-
ment OF offenders Tor fclonics and mis-
dcmcanors possessed by n regular grand
jury. II Is hereby made the Imperative
duty Of the Judge Of the court to specific
ally charge such grand jury to inyesu-
Iva al
he may charge them To investigate Of
tenders In other elections not barred
under the law by Limitation.
Section II. Competent persons who re-
catye the protection Of the law shall
owe It to the stat" to act nH election
officials. and individuals Of tho very high
est moral character To he found shall h"
selected. Neither poverty, nor wealth
nor magnitude OF business. nor profess
aionai clliinES however exalted, shall OK
cuse tie citizens unless serious injury
would result, but druggists aud phys'-
ciuns may Ice excused II they demand II
Al Judges and clerks ut elections IN
cities above - 600 inhabitants shall hold
their offices FOR specified term and
shall Ice examined thoroughly. ms to their
qualifications. Any election commission
,r or other officer charged with the So
lection Of election officials who shall fil,
10 make diigeut search FOR mon ~ good
character, ~ who shall wiillully pass by
mon OF good character ana knowingly
select persons Of bad reputation ~ clur-
ton officials. shlll be dcomcd guilty OF ID
misdrmcnuur. In all cities Of q. 900 in.
habitnnts or more two competent Judges
and one competent clerk Of high moral
character shall II" chosen for each pre-
cinCt from the city at large, and who
do not reside In the precinct Tor which
the" are chosen. These, with tn" two
judges ana one clerk chosen from the
picciuct shall constitute the Judges uud
clerks for such precinct, and all Judges
and clerks shall be equally divided IN
parties hvvIag the largest number ul
Votes IN the state AZ shown by the last
general election, In every precinct 81
such cities there shall be stationed two
policemen. one outside and one inside
ihr booth, who shall protect all election
officials, challCupors, watchers, NOtcIs
and others, ana who, Tor willtul fAilUir
to do So shall lie adiudsed guilty o;
misdcmcuuor. Whr.v.cr registration j.
required the person who registers shall
sign his name ON tho registration huu",
and when no comes 20 vote he shall again
slru his name opposite his number uu
the poll book. aud the election Officers
may compare the signatures. II tNn
voter cannot sign hts name then he shat
make III mark in the usual way on tG,
rygist tIuu book, duly utlCst'd In writ
ing by Two or more Teputdhl" witnesses
10 whom he ls known, and when any ill.,
dividual offers 10 vote under such uum,
the Judges may determine from the tcs-
timony u the aticStiuE witnesses, or u
they cannot hc produced then from other
proof whether ur not he Is the same
person who made his mark on the regis
lration book, and In voting he shall again
make hts mark nttcsted as above re-
uulred. il any person signs amy other
than his truo name in registering or volt
ing he shall be ndiudged guilty Of fprG-
cry and punished as may 10 prescribed
by statute Every political party and
every body OF citizens organized for the
purpose ~ passing any constitutional
amendment shall he entitled to Il repre-
sentative inside Of the booth TO watch
the ballutinE and counting. and h. uddi-
tion thereto shall also he entitled TO one
challenger. Where II II provided herein
that violation OF any provision Of this
amendment shall be a misdemeanor the
punishment shall be axed by statute II
the offender Is a regular official he shall.
upon conviction, forfeit his office, aud he
may be prosecuted under this amendment
and his Office forfeited independent OF
any statute. The word election as used
herein shall be construed to mean any
election general or special. whether
state county or municipal. including any
primary election held under the law.
This amendment shall be self-enforcng
but legislation may be enacted to facIli-
tate its operation
Section Ill. Any constitutional pro-
vision. or law. or part thereof. In conflict
with this amendment Is hereby repealed.