Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-10-24
Proposed By Initiative Petition.
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT,

##H "LlNI'
Providing that grand Juries, In Inves"
tigating elections, may open ballot
boxes, compel the production of registra-
tion lists, voting lists and tally sheets;
providing for trials on indictments re-
turned in sucn Investigations prescribing
the manner of selection and the quaiihca-
tions of election officials; requiring po-
ilcemen to be stationed in and near
polling places in certain cities and pre-
s~cribtrJ the manner Of voting therein
Proposed amendment to the Constitu-
tin lf vi souri,, to be submitted to the
legal voters thereof, for their approval OF
rejection, at the regular general election
to be held on Tuesday, the fifth day OF
November, A, D. 1912, and empowering
| grand juries to investigate offGIseS com
mitted in elections, to return Indictments
thereon, and providing for the trial upoh
such indictments in the courts; also pro-
viding for the manner of conducting elec-
lions, the duties of officers and voters
with reference thereto, and the qualitlca-
lions and selection of judges and clerks
of election throughout the state and IN
| cities of %, 900 inhabitants or more.
Section /. The bnliot 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 the
guilty. The Investigation of all elections
in which it is sought to open ballo! BOXES
in search CT crime shall he conducted by
a grand Jury composed Of competent, in
telligent citizens or high moral charac-
ter. such grand jury shall have power
to compel the production of registration
lists, voting lists, tally sheets ana all
docuu4eUluIy evidence Of every KIND;
also to comptl the production OF ballot
boxes, 10 open the same and examine inc
~oall,l.s; also to subpoena witnesses and
.u4.l ,Il4lr testimony; also TO compare any
T. VII "a l..4 evidence, oral, written or print
Gu, wish u..y 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 facts whether or not ballots nave
been willfully and knowingly tempered
with, CT changed, or misread, or falsely
counted, or false ballots placed in their
stead. Upon any indictment returned a
speedy public trial shall be had, and the
ballo.s and documentary and oral evil
dence considered by the grand jury, and
| otllet Competent evidence, may be intro
Gttctu in the trial under the rules Of law,
"A grand jury, for the investigation OF
eiecllons 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 to call grand
juries, within thirty days after each gen.
eral election. or If q, judicial circuit or
district Is composed OF several counties,
then at the next term Of the court there
after. Such grand Jury shall take the
place of a regular annual 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
fury. 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, or
he may charge them to Investigate Of
tenders in other elections not barred
| under the law. by limitation, q
Section II. Competent persons who re-
ceive the protection of the law shall
owe it to the state to act as election
officials, and individuals Of the very high