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


MENT.
Providing that grand Jures, In inves.
tigating elections, may open ballot
boxes, compel the production OF raoistra-
ton lists, voting lists and tally sheetsi
providing for trials on indictments re-
turned In such Investigations prescribing
the manner Of selection and the qualihea-
tlons Of election officials; requiring po-
llcemen to be stationed in and near
polling places In certain cities and pre-
seribins the manner OF voting therein
Proposed amendment to the Conslitu-
ton Of Missouri. to be submitted to the
legal voters thereof, for their approval or
rejection, At the regular general election
TO he held ON Tuesday, the nfth gay OF
November. \. u. 1872. Bnd empowering
grand juTics to Investigate OhenscS com
mitted In elections, to return indictments
thereon and providing for the trial upon
such indictments IN the courts, also pro-
vding FOR the manner OF conducting elec-
tons, the duties OF officers ana voters
with reference thereto, ana the uualll'h-
lions and selection Of Judges and clerks
of election throughout the state and In
cities OF $4,000 inhabitants or more
Section l. 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 vi the
guilty The investigation Of all elections
In which II is sought TO open ballot boxes
In search OF crime shall be conducted ny
a grand Jury composed OF competent, IN
tellgent citizens OF high moral charac-
ter. Such grand jury shall have power
to coJGpel the production Of registration
lists. voting lists, tally sheets and al
documentary evidence OF every KIND
also to compel the production OF ballot
boxes. to open the same and examine the
ballots; also to subpoena Witnesses ana
take their testimony. also to compare any
1 o a sol Rr
ed. with any other part or the evidence
Voters may state under oath what their
ballots wore as voted. The jury, grand
or petit. shall decide under the law ana
all the facts whether or not ballots have
been willfully and knowingly tempered
with. ar changed, or misread, or ialsely
counted, or false ballots placed IN thcif
stead. Upon any indictment rosurned a
speedy public trial shall be had. and the
ballots and documentary and oral evil
dence considered by the grand jury, ana
other competent evidence. may be intro
duced In the trial under the rules OF law.
grand jury, for the Investigation Of
elections as above provided, shall be
called In each county and In any city
county, by the several judges throughout
the state empowered by law to call grand
juries. within thirty days after each gen
eral election. or II judicial circuit or
district IL composed OF several counties,
then ut the next term OF the court ther"-
after Such grand jury shall take tie
place Of regular annual grand Jury,
now provided for by law to investigate
elections and for other purposes, ana
when convened shall possess all the pow
ers AZ to Investigations and the indict-
ment OF offenders for lelOnics and mis-
dcmcanorS possessed by regular grand
jury. 1t is hereby made the imperative
duty OF the judge OF tn" court to specific
ally charge such grand jury to inNcsti-
gate the preceding general election, OF
he may charge them to invcstigat" Of
tenders In other elections not barred
under the law by limitation.
Section II. Competent persons who re-,
ceIve the protection Of the law shall
owe II to the state to act ms election
officials, and individuals Of the very high
est moral character to be found shall be
selected. Neither poverty. nor wealth,
Rional callings however exalted, shall en-
cuse the citizens unless serious injury
would result, but druggists md phyGl
clans may be excused II they demand II
All Judges ana clerks of elections iu
cities above ~. 600 inhabitants shall hold
their offices for specified term. ana
shall be examined thoroughly as to their
qualifications, Any election commission
ur or other officer charged with the s's
lection OF election officials who shall IAN
to make diligent search for men OF good
character or who shall willfully pass by
men OF good charactcr and knowingly
select persons of md reputation AZ cleo
ton officials, SHAH be deemed guilty Of ~
misdemeanor. In all cities OF $4,000 in
hahitants 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 whiC.
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 ir
each precinct between the two political
parties having the largest number ut
votes In the state ms shown by the last
general election. In every precinct In
such cities there shah he stationed two
policemen. one outside and one inside
the booth, who shall protect all election
officials, challengcrs. watchers: voters
to do so. shall be adjudged guilty 81 q
misdemcanor. Wherever registration 4.
required the person who registers shall
sjEn his name ON the registration book
and when he comes to vote he shall again
sign his name opposite his number on
the poll book. and the election officers
may compare the signatures. II The
voter cannot sign his name then he shall
make his mark IN the usual way on the
registration book. duly attested In writ
ing by two or more reputable witnesses
to whom he Is known. and when any in
dvidual offers to vote under such name
the judges may determine from the tcs-
timony OF the nttesting witnesses, or IL
they cannot be produced then from other
proof whether or not he is the same
person who made his mark on the regis.
tratiun book, and in voting he shall again
make his mark attested az above re-
qulred. If 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
by statute Every political party and
every body OF citizens organized for the
purpose OF passing any constitutional
amendment shall be entitled to II repre-
sentative inside of the booth to watch
the balloting and counting, and In add
tlun thereto shall also be entitled to one
challenger. Where IL IS provided herein
that a violation OF any provision Of this
amendment shall be a misdcmeanor the
punishment shall be fixed by statute. II
The offender Is regular official he shall
upon conviction. forfeit his Office. and he
may be prosecuted under this amendment
and his office forfeited independent Of
any statute. The word election rs 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 seif-enforcing,
but legislation may be enacted to facil-
tate its operation.
Section III. Any constitutional pro-
vision, or law. or part thereof, In conflict