The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-10-03
Proposed By Initiative Petition
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND.
MENT.


EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND.
MENT.
Providing that grand Iurles,, In hives.
tlnatiup elections, may open ballot
boxes, compel the production OF registra-
ton lists, voting lists and tally sheets;
providing for trials on indictments re.
turned In such Investigations prescribing
she manner OF selection and the qualifiea-
lions of election officials; requiring pc.
lcemen to be stationed In and near
polling places In certain cities and pre-
scrIbinn the manner OF voting therein
Proposed amendment to the Constitu-
ton Of Missouri Ia be submitted to the
legal voters thereof, for their approval or
rejection, ut the regular general election
to be- held on Tuesday. the nth day OF
November. \. u. 1872, ana empowering
grand iuriCg To Investigate uHchsoS com
mlttcd In elections, To return indictments
thereon. and providing for the trial upon
such indictments In the courts; nlso pro-
vidinE for the manner uf conducting cleo
lions. the duties Of officers and voters
with reference thereto. and the Qunlliica-
tiuns and selection Of Judges and clerks
Of election throughout tho state ana In
cities Of 5000 inhabitants or more.
Section l. The ballot shall remain So
crCt In Missouri. but whore crime has
been committed In any election secrecy
shall yield to justice. and no impodimCrt
shall he pluCed IN the way OF the de-
lection, prosecution and conviction Of the
guilty. The investigation Of all elections
In which II Is sought to open ballot boxes
in search OF crime shall Ice conducted by
n grand jury composed uf competent, IN
tclligcnt 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 kind,
also to compel the production OF ballot
boxes to open the same and examine the
ballots; also to subpoena witnesses and
take tholr testimony; also to compare any
part oi 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 The Jury grand
or petit, shall decide under the law and
all the facts whether or not ballots have
been wulfully and knowingly tampored
with, ur changed, or misTcad, or falsely
counted. or false ballots placed In their
stead. Upon any 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
duCph In the tria! under the rules Of law.
\ grand jury, for the Investigation OF
elections as above provided, shall be
called In each county ANA in any city
with "a government Independent ut the
county. by the several Judges throughout
tho state empowered 10y law 10 call grand
turtles, within thirty days after each gem
cral election. OF n II judicial circuit or
district is composed OF several counties.
then ut the next term of the court there
after. Such grand jury shall take the
place OF regular annual grand Jury,
now provided Tor by law to investigate
elections and for other purposes, and
when convened sail possess all the pow
crs as to Investigations and the lndtct-
mrnt Of offenders for fclOuies ana mis-
dumcuu0rs possessed by Il regular grand
Jury. Ii is hereby made the imperative
duty of the Judge OF the court TO specific
ally charge such grand jury to inycsti-
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-
ccivo the protection Of the law shall
owe It to the state to act as election
officials and individuals Uf the very high
est moral character to be found shah be
selected. Neither poverty. nor wealth,
nor magnitude of business, nor profess
sional clllinEs however exalted, shall cN-
Cusc the citizens unless serious injury
would result, but druggists aud physi-
clans may be excused If they demand II.
All Judges and clerks OF elections In
cities above 20 000 inhabitants shall hold
. their offices for specified term, and
shall hc examined thoroughly as tu their
qualifications Any election comm SALON.
Or or other officer charged with the Sc
lection ~ election officials who shall fan
to make dlligcnt search for men Of good
character, or who shall willfully pass 10y
men OF good character, and knowingly
select persons OF bad reputation MS cleo
ton OFFICIALS. shall be deemed guilty Of a
misdcmCanor In all cities OF % 900 in
hahitauts or NOR" two competent Judges
and one competent clerk Of high moral
character shall hc chosen FOR each pre-
cnCt from the city Mt large, and who
do not reside in the precinct for which
they are chosen. These, with the two
Judges and one clerk chosen from the
/ HTgpinpt gh1ll constitute tho 1tlIWpH and
clerks for such precinct, and all Judges
and clerks shall be equally divided IN
each precinct between the two political
parties having the largest number OF
votes In the state NJ shown hy the last
general election. In every precinct IN
such cities there shall be stationed TWO
policemen. one outside and one inside
the booth who shall protect all election
and others. and who, for willtul failure
to do so. shall be adjudged guilty OF a
misdemcanOl. Wherever registration Is
required the person VINO registers shali
sign his name on the registration book.
aud when he comes to vote he snail again
sign his name opposite his number on
the poll book aud the election OFFICERS
may compare the signatures II the
voter cannot sign his name then he shan
make his mark IL the usual way on the
registration book. duly attcstcd IN writ
ing by two or more reputable witnesses
to whom he Is known, and when any IN
ulNlulldl OuflH ~ N'N' b'Ni' 'A'ti'N
the Judges may determine from the tes-
timony of the attesting witnesses, or II
they cannot be produced then from other
proof whether or not no is the same
person who made his mark on the regis
| iratiun book. and IN voting he snail again
make his mark attcsted as above re-
quircd. II Ally person signs any other
than his true name In registering or Vot-
ing he shall he 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 he entitled to repre-
sentative inside OF the booth to watch
the balioting and counting. ana IN addi-
tion thereto shall also be entitled TO one
challenger. Where II is provided herein
that n violation OF any provision OF this
amendment shall be misdemeanor the
punishment shah be fixed by statute: II
the offender ia regular official ne shaii.
upon conviction. forfeit his office. and he
may be prosecuted under this nmendment
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-enfoTcing.
but legislation may be enacted TO facili-
tate its operation.
Section III. Any constitutional pro-
vision, or law, or part thereof, In conflict
with This amendment is hereby repealed.