The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1912-11-01
Proposed By Initiative Petition.

Proposed BY Initiative Petition.
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT.
Providing that grand Iuries, in inves-
tigating elections, may open ballot
boxes. compel the production Of registra-
ton lists, voting lists and tally sheetsi
providing for trials on indictments re-
turned In such investigatlonsi prescribing
the manner Of selection and the qualihca-
t.ons Of election officials; requiring po-
licemen to be stationed In and near
polling places In certain cities and pre-
scrlbing the manner Of voting therein
Proposed amendment to the Constitu-
ton Of Missouri, to be submitted to the
legal voters thereof, for their approval or
rejection, at the regular general election
to be held on Tuesday, the NTH day OF
November, A. y. 1912, and empowering
grand juries to investigate ]offenses 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
lions, the duties OF officers and voters
with reference thereto, and the uuallilcd-
tons and selection Of Judges and clerks
of election throughout the state ana M
cities Of 25, 900 inhabitants or more.
Section l. The ballot shall remain Sc
Cret IN Missouri, but where crime mas
Dttl tbllllllLltu III any fltANt'l H.Ni'Na
shall yield to Justice, and no impeachment
shall be placed in the way of the dee
lection, prosecution and conviction OF the
guilty. The Investigation of all elections
In which it Is sought TO open ballot boxes
in search Of crime shall be conducted by
a grand jury composed Of competent, IN
t~elligent citizens OF high moral charac-
ter. Such grand jury snail nave 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
ballots, also to subpoena witnesses ana
take their testimony, also TO compare any
part OF 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 tampered
with, or 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
ballots and documentary and oral evil
dence considered by the grand jury, and
other competent evidence, may be intro
] duced in the trial under the rules OF law.
; A grand jury, for the investigation Of
, elections as above provided, shall be
called in each county n 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 gem
eral election, or II a judicial circuit or
: district Is composed OF several counties,
. then at the next term OF the court there
I after. Such grand JLry shall take the
place Of a regular annual grand jury,
: now provided for by law to investigate
/, elections and for other purposes, and
Q when convened shall posse1s all the pow
ers as to Investigations and the lndict-
Q ment OF offenders for felonles and mis-
demeanoTs possessed by a regular grand
= Jury. 1t is hereby made the imperative
duty OF the judge OF the court to specific
ally charge such grand jury to i%nvesti-
gate the preceding general election, or
. ne may charge them to Investigate Of
u tenders In other elections not barred
$ under the law by Limitation.
: Section II. Competent persons VIII re-
= ceive the protection Of the law shall
4 owe 1t to the state to act as election
Y officials, and individuals OF the very high
= est moral character to be found shall be
= selected. Neither poverty, nor wealth,
. nor magnitude Of business, nor profess
4 sional callings however exalted, shall ex-
a cuBe the citizens unless serious injury
would result, but druggists and physi-
clans may be excused II they demand II.
All Judges and clerks Of elections In
: cities above 25 5000 inhabitants shall hold
their offices for a specified term, and
4 shall be examined thoroughly as to their
qualifications. Any election commission
! er or other officer charged with the Sc
TO- ! AEAAAhAA " NANAAAgAA gAAAkANAA9 VA aAANNAA HNNN
to make diligent search for men Of good
character, or who shall willfully pass by
10 men Of good character, and knowingly
select persons Of bad reputation as cleo
ton officials, shall be deemed guilty OF d
- misdemeanOr. In all cities of %, 600 In.
"a habitants or more two competent Judges
= and one competent clerk OF high mora
= character shall be chosen for each pre-
" cinct from the city at large, and VIII,
Il do not reside in the precinct for which
Il they are chosen, These, with the two
judges and one clerk chosen from th'
precinct, shall constitute the judges an'
10 clerks for such precinct, and all Judge!
Va and clerks shall be equally divided u
each precinct between the two pOlltlca
40 parties having the largest number O
a. votes In the state as shown by the las
> general election. In every precinct II
y such cities there shall be stationed tW'
mr. policemen. one outside and one insld'
- the booth, who shall protect all election
officials, challengers, Watchers, voter
5u and others, and who, Tor wllltui IalluTl
~ to do so, shall be adjudged guilty or
Dh misdemeanor. Wherever registration !
+ required the person who registers sha
" sign his name on the registration Doohi
VI and when he m to vote he shaI agar
81 sign his name opposite his number o.
n the poll book, and the election OFFICER
ny may compare the signatures. II IN
OF voter cannot sign his name then no sha.
,e' make his mark IL the usual way on tn
n registration book, duly attested in writ
ne ing by two or more reputable witnesse
OF TO whom he Is known. and when any in
a. dividual offers to vote under such nam
the Judges may determine from the tes
lal timony OF the attestlng witnesses, or
OF they cannot be produced then from othe
proof, whether or not he Is the sam
ct person who made his mark on the regis
-, tration book, and In voting he shall agal
ah make his mark attested as above re
qulred. II any person signs any othe
IN than his true name in registering or Vo'
~ ing he shall be adJudged guilty OF fore
~ cry and punished as may be prescribe
no by statute. Every political party an
TO- every body Of citizens organized for IN
purpose Of passing any constitution
amendment shall be entitled to a repre-
N. sentative inside Of the booth TO waite
the balloting and counting, n In add
ton thereto shall also be entitled to or
challenger. Where l. Il provided herel
that a violation Of any provision OF III
Of amendment shall be a misdemeanor Il
lt- punishment shall be fixed by statute;
the offender Is a regular official ne snal
nd upon conviction, forfeit his office, and
ne, may be prosecuted under this amendmei
srs and his office forfeited independent
any statute. Tit word election as use
herein shall be construed to mean ar
election, general or special, wheth'
IS state, county or municipal, including ar
" primary election held under the la'
'Su This amendment shall be ~self-enforcin
~ but legislation may be enacted 10 faell
~ tate its operation.
~ Section III. Any constitutional pr
ion VlHion. or law. or mart thereof. In confil