The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-10-24
Proposed By Initiative Petition
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT.

Providing that grand JurIes, In 'nvs ,s;
tipatinp elections, may open ballot
boxes. compel the production Of reastra'
ton lists. voting lists and tally sheets
providing for tFlalS on indictments re-
turned In such Investigations; prescribing
the manner OF selection and the qualifea.
tons OF election Officials; requiring po-
licemen to be stationed IN ana near
polling places In certain cities ana pre-
scrlbino the manner OF voting therein
Proposed amendment to ,he Conatitu-
ton OF Missouri. to be submitted TO the
legal voters thereof. for their approval or
rejection. at the regular general erection
to be held on Tuesday, the nfth DAY OF
November, a, -. 1912. and empowering
grand juries to investigate unenseS COM
mitted In clCc' Ions, to return indictments
thereon. and providing for the trial upon
such indictments In the courts, niso pro-
Viding for the manner Of conducting tltc-
tons. the duties OF officers ana voters
with reference thereto, ana the uuallhca-
tons and selection of judges ana CLERKS
Of election throughout the state Rud IN
cities OF $4,000 inhabitants Or more
Section I. The ballot shall remain Sc
crct In Missouri. but where crime has
been committed in any election secrecy
shall yield 10 justice. and no impeachment
shall be placed In tine way OF the de-
lection, prosecution aud conviction OF the
guilty. The investigation Of all elections
In which 1t IN sought TO open ballot boxes
In search OF crime shall he conducted by
grand jury composed OF competent, m
teiligent citizens OF high moral charac-
ter Such grand jury shall have power
ito compel the production OF registration
lists. voting lists, tally sheets ana an
documentary evidence OF every klnu,
also to compel the production OF ballot
boxes to open the same ana examine the
ballots. also to subpoena witnesses ana
take their testimony. also to compare any
part OF the evidence, oral, written or print
cd with any other part OF the evidence.
Voters may state under oath what thclf
ballots were an voted. Tho jury, grand
or petit, shall decide under the law ana
all the ficts whether or not ballots nave
been wilfully and knowingly tempered
with. or changed. or mlarcud, or IlIsely
counted. OF false ballots placed III th'ii
stead. Upon any indictment returned a
speedy public trial shall bc had, aud the
ballots and documentary and oral evil
deure considered 10y the grand jury. aud
other competent evidence. may he intro
duCed in the trial under ia" rules Of law.
\ grand jury, for the inycstlgatlon Of
elections as above provided, shall be
called IN each county and IN any Guy
with i government independent oil NE
county by the several judges throughout
tile state empowered BY law 20 call grand
juTicA, within thirty days after ench gen
district rs composed Of several counties.
then at the next term OF the court There
after Such grand Jdry shall take the
place Of regular annual grand luiy,
elections and for other purposes and
when convened shall possess all the pow
crs rs to Investigations and The ludict-
ment OF offenders for fclonlos and mis-
demeauurS possessed by a regular grand
jury. II II hereby made the imperative
duty Of the judge Of tn" court to specific
ally charge such grand jury To luveStl-
gnte the preceding general election, or
lac may charge them To investigate Of
tenders IN other elections not barred
under the law 10y limitation.
Section II. Competent persons who re-
cciyr the protection Of the law shalt
owe 1t to the state to act ms election
ufficinls and individuals ~ tn" very high
est moral character to be found shall be
selected. Nclther poverty, nor wealth,
nor magnitude OF business. nor profess
sional culiiuEs however exalted, shall eN.
cusc the citizens unless serious Injury
would result. but druggists and UhyGi-
clans may be excused II they demand II.
All Judges and Clerks of elections In
cities above 30 600 inhabitants shall hold
their Offices for specified term. and
shall be examined thoroughly ms to their
qualifications Any election commission
or or other officer charged with the g"-
lection Of election officials who shall fHiI
to make dlIEcut search Tor men ~ good
character ot who shall wlliiuliy pass by
mon of good character aud knowingly
select rplsugs OF bad reputation us Clvr.
ton officials shall be deemed guilty Ot
misdcmcpuur In all cities n 10000 I'm.
hHbltuuta or more two competent Judges
and one competent clerk ~ high moral
character shall be chosen for each pre-
rinct from the city mt large. and who
do not r"s.d" In tho precinct Tor which
tho are chosen. These, with the two
Md"Cs ana one clerk chosen from the
precinct, shall constitute" the Judges and
clerks for such precinct and all Judges
and clerks shah bc equally divided H.
each precinct between the two political
parties having the largest number 81
votes In the state as shown by the las,
General election In every precinct In
al. III mt. 4
policemen, one outside and one inside
| IHp booth. who shall protect al election
officials, Chnllcngcrs. watchers, voters
and others and VINO. Tor whlful tailuI"
to do 80. shall he adjudged guilty OF q
misdemcanor Wherever registration f.
required the person who registers shall
sign 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. aud the election Officers
may compare the signatures, II tnr
| voter cannot sign his name then he shall
| make nit mark IL the usual way ON the
| registration book, duly uttested In writ
| Ing by two or more reputable witnesses
| to whom he ia known. and when my tn
| dividual offers to vote under such name
| the Judges may determine from the tca-
| ,imOny Of the attcsting witnesses, OF II
| they cannot be produced then from other
| proof whether or not ne IL the same
| person who made his mark on the regis
| tration book. and In voting he shall again
| make his mark nttcstCd AS above re-
| uuiiod. II any person signs any other
| than his true name In registering or vot-
| ing he shall be adjudged guilty OF forg-
| cry and punished ~ may he prescribed
| by statute Every political party and
| every body Of citizens organized for the
| purpose Of passing any constitutional
| amendment shall be entitled to u repre-
| sentative inside Of the booth to watch
| the balloting and counting. and In add-
| ton thereto shall also be entitled To one
| challenger. Where 1t IL provided herein
| that a violation OF any provision OF this
| amendment shall be a misdemeanor the
| punishment shall be fixed by statute II
| the offender IL regular official he shall.
| upnn conviction. forfeit his office, and he
| may be prosecuted under this amendment
| and his office forfeited independent Of
| any statute. The word election as used
| herein shall he 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 sef-enforcing
but legislati on may be enacted to faclli-
tate Its uperatiih.
| Section III Any constitutional pro-
vision. or law, or part thereof, In conflict
with this amendment 10 hereby repealed