special enact

aldermen of each ward in a city, shall be [the] inspectors of election: Provided, That in all voting precincts where Proviso as to by special enactment, provisions exist for designating ments. inspectors of election said provisions are not to be superseded, but such officers shall be the inspectors of election. under this act.

viva voce.

SEC. 2. In case four inspectors shall not attend at the when inspectors opening of the polls, or shall not remain in attendance dur- to be chosen, ing the election the electors present may choose, viva voce, such number of said electors as, with the inspector or inspectors present, shall constitute a board of four in number; and such electors so chosen, shall be inspectors of that election, during the continuance thereof.

tion.

SEC. 3. In townships, the township clerk, if present, shall clerks of elec act as clerk of the election, and before the opening of the polls, the inspectors in each township shall appoint an elector to be a second clerk of the election; and if the township clerk shall not be present, the board shall appoint two such clerks, and the inspectors in each ward or voting precinct in a city shall designate one of their number to act as clerk and shall appoint one other elector as second clerk; and each of the clerks so appointed, and each of the oath of office. inspectors so chosen, shall take the constitutional oath of office, which oath either of the inspectors may administer.

ors to a precinct,

etc.

SEC. 4. No election district or voting precinct under the Number of electprovisions of this act shall contain more than five hundred electors according to the poll list of the last preceding general election. When any election district or voting precinct shall contain over five hundred electors it shall be the duty of the township board in townships and the city council in cities to divide such voting precincts into two more election districts. In case of townships and incorpo- Laws for division rated villages so divided the provisions of chapter eight of of township, etc. Howell's Annotated Statutes shall apply to and govern all proceedings hereunder, with reference to such division, boards of registration, election inspectors and all matters

or

arising therefrom not provided for by this act. In cities Idem, in cities. where no special provisions exist relative thereto, such division and all matters arising therefrom, not covered by the provisions of this act shall be provided for by ordinance of the common council of said city, and it is hereby made the duty of such common council to make all necessary rules and regulations in connection therewith to fully carry out the provisions of this section.

SEC. 5. On the day of election the polls thereof shall be opening and opened at seven o'clock in the forenoon, or as soon there- closing of polls, after as may be, and shall be continued open until five o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, and no longer; but in townships the board may adjourn the polls at twelve

o'clock, noon, for one hour, in their discretion. The inspect- Proclamations ors shall cause proclamation to be made upon opening the thereof. polls, and shall also cause proclamation to be made of the

Of ballot boxes.

Election seal,

etc.

closing of the polls, one hour, thirty minutes, and fifteen minutes respectively, before the closing thereof.

SEC. 6. There shall be provided and kept by the township clerk in each township at the expense of such township, and in each ward or voting precinct of any city by the city clerk or recorder at the expense of the city, one or more suitable ballot boxes, with lock and key, which ballot box shall have an opening through the lid of the proper size to admit a single closed ballot, through which each ballot received shall be passed into the box. He shall also furnish a township or ward election seal, which shall contain the name of the township or ward and the words "election seal" around the margin thereof, and such other words or device thereon as the township board of the township or common council of the city may prescribe.

Care of box, key, SEC. 7. Before opening the poll, the ballot box shall be examined, and the contents, if any, removed therefrom; it shall then be locked, and the key thereof delivered to one of the inspectors, to be designated by the board. The said box shall not be opened during the election, except as provided by law in case of adjournments.

Chairman of board.

Board of election commissioners

SEC. 8. When the supervisor shall be one of the board, he shall be chairman thereof; but if he be absent, such one of their number as the inspectors shall designate, shall be chairman.

SEC. 9. In each county in the State, the judge of for each county. probate, county clerk and county treasurer, shall constitute a board of election commissioners, two of whom shall constitute a quorum and of which board the judge of probate shall be chairman and the county clerk shall be secretary. Duty relating to It shall be the duty of said board to prepare and distribute ballots and stamps for election of all officers for whom the electors are entitled to vote, and for all proposed constitutional amendments or other questions to be submitted to the electors of the State for popular vote in compliance with the provisions of law. The members of said board shall serve without compensation.

ballots, etc.

To print names on ballot, etc.

Committees to

SEC. 10. The said board of election commissioners shall cause to be printed on the ballot the names of the candidates nominated by the regularly called conventions of any party, and it shall be the duty of the State, district or forward names, county committee of each political party to forward to the said board of election commissioners of each county in the State, not less than twenty days prior to any such election a copy of the vignette adopted by them and the names of all candidates nominated at any regularly called convention, at which candidates for any of the offices mentioned in section one of this act shall be nominated and no other names unless authorized or instructed by said convention. All the names of parties so nominated shall be certified to by the chairman and secretary of the respective committees.

for.

SEC. 11. It shall hereafter be the duty of the State com- Vignette provided mittee of any political party or organization in this State, before each election, to prepare and adopt by engraving or otherwise, a vignette, to be printed at the top of the column of such ballot assigned to such party, as a distinctive and characteristic heading thereto; such vignette shall not be size of. more than one inch and a half square, and in addition to the device adopted, shall set forth legibly the name of such party. A proof copy of the ballot shall be on file at the Proof copy of office of the county clerk of each county and open for filled. inspection by the candidates named thereon and by the chairman of each committee furnishing the names of candidates thereon, but by no other person, at least ten days prior to each election. And it shall be the duty of the board of election commissioners to correct such errors as may be found therein by such inspection.

ballot to be

vignette,

filed, etc.

SEC. 12. When such vignette and heading shall have Impression of been adopted and prepared, an impression of the same, fol- bend,, etc., to lowed by the names of the candidates nominated at, or by the direction of the regularly called convention, printed and sealed up in an envelope, shall be filed with the county clerk of the county where such election is to be held, at least twenty days before such election; also a copy shall be filed with the Secretary of State at least twenty days prior to such election. Such ballots shall be kept by the Secretary of State and said county clerk on deposit, and from the time of said filing it shall be unlawful for any person to imitate, copy or in any manner counterfeit the same, or change the name of the candidate of such regular convention, except as herein provided, or by authority of such convention. Such vignette and heading shall remain as the To remain as heading for the column of such party organization on the until changed, ballots of all elections until changed by the proper com- etc. mittee, and notice thereof shall have been given to such county clerks and Secretary of State. It shall be the duty Board to provide of the board of election commissioners to provide, at the expense of the county, a sufficient number of cuts of the several [vignettes] vignette provided for in this act from which to print the necessary number of ballots to be distributed by them.

ticket heading

cuts, etc.

to certify amend

SEC. 13. Whenever a proposed constitutional amendment, Secretary of State or other question is to be submitted to the electors of the ment, etc. State for popular vote, the Secretary of State shall duly, and not less than thirty days before election, certify the same to the clerk of each county in the State.

names on bal

SEC. 14. The board of election commissioners in each Printing of county shall cause the names of all candidates for the vari- lot, etc. ous offices mentioned in section one of this act to be voted for in each legislative district of said county at any election. held pursuant to the provisions of this act to be printed on one ballot, all nominations of any party to be placed under

Amendments,

etc.

the title and device of such party as designated by them in their certificate. And shall also cause any proposed constitutional amendments or other questions to be submitted to the electors of the State for popular vote, to be printed at the foot of said ballot in such convenient place as to be Ballots to be unt readily distinguishable, one from the other. The ballots form in size, etc. shall be of uniform size and of the same quality and color of paper, and sufficiently thick that the printing cannot be distinguished from the back. The list of candidates of each party shall be placed in a separate column of said ballot with the appropriate heading; and the arrangement of the ballot shall conform as nearly as may be to the Plan of ballot. following plan, and shall contain the specific instructions therein set forth, and no others:

OFFICIAL BALLOT.

INSTRUCTIONS.-First, mark or stamp a cross [X] in the square under the name of your party at the head of the ballot. If you desire to vote a straight ticket, nothing further need be done. If you desire to vote for candidates on different tickets, also erase the name of the candidate on your ticket you do not want to vote for and make a cross in the square before the name of the candidate you desire to vote for, or write his name in the space under the name erased. A ticket marked with a cross under the party name will be deemed a vote for each of the candidates named in such party column whose name is not erased. Before leaving the booth, fold the ballot so that the initials may be seen on the outside.