vote or return expose his ballot his name shall be entered on the poll lists with a minute of such occurrence and such elector shall not be allowed to vote thereafter at said election. The elector shall then leave the room, but no elector to Elector must whom a ballot has been delivered shall be permitted to ballot, etc. leave the room without voting the ballot or returning it to the inspector from whom he received it. Any elector who shall attempt to leave the room with a ballot or stamp in his possession shall be at once arrested on demand of any member of the board of inspectors if he shall refuse to deliver the same upon request. pare poll lists, etc. SEC. 27. At each adjournment of the poll, the clerks Clerks to comshall, in the presence of the inspectors, compare their respective poll lists, compute and set down the number of votes, and in case the same do not agree shall, under the direction of the board, correct all mistakes that may be discovered, until such poll lists shall be made in all respects to correspond. SEC. 28. The ballot box shall then be opened and the Care of ballot poll list placed therein, the box locked, and at least five box, key, etc. minutes before the removal of the same a piece of leather (or canvas) so placed as to extend from the opening in the lid of said ballot box to the key-hole in such a manner as to completely cover both such holes, shall be placed thereon, and the same securely fastened thereon with sealing wax stamped with the official election seal of such township or ward, such piece of leather (or canvas) and the sealing wax to be so arranged as to render it impossible to open either of said holes without breaking said seal. The key shall then be delivered to one of the inspectors, the box to another, and the seal to another. Such box shall not be opened nor the seal broken until the box has been publicly exposed at least five minutes before the reopening of the poll. SEC. 29. The inspector having the key shall keep it in Return and openhis possession, and deliver it again to the board at the ing of box, etc. next opening of the poll, and the inspector having the box shall carefully keep it without opening or suffering it to be opened, or the seal thereof to be broken or removed, and shall publicly deliver it in that state to the board of inspectors at the next opening of the poll, when the seal shall be broken and the box opened, the poll lists taken out, and the box again locked. ballots, etc. SEC. 30. No ballot shall be distributed by any person Distribution of other than one of the inspectors of election, nor in any place except within the railing of the voting room, to electors about to vote and no ballot which has not the initials of a member of the board of election written by such member on the back thereof shall be placed in the ballot box. Printed Instruc SEC. 31. Uniform printed instructions to voters, printed in large type upon cards, shall be furnished by the Secre- be furnished, etc. tions to voters to tary of State to the county clerk of each county, containing any information that will enable voters to quickly make and correctly designate their choice, and the county clerks shall furnish such cards to the city and township clerks in the county. Such clerks shall furnish such cards to each polling place, one of which shall be hung in each compartment, two in the polling room, and three on the outside of the building in which the voting takes place. Instructions in Whenever the clerk of any county notifies the Secretary of State that the printed instructions are also needed in a foreign language, and such language is stated, then it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to furnish such printed instructions in such foreign language. In case of necessity the chairman may employ an interpreter. foreign lan guage. When voter may have assistance, etc. Unlawful to influence voter. Voting for more than one person, etc. Spoiled ballot. Board to preserve unused ballots, etc. Canvass of votes, how conducted. Counting of votes, etc. SEC. 32. When any elector shall make oath that he cannot read English, or that because of physical disability he cannot mark his ballot, or when such disability shall be made manifest to said inspectors his ballot shall be marked for him in the presence of at least two of the inspectors by an inspector designated by the board for that purpose who is not a candidate on said ticket. SEC. 33. It shall be unlawful for the board, or any of them, or any person in the polling room or any compartment therewith connected, to persuade or to endeavor to persuade any person to vote for or against any particular candidate or party ticket. SEC. 34. If the elector votes for more than one candidate for the same office, said ballot shall not be counted for those persons, but shall be as to them null and void. If any elector inadvertently spoils a ballot he may obtain another from the board by returning such spoiled ballot to the board, who shall preserve the same for return to the city or township clerk. SEC. 35. The board of inspectors of election, shall preserve the unused ballots together with the ballots which have been spoiled, and return the same to the city or township clerk, with a statement of the number of ballots used, and there shall be given by the clerk to the inspectors of election a receipt therefor, which shall be filed with the chairman of the board. SEC. 36. Immediately on closing the polls, the board shall proceed to canvass the votes. Such canvass shall be public and shall commence by a comparison of the poll lists and a correction of any mistakes that may be found therein until they shall be found or made to agree. The box shall then be opened and the whole number of ballots counted. If the ballots shall be in excess of the number of the electors voting according to the poll lists they shall be replaced in the box and one of the inspectors shall publicly draw out and destroy so many ballots therefrom unopened as shall be equal to such excess. They shall first select and count the straight tickets, and give the number to each candidate voted for on the straight ticket. All other tickets shall be laid on the table and counted in regular order in such subdivisions thereof as may be convenient for a prompt and careful determination of the result of such election. In the canvass what ballots of the votes, any ballot which is not indorsed with the void, etc. initials of the inspector as provided in this act, and any ballot which shall bear any distinguishing mark or mutilation shall be void, and shall not be counted, and any ballot, or part of a ballot, from which it is impossible to determine the elector's choice of candidates shall be void as to the candidate or candidates thereby affected: Provided, however, Proviso. That all such ballots shall be preserved, marked by the inspectors (not counted) and kept separate from the others by being tied or held in one package by a rubber band or otherwise. SEC. 37. After the ballots are counted they shall, together Disposition of with one tally-sheet, be placed in the ballot box which shall ballots, box, etc. be securely sealed in such a manner that it cannot be opened without breaking such seal. The ballot box shall then be placed in charge of the township or city clerk, but the keys of said ballot box shall be held by the chairman of the board and the election seal in the hands of one of the other inspectors of election. licly declared, etc. SEC. 38. After the count of the tickets or ballots has Result to be pubbeen completed, the result shall be immediately publicly declared, and the number of votes received by each candidate or person on the ticket, shall be publicly declared by one of the inspectors. The inspectors shall then prepare a statement of statement of the result in duplicate showing the whole num- result, ber of votes for each office, the names of the persons for which such votes were given and the number each person received. Such statement, when certified by the inspectors and duly signed, shall be delivered, one copy to the township clerk, to be filed by him in his office and the other to the inspector appointed by the board to attend the county can vass. ties of gate keep SEC. 39. The gate keepers of elections shall be peace Powers and du officers at polling places, and are hereby delegated power ers, etc. equal to constables for the purpose of maintaining peace and quiet at the polls on election day. They shall have charge of and keep the gates at polling places and shall not allow any person to approach within the railing provided for in section sixteen, except those authorized by law, and qualified electors, whom they shall allow to pass through the gates and approach the ballot box or boxes for the purpose of voting; and they shall admit one elector at a time only to vote, and shall cause said elector to retire without the gate and railing as soon as he has voted; and no person shall in Penalty for interany manner interfere with a gate keeper of election in the ference with, etc. discharge of his duty, and it shall be unlawful for the gate keepers to aid, assist, suggest, advise or entreat an elector to prepare his ballot in a particular manner, or to coerce or Eligibility of gate keepers. attempt to coerce an elector in any way to vote or to refrain from voting for any particular person or party. No person shall be eligible to fill the office of gate keeper of election on any election day when his name shall be on any ticket at said election. Gate keepers of [elections] election shall be at the polling place at the opening of the polls, and shall remain there until the closing of the polls, and shall Compensation. receive as compensation two dollars per day for each day's work while actually engaged. Elections shall not be held in saloons, etc. to change polling place. SEC. 40. No election shall be held, nor shall any election be appointed to be held in any saloon or bar room, or in any room or place contiguous with or adjoining thereto. Should When inspectors any place be designated or appointed for holding an election in violation hereof, or become subject to such objection after having been so designated, the inspectors of election shall have power, and it shall be their duty, on or before the day of such election, and before the opening of the polls on such day, to procure a suitable place as near thereto as may be, not subject to like objection. Said inspectors shall meet at the place first designated at the time for opening the poll, and after any vacancies in their number shall have been filled, adjourn to the place chosen by them, and at the time of said adjournment, Notice of change, give public notice to the electors present by proclamation of such change, and post in a conspicuous manner notice of the place where such election shall be held, and all expense attending such change shall be certified by said inspectors to the proper authorities and shall be allowed and paid accordingly. Inspectors to meet, etc. etc. Liquors, bring ing in, etc., a misdemeanor, etc. Penalty for. Time voter may remain in booth. Certain things SEC. 41. Any person or persons introducing in any way, upon election day, into the building where an election is being held, any spirituous or malt liquors, and any inspector or clerk of election drinking any such liquors in such place, or being intoxicated therein upon election day, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof before any court of competent jurisdiction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding sixty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. SEC. 42. The board of election may make such regulations as they deem proper, limiting the time in which an elector may remain in the room or booth while preparing and voting his ballot; such limitation, however, shall not be less than one nor more than five minutes. SEC. 43. It shall not be lawful for any candidate for any made unlawful, elective office, with intent to promote his election, or for any other person, with intent to promote the election of any such candidate, either: First, To provide or furnish entertainment at his expense to any meeting of electors, previous to, or during the election at which he [shall] may be a candidate; or, Second, To pay for, procure, or engage to pay for any such entertainment; or, Third, To furnish any money or other property to any person, for the purpose of being expended in procuring the attendance of voters at the polls; or, Fourth, To engage to pay any money, or deliver any property, or otherwise compensate any person for procuring the attendance of voters at the polls; or, committees to of expenses, etc. Fifth, To contribute money for any other purpose intended to promote an election of any particular person or ticket, except for defraying the expenses of printing, and the circulation of hand bills and other papers previous to any such election, or for conveying sick, or infirm electors to the polls. SEC. 44. It shall be the duty of every candidate for any Candidate and office named in this act, and of the chairman of every State, make statement district, and county committee of each political organization, within twenty days after each election held pursuant to the provisions of this act, to make and file an affidavit stating the amount of money expended by such candidate or committee in and about the canvass of such candidate or political organization in connection with such election, and further showing that no expenditures have been made by such candidate or political organization or by any person in his or its behalf to the knowledge or belief of the person making such affidavit, for any purpose prohibited by this act. Such statement to be affidavit, when made by the chairman of the State committee or a candidate for any State office, shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State, when made by the chairman of any district committee or a candidate for the office of presidential elector, member of Congress, State senator, or representative, in the office of the clerk of the county to which election returns for said district are made, and when made by the chairman of any county committee or candidate for a county office, in the office of the clerk of such county. Willful false swearing in this or in any other False swearing matter herein required to be under the oath of any person to be perjury. shall be deemed perjury and punishable accordingly. filed, etc. SEC. 45. Any person who shall knowingly violate any of Violation of act the provisions of this act, or shall willfully neglect or refuse to be felony. to perform any duty enjoined upon him hereby, or shall disclose to any other person the name of any candidate voted for by any elector, the contents of whose ballot shall have been seen by such person, or shall in any manner obstruct or attempt to obstruct any elector in his exercise of his duties as such elector under this act, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and on conviction thereof shall be pun- Penalty therefor. ished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or imprisonment in the State Prison not exceeding two years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. SEC. 46. All acts or parts of acts contravening the pro- Repealing visions of this act are hereby repealed. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. clause. |