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taken an appeal from the registrars, and those whose names are on the corrected list, under the title "to be made;" and said registrars, on the day after said last mentioned meeting of said board, shall attend at the office of said town clerk, and then and there finally correct said lists, together with said lists certified by them in said office, in accordance with the action of said board, at their last mentioned meeting.

board.

1860.

SECT. 41. When any person shall exhibit to the board of selectmen, 1861. 1865. and town clerk, of the towns of Hartford, New Haven, and Middle- Papers of naturtown, at any of its meetings, and of the town of Bridgeport, at any of proved, to be inits meetings, prior to its last meeting, papers of naturalization, issued dorsed by the to him in due form, by a court having jurisdiction, said board, if satisfied of the genuineness of such papers, and that they were issued to the person presenting them, shall approve them by a written indorsement thereon, with the date of such indorsement, signed by the town clerk of said town; and if such applicant shall have the other legal qualifications of an elector, they shall admit him in due form, and cause his name to be entered on said list.

make a record of

SECT. 42. Whenever the town clerk of either of said towns shall Town clerks to give a certificate to any person, that he is an elector in said town, certificates given he shall keep a record of the name of such elector, the date when to electors. such certificate was granted, to whom given, and the name of the town where such certificate is to be used.

sing, or neglect

SECT. 43. If any selectman of the towns of Hartford, New Haven, Penalty for refuMiddletown, or Bridgeport, or any town clerk, registrar, deputy-ing to discharge registrar, or constable, of either of said towns, or any presiding offi- duties, &c. cer, or assistant presiding officer, of an electors' meeting, holden therein, or any inspector of elections of the town of Hartford, shall, withont just or reasonable cause, neglect, or refuse, to discharge any of his duties as prescribed by this act, he shall be punished by a fine of three hundred dollars; and if any of such officers shall willfully violate any of the provisions of this act, or if the town clerk of either of said towns shall give a false certificate to any person, he shall be punished, for such offense, in the towns of Hartford, New Haven, and Middletown, by a fine, not exceeding five hundred dollars, and by imprisonment in a common jail for six months; and for such offense in the town of Bridgeport, he shall be punished by a fine, not less than three hundred dollars, and not exceeding five hundred dollars, and by imprisonment in a common jail, not less than three months, and not exceeding nine months; but the provisions of this section shall not apply to cases, where any other punishment for such offenses is provided in this act.

town clerk to

SECT. 44. The selectmen and town clerk, in each of the several Selectmen and towns in this state, shall be sworn to a faithful discharge of all the be sworn. duties imposed upon them by virtue of this act, by having the following oath previously administered to them, to wit:-You do sol- Oath. emnly swear, that you will faithfully discharge, according to law, the duties of the office of examiners of the qualifications of voters, at electors' meetings, to the best of your abilities; so help you God. SECT. 45. The selectmen and town clerk shall make a certified Certificate of adlist, in writing, of all such persons as shall be judged duly qualified, at either of the meetings provided in this act, to be admitted to the privileges of an elector, which list shall be delivered to the town clerk, and shall be sufficient evidence that the persons contained in said list, respectively, possess the requisite qualifications for electors of this state.

mission.

Electors to be en- SECT. 46. Every person found so qualified, upon taking the oath provided for electors, shall be admitted an elector of this state, and the names of all such electors, admitted and sworn as aforesaid, shall be enrolled, by the town clerk, on the records of such town.

rolled.

Oath of electors.

1858. Applicants to read the constitu

when.

SECT. 47. The oath, provided for electors, may be administered, at either of said meetings of the town clerk and selectmen, by any person authorized to administer oaths, and shall be as follows, to wit:-You, A. B., do solemnly swear, that you will be true and faithful to the state of Connecticut, and the constitution and government thereof, as a free and independent state, and to the constitution of the United States; and whenever you shall be called to give your vote, or suffrage, touching any matter that concerns this state, or the United States, you will give it as you shall judge will conduce to the best good of the same, without respect of persons, or favor of any man; so help you God.

SECT. 48. The selectmen and town clerk, when met, at any time, for the purpose of examining and deciding upon applications for the tion or statutes, privileges of an elector, shall, upon the request of any elector of the town, then present, require any applicant publicly to read a clause in the constitution, or statutes, of this state; and any selectman, or town clerk, who shall give his assent to the admission of any applicant, without such reading, whenever the same is requested, as aforesaid, shall be punished by a fine, not exceeding fifty dollars.

Quorum.

1850.

SECT. 49. The town clerk, and a majority of the selectmen, and, in the absence of the town clerk, a majority of the selectmen, of the towns of Hartford, New Haven, Middletown, and Bridgeport, respectively, and a majority of the board of registration, in each of the other towns in this state, shall constitute a quorum, to act on all questions before them, when convened in accordance with the provisions of this act; and a quorum being present, the decision of the majority of those present shall be binding.

SECT. 50. A certificate, from the town clerk of the town, in which Certificate, when an elector was admitted, shall be sufficient evidence, and the only

evidence of admission.

evidence of such admission.

CHAPTER III.

OF ELECTORS WHO ARE IN MILITARY SERVICE.*

1864. Electors in mili

for whom.

SECT. 51. Every elector of this state, who shall be in the military tary service may service of the United States, other than in the regular army, during Vote when and the present rebellion, shall, when absent from the state because of such service, have the same right to vote in any election for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary, treasurer, and comptroller, and also member of congress, if such officer is to be chosen, and for electors of president and vice president of the United States, as he would have,

* As the war has now (October) virtually terminated, this chapter may be deemed superfluous, but as some regiments have not yet been mustered out, it is retained.

if present at the time appointed for such election, in the town in which he resided at the time he entered such service.

sioners to receive

SECT. 52. The governor, prior to each annual electors' meeting, Governor shall on the first Monday of April, and each electors' meeting, for the appoint commischoice of electors of president and vice-president of the United the votes. States, shall appoint commissioners, who shall proceed, in proper season to perform their duties, to the various camps, fortresses, and military posts, where regiments, batteries, or battalions, from this -state, are stationed, to receive the votes of such electors as are absent therefrom, in the military service of the United States; but no more than two commissioners shall be appointed, to visit the same camp, fortress, or military post.

to take out and

SECT. 53. The commissioners shall take out, and distribute, to Commissioners the electors from this state, who are in such service, such ballots as distribute votes may be furnished to them for that purpose, and the secretary of this and envelopes. state shall provide and deliver, to such commissioners, the necessary blank envelopes, one of which they shall furnish to each of such electors, who may claim a right to vote, in which such elector shall deposit a ballot, on which shall be written or printed the name or names of the person or persons voted for, and shall designate, against such naine, the office of the various officers for which such elector is entitled to vote; and said envelope shall be sealed up by the elector, and returned to the commissioners, who shall receive the same within forty days prior to the day of the electors' meeting. SECT. 54. The commissioners, on receiving each envelope, shall Envelopes to be indorsed, how. write, upon the back thereof, the name of the elector voting, the letter of his company, the number of his regiment, battery, or battalion, and the name of the town in which he claims the right to vote, and shall also inclose their own names, and official positions, on each of said envelopes.

shall keep a rec

the same, and

SECT. 55. The commissioners shall keep a record of the names of Commissioners all such electors, whose votes are received by them, the letter of the ord of the names, company, the number of the regiment, battery, or battalion, to which &c., make oath to said elector may belong, and the town, where he claims the right to transmit votes to vote, and shall certify, over their signatures, that they have delivered town clerks. the votes which were received by them, to the electors, and that neither they, nor either of them, have directly influenced, or attempted to influence, any elector, whose vote they, or either of them, have received, for or against any person, for any office for which such elector is entitled to vote; and immediately on the return of the commissioners to this state, they shall make oath to such record, before some proper officer, and lodge the same on file in the office of the secretary of this state, and shall transmit to the town clerks of the various towns the ballots of those claiming a right to vote therein.

be deposited, counted, &c.

SECT. 56. The town clerk of each town shall, upon the day of How votes are to the electors' meeting, present to the presiding officer of such meeting, while the same shall be open, the votes received from the commissioners, and if the presiding officer shall find that the person, whose name is written upon the envelope, is a duly registered elector of the town, he shall open such envelope, and deposit the ballot therein contained in the ballot box, but if such person is not a duly registered elector of the town, his ballot shall be rejected; and in towns which are divided into districts, the town clerk shall present the vote to the assistant presiding officer of the meeting of the district, in which such person may be registered, and such assist

Fees of commissioners.

Commissioners, &c., liable for

ant presiding officer shall proceed in the manner herein provided for presiding officers, and the votes so deposited, in the ballot box, shall be counted, declared, and returned in the manner provided by law, for the votes of electors present in electors' meetings, at the time of voting.

SECT. 57. The fees of the commissioners shall be two dollars a day, for the time they are employed, and their travelling expenses, which shall be audited by the comptroller, who shall draw his order therefor, in their favor, on the treasurer.

SECT. 58. If any commissioner shall willfully neglect to comply with the duties imposed upon him in this chapter, or if any town clerk shall willfully neglect to present the votes received by him to the presiding officer of any electors' meeting, or if the presiding officer of any such meeting shall refuse to deposit, in the ballot box, the vote of any duly registered elector in his town, so presented to him, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall pay a fine, not exceeding five hundred dollars, or shall suffer imprisonment in the common jail for a term, not exceeding six months, or shall pay such fine, and suffer such imprisonment both.

CHAPTER IV.

1858. Penalty for fraudulent abstraction of

iting illegal

votes.

OF ELECTORS' MEETINGS.

SECT. 59. Every person, who shall fraudulently abstract any vote from the ballot box, used at any electors' meeting, or who shall fraudulently prevent any vote from being deposited therein, which votes, or depos- is presented, and intended to be deposited in such ballot box, by any person entitled to deposit such vote, or who shall fraudulently deposit, or cause any vote to be deposited, in such ballot box, which ought not to be deposited therein, and every person, who shall fraudulently aid, abet, or encourage, any other person in doing either of such acts, shall be punished by imprisonment in a common jail, not exceeding six months, nor less than thirty days.

Penalty for

euring admission

SECT. 60. Every person, who shall fraudulently procure himself fraudulently pro- to be admitted to the privileges of an elector, when he has not the as an elector, &c. requisite qualifications, and every person, not an elector of this state, who shall fraudulently vote at any electors' meeting, and every person, who shall fraudulently aid, abet, or encourage, any other person in doing either of such acts, shall be punished by imprisonment in a common jail not exceeding six months, nor less than thirty days. SECT. 61. Every elector of this state, who shall fraudulently vote fraudulently vot- at any electors' meeting in any town, in which he is not entitled to vote, or who shall fraudulently deposit in the ballot box more than one vote, for one person, for the same office, or who shall fraudu lently vote more than once at the same balloting, and every person, who shall fraudulently aid, abet, or encourage, any other person in doing either of such acts, shall be punished by imprisonment in a common jail, not exceeding three months, nor less than seven days. SECT. 62. Every person, who shall vote, or attempt to vote, at

Penalty for ing, &c.

Penalty for vot

any electors' meeting, by assuming the name of any other person, 1860. whose name is on the registry list, shall be punished by a fine of ing under asone hundred dollars, and by imprisonment in a common jail for sumed name. one year.

Presiding officer,

SECT. 63. At any meeting of the electors of any town, the town 1836. 1860. clerk and selectmen of such town may, if they deem it expedient, how designated. designate the person who shall preside; but in case no presiding officer shall be designated by the town clerk and selectmen, the electors shall choose the presiding officer, and while making such choice the town clerk, if present, and in his absence, the oldest selectman present, shall preside; and where any town is divided. into districts, the presiding officer, thus designated, shall preside at the place of voting in the first district, and the town clerk and selectmen of said town shall designate an assistant presiding officer, in each of the other districts, for his assistance in the duties of his office, who shall be a resident of the district in which he is appointed to act, and shall preside at the place of voting, in the district to which he is designated; and he shall have all the powers, and perform all the duties, within said district, of the presiding officer at electors' meetings, except as otherwise provided in this act.

1836. Bribery at elec

eral assembly

SECT. 64. Νο person shall offer or receive any money, or other thing, by way of gift, fee, or reward, for giving, or refusing to give, tion a vote for electing members of the general assembly, or any officer chosen at an electors' meeting, nor promise, procure, or in any way confer, any gratuity, reward, or preferment, for any vote given, or to be given, in any election, and every person, guilty of so doing, shall forfeit the sum of seventeen dollars, one half to him who shall prosecute to effect, and the other half to the treasury of the town where the offense is committed; and every person, who shall be convicted a second time of the like offense, shall be disfranchised. SECT. 65. Every person, elected by any illegal practice, as afore- Members of gen said, shall be incapable of holding a seat in the general assembly, elected by illegal unless he can show to the satisfaction of that branch of the assembly practices, incapato which he was elected, that he was not, directly or indirectly, con- seat. ble of holding cerned in it; and if any person, who is elected a representative of any town, shall himself, or by any other person, offer or distribute, gratuitously, among the electors, any spirituous liquors, on the day of their meeting for the choice of representatives, either before or after he shall be chosen; or shall, on any previous day, entertain the electors, in like manner, with the intent to procure the votes of said electors, he shall be considered as guilty of undue influence, and illegal practice, within the meaning of this act, and forfeit his seat in the house of representatives.

electors' meet

ing.

SECT. 66. Every person, who shall, in any electors' meeting, by Disturbance of noise, tumult, quarreling, or any unlawful act, disturb such meeting, or shall vilify or abuse the presiding officer, or interrupt him in the discharge of his duty, or, after he has commanded silence, shall speak, to the disturbance of the business of such meeting, shall pay, to the treasury of the town, a fine not less than one dollar, nor more than seven dollars, according to the nature of the offense; and if such offense shall be aggravated by any high handed violence, or breach of the peace, the offender shall be bound to the next superior court, to answer for such offense, which court may impose a fine, according to the aggravation of the offense, not exceeding thirtyfour dollars, payable to the treasurer of the state.

SECT. 67. The selectmen of each of the several towns shall pro

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