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LOUISIANA ELECTION LAW,
No. 137.)
AN ACT
'o pleserve the purity of the ballot by
regulating the manner of holding
and conducting elections; by prescri
bing the time and methods in which
nominations shall be made and certi
fied; for providing for the division of
parishes, cities and towns into con
venient election precincts; by provid
ing for the appointment of officers
to conduct uwlh elections and defin
ing their ,!uties, by describing the
manner in t'hi;'h the votes of elec
tors .halj ita teal:cn, anlh the count and
retulrns thlereof toade; by providing
for t?,: 1,utaiushnaint of violations of
this la v. aun repealing all laws in
conflict w itl thel arne.
Section L. Ie it enacted by the gen
eral assemhly of the State of Louisi
ana, that all ballots cast in all elections
and fou delegates to any constitutional
conventieo after the first day of No
vembae in the year eighteen hundred
and ninety six shall be printed and dis
tributerd at public expense, as herein
after, ;:ovided. Tho printing of the
ballots, tally sheets and cards of in
structiors to voters and their distribu
tion shall be paid for by the State.
Section' 2. Be It further enacted,
etc.. that the general election of the
state amt] parish officers shall be held
once every four years, on the first
Tuesaay next following the third Mon
day in A'rril.
Section 3. Re it further enacted,
etc., that all offcers, the time and place
of whoSa election Is not otherwise pro
Svided fOa. by law, shall be elected at the
time and place provided by law for
the election of senators and iepresent
atives.
Thalb it shall be the duty of the gov
erno, at least thirty days before each
generaP election, to Issue his proclama
tion giving notice thereof, which shall
be ptblished in the official journal.
The ,board of supervisors of election
of each parish, shall give fifteen'days'
notic of eeerty general election by ad
vertisement, in the official journal of
their parish, if there be one, and by
posting at four public places in the par
ish if there be no official journal in said
parish. But no d(efault by the gover
nor or the parish board of supervisors
of election to issue said proclamation
shall deprive the people of their rights
to hold an election as fixed by law, or
vitiate said elction when held.
Section 4. Be it further enacted,
etc.. that when the seat of any teprc
sentative or senator becomes vacant,
and there shall he a session of the gi-'
eral assembly before the next general
election; it shall be the duty ofthe gov
ernor within five clays after being offi
cdally notified of such vacancy, to is
sue his writ of election, directed to the'
proper supervisors of election, whose
duty it shall be within three (lays af
ter its rtecept. to glee public notice that
an election will be held to fill such va
cancy on a date to be named by them,
which shall ndit be less than eight, nor
more (hain fifteen clays after the publi
cation of such notice, and such election
shall be conducted and the returns
thereof made in the manner required by
law for general elections.
Section 5.. 1e it further enacted,
etc., in every year in which elections
are to be held for electors of president
and vice-president, said elections shall
be held on the first Tuesday next fol
lowing the first Monday in November,
1896, and every four years thereafter,
and are to be conducted and the returns
made fin the same manner as herein
provrided for general elections. The
secretary of state, or, in case of a va
cancy in that oltice, the state auditor,
shall ascertain from the returns, the
person, who received the greatest num
ber of votes actually cast; and the gov
ernor shall issue a certificate of elec
tion to the said persons and they shall
be authorized to cast the vote of the
state for the president and vice-presi
dent.
All general el!ections for representa
tives in congress shall be held on the
11rst l1'ues(hay next following the first
Monlday in November, 1896, and every
two years thereafter, and shall be con
ducted in the same manner as elections
for representatives to the general as
sembly.
Section 6. He it .further enacted,
etc., In case of vacancy in said office
of representative in congress, between
the gener:al elections, .it shall-be the
duty of the governor by proclamation,
to cause an election to be held accord
Ing to law, to fill such vacancy. Elec
tions shall be held in the precincts and
at the pol!ing places hereinafter defin
ed, and herein below directed to be es
tablisthed.
Section 7. Be it further enacted,
etc, that in all elections by the people.
the person or persons having the high
est number of. votes shall be deemed
atrd declared to be elected; but no per
sons receiving the same number of
votes, shall be deemed to be elected if,
thereby a greater number would be
elected than required by law. The
election of such officters thus not elect
ed, shall be retunrnti to the people, pub
lie notice of ten dt:ys to be firts given
Sin the same Inantt('r as for a general
election.
SoctIon S. Be it further enacted,
etc., that all elections shall be comple
ed In (one dlay. and that the polls shall
be kept open at each polling place from
the hour of secv'n o'clock in the fore
noon until s:x o'clock in the afternoon,
provided that in cities and towns hav
ing a population of ten thousand (10,
000) ani over, the polls shall be kept
open from six o'clock in th@ forenoon
irntil four o'clock in the afternoon.
Secti6n 9. Re it ferther enacted,
etc., that the days upon which a gen
eral or local election shall hereafter be
held under this act, shall, for all pur
poses whatever, be legal holiday's in
the localities where elections are held.
Section 10. ,e it further enacted,
etc., that it shall be the duty of the
chief executive officers of the police
force of each city or town, to detail a
sufficient number of police officers,
who shall be placed at each polling
place on the day of electien to preserve
order and to ptotect each and all of
said election officers from all interfer
esnce with, or obstruction in the. per
*1.
* ' ', :
formance of their respective duties,
and to aid in enforcing the provisions
of law relating to elections, and said
police officers so detailed, shall be sub
ject to the orders of the election offi
cers.
Section 11. Be it further enacted,
etc., that in all parishes, the parish of
Orleans excepted, the board of super
visors of election of each parish shall
consist of three persons, viz: The as
sessor and registrar of voters of each
parish, one elected by the police jury,
and one appointed by the governor,
who shall be president of the board.
That in tho parish of Orleans the
board of supervisors of election shall
consist of three members, as follows:
one appointed b1, the governor, who
shall be president of the houard, one to
bo the registrar of voters of the parish
of Orleans, and the other to be the civil
sheriff. The said board of supervisor's
shall serve without compensation.
Th several boards of supervisors,
the parish of Orleans exccpted, shall,
at least thirty days bxf;re an clecti,.n
appoint as election officers for each vot
ing precinct, three commissioners of
election and one clerk. Such officers
shall be qualified voters in the ward of
which said precinct forms a part and
men of good repute and standing. The
commissioners shall be so apportioned
as that not more than two of said com
missioners shall be of the same poltical
party.
Sec. 12. Be it further enacted, etc..
that in the parish of Orleans, it shall
be the duty of the board of supervisors,
at least thirty days prior to any elec
tion, appoint six commissioners and two
clerks to preside over the election at
each polling precinct. Said commis
sioners shall be qualified voters in the
ward of which such polling precint
forms a part, and shall bh appointed
from lists to contain not le:.s than six
names, furnished by each cf the several
political parties, and nominating bod
ies. The commissioners shall be so
apportioned as to equal:y represent all
the parties or nominating bodies au
thorized under this act to make nomitna
toins, in so far as practicable.
Sec. 13. Be it further enacted. etc,
that each of the several political par
ties (or nominating bodies) having can
didates (upon the official ballot), shall
be entitled to one watcher in each
voting precinct, and said watchers shall
be appointed for each election, by the
several political parties, (or nom,:n
ating bodies) and shall be commission
ed by the board of superv:sors. Said
watchers shall remain withott: the
guard ralil during the polling of the
vote, except when casting the:r individ
ual votes, and shall not be permittel to
electioneer, engage in any pol:tical dis
cussions. or in any manner interfere
with, detain or obstruct any voters.
Said watchers shall be allowed to enter
(the space within .the guard rail) only
after .the closing of the polls, and there
remain there after, (within said guard
rail) during the canvass and count of
the vote. Watchers shall take no part
in such canvas's or count, nor have
any voice in the conduct thereof.
Sec. 14. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that the commissioners of election shall
attend at the times and places desig
nated in their respective precincts, at
all elections! The commissionera and
clerks shall receive $3 for each day's ac
tual service, and the deputy theriffs at
tending the election shall receive $5 and
no mileage for each days actual ser
vice, not exceeding three days, to be
paid by the parish or municipality.
Sec. 16. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that the commisionors shall possess full
authority to maintain regularity and
order and to force obiedience to their
lawfull commands during an election
and during the canvass of the votes af
ter the closing of the poll, and shall
have full authority to preserve peace
and good order at and around the po!l
ing places, and to keep access thereto
open and unobstructed, and may require
any police officer.s, constables or otucer
persons present to comntanicate their
orders and directions, and to assist in
the performance of the duties in this
section enjoined.
See. 16. Be it further enacted, ect.,
that the commissioners of election shall
preserve order and decorum at elections
and shall have power to commit to
prison any disorderly person for a time
not to extendl beyond the hour of clos
ing the poll,; provided that said person
shall be permitted to vote before being
comrmitted to prison.
Sec. 17. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that the canvass and count of the bal
lots, as provided in this act, shall be
begun immediately upon .the closing of
the polls and shall be proceeded with,
without interruption and delay, until
completed, during all the count, three
tally sheets be kept'thereof, the said
tally sheets shall have the tallies mark
ed in lines from the beginning to the
end of the page, and the total number
of tallies shall be written in figures im
mediately after the end of the tally.
and in letters so as to prevent any al
teration there.of. Any commrissioner or
other person who shall interfere with
delay or attempt to delay the count of
the ba:llots shall be guilty of a felony,
and punished as provided for in sec
tion 44 of this act, and any person who
shall steal, attempt to steal or aid or
abet in stealing the )allot bcx, ballots.
tally sheets, poll lists or other appara
tus or papers of the election shall be
deemed guilty of a felny and punished
as provided for in seti:on 44 of this
act.
See. 18. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that prior to thle public declaration of
the vote of an election. which shall be
made at each precinct as soon as the
count has been completed, no state
ment shall be made by any commission
er of the number of ballots cast, the
number of votes pr.esent, the number
of votes glven for any person or for any
officer, the name of any person which
has been voted on, or of any other fact
tending to show the state of the polls.
Any commisioner who violates any. of
the provisions of this act shall be pun
ished as provided for in sctlon .44 of
this act, but no such viplatlon shall in
any way invalidate any returns of the
votes cast. duly made by the commis
sinoers, or affect the title of any per
son who is duly declared to be elected
to any office.
Any election commisioner who inten
tionally makes, or attempts to make, a
false canvass of the ballots cast, or any
false return of the result of the eleot'ion
k:.
or any person who induces, or attempts
to induce any such commissioner so to
do shall be deemed guilty o'f a felony,
and upon conviction thereof shall be
punished as provided in section 44 of
this act, and shall be further disqual
ified from voting in any election or hold
ing any office of honor, trust or profit
in this state.
See. 19. Be it further enacted,etc., that;
every commissioner of elect;on, or other
officer or persons having thet cust:;dy
of any record, register of vote s, or copy
thereof, oaths, return of votes, cjrtili
cates, o!ll lI.st, or any paper, (documnn:s
or evid: nce of any dscrip.ti n in this
act and dire'C: l to ho romade. filed or
pri.,ved, who is guilty of sta.ling,
willfully destroyi;ng. mulillatir'g, defac
ing, falls'fying or fitudulently removing
or scc:etlng the whole o;, any part thll"re
of, or shall fraudull ntly make any en
try, erasure or alteration tiier in, except
as allowed and directed by the provi
sions of this act, or who p rniits any
person to do so, shall be guilty of a
felony, and upon conviction thereof, be
punished in accordance with section 41
of this act. And eve,:y petrson, not an
officer, who.is guilty of any of the afore
said acts, or who advises, procures or
abets the commission of the: same, cr
any of them, shall, upon conviction
thereof, be punished in accordance with
section 44 cf this act.
Sec. 20. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that all bar-rooms, cabarets and coffee
houses, and places where liquors aie
kept, within one mile of any ward oer
precinct where an election is being held,
shaal be and remain closed during the
day of an election until 12 o'clock p.m.,
and no liquors shall be sold or given
away on election day, within the above
specified limits. Co:nmmisssioners of
election are hereby authorized to en
force 'this' provision and to call upon
atkl direct po'ice officers to discharge
their full duty in every particular.
Whoever, in a polling place, has in
his possession, any intoxicating liquor,
shall be deemed guilty Oif disorderly
conduct, and the commissioners shall
order such person to remove such li
quor, or to withdraw himself from such
place, and on his refusing or neglecting
to obey such order, shall direct any po
lice officer or other person present, to
take him from the place and confine
him in some convenient place until the
election is completed. The person so
refusing, shall, for every such offense.
be punished as provided in section 44
of this act.
Sect. 21. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that it shall be the duty of the com
missioners at each polling ilace, to
keep duplicate lists of ,: e pc-sons vot
ing at each polling pi:::e. which lists
shall be numbered from one to the end;
and said lists, so to be kept and
numbered as aforesaid, shall be.
signed ant sworn to as correct,
by them, immediately upon closing the
polls, and 'before leaving the place or
opening the ballot box. As soon as the
votes have been counted and the en
velopes sealed, as herein provided, the
official tally sheet or sheets shall be
signed and sworn to by the commis
sioners and the said oflicers shall make
triplicate complied statements of the
number of votes cast for each candi
date for national, State, parochial or
municipal offices, and the offices for
which they were voted.' the number of
'ballots contained in the box, the num
ber of ballots rejected. and the reasons
therefor. These compiled statements
shall also be sworn by the said com
missioners, the oath to be administered
by the deputy sheriff, or one of the
commissioners, or by any qualified
voter. One of these aforesaid tally
sheets, together with the poll books
and one of the said compiled state
ments, shall be delivered to the board
of supervisors of each parish.
The commissioners of election shall
forward to the secretary of State one
of the compiled statements of the vote
at their respective boxes or: polling
places, with the name or names of the
candidates voted for, one tally sheet
and one of the duplicate poll . lists,
shall be retained 'by the secretary of
State for at least six months.
The third tally sheet, together with'
the. ballots and poll list .of the per
sons voting shall be returned to the
ballot box, which shall thereupon be
sealed by said conminissioners and
the said ballot box containing the bal
lots and tally sheets and poll list. as
as aforesaid be delivered to the clerk of
of court, to be by him safely preserved
for a period of six months.
The board of superlvisors of each
parish shall within three days after
the closong of the polls, repair to the
coturt house of the parish, and there, in
the presence of at least three voters.
or as many others as may desire to be
present, make a true comn.piled state
ment as shown by the fami of the
sworn returns to the commissioners, in
triplicate, of the result of said election,
and make public proclamna.tion of such
result, which compiled statements shall
be sworn to before such other officer
competent to administer an oath.
One of the triplicate compiled state
ments shall be forwarded to the secre
tary of state, one to the clerk of the dis
trict court, and the third shall be re
tained by said boas'd of supervisors.
The board of supervisors shall make
out a separate compiled statement of
the vote for govenor and lieutenant
governor, which shall be sworn to before
some officer competent to administer an
oath, and this compiled statement, seal
ed in a separate envelope and marked
and attested by the board of supervis
ors, shall be transmitted to the secre
tary of state and shall constitute the
returns contemplated by article 59 of
the constitntion. Any b)oard of sup
ervisors or any member thereof who
shall fraudently or intentionally make
a false or incorect compiled statement,
as above provided, of the said vote,
shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and
on conviction thereof, shall be punish
ed by imprisonment at hard labor for
not less than two nor more than five
years.
Sec. 22. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that it shall be the duty of 'the conm
misioners themselves, or at least two
of them, to carry returns and ballot
boxes to the board of supervisors and
clerk of court, as required by law; and
it shall be the duty of the sheriff to
have at each polling place, one deputy
sheriff, whose duty it shall' be to obey
the orders of the said officers bof elec
tion and attend the transmission of the
" .@ . .
ballot boxes and returns to the board
of supervisors and clerk of court.
Sec. 23. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that the clerk of the court shall re
ceive the boxes containing the ballots
cast at any election and the other pa
pers herein provided or sealed as here
inbefore provided, and shall retain
them in his care for six months, and as
soon as may ,be thereafter, said officer
shall cause said ballots to be destroyed
without examining them or permitting
them to be examined by any person
whatsoever, and shall make an entry
in the rcccrds of his ofice that they
have been so destroyed.
Sec. 24. Be it Yurther enacter etc.,
That it shall be the duty of the secre
tary of State, or, in defualt, the audi
tor, not less than ten nor more than
twenty days after the clday of holding
an election, to compiile the returns
transmitted by the board of supervisors
of each parish, and publish in the of
ficial journal the names of all the can
didates voted for, and the number of
votes actually cast for each, as shown
by the returns, and to declare the per
son receiving the greater number of
votes cast for the office for which such
person was a candidate, to have been
duly elected. If the secretary of State
or auditor, should wilfully neglect or
refuse to 'comIile the returns of the
election and publish the result as above
provided for, or if he should wilfully
neglect or refuse to count any votes as
shown by the returns, or should erase.
after itany manner, or change any re
turn, he shall 'be deemed guilty of a
felony, and upon conviction thereof,
shall be punished by a fine not less than
one thousand ($1,000) dollars and by im
prisonment at hard labor for not less
than seven, nor more than ten years.
Sec. 25. Be it further enacted, etc.,
That is shall be the duty of 'the gov
ernor not less than thirty days after
each general election, to issue commis
sions to all officers shown by the com
pilations of the returns as above pro
vided for, to have been elected, except
governor, lieutenant governor or mem
bers of the general assembly.
Section 26. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that as soon as possible, after the ex
piration of the time for making the re
turns of the election for representa
tives in congress, the governor, joint
ly with the secretary of state and the
attorney general, shall proceed to as
certain the number of votes cast for
each candidate for representative in
congress, as shown by the returns re
ceived by the secretary of state in the
form of properly attested compiled
statements from the board of supervi
sors of each parish in the respective
congressional districts. The secretary
of state shall enter on record a certif
icate showing the persons who receiv
ed the greatest number of votes ac
tually, cast for representative in con
gress in each congressional distilct.
This certificate shall be signed by the
governor, and one copy thereof, signed
as aforesaid, shall be delivered to the
person thus ascertained to have been
elected, and another copy transmitted
to the house of representatives of the
congress of the United States directed
to the clerk thereof.
Sec. 27. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that it shall be the duty of the secret.ary
of state to transmit to the clerk of the
house of representatives and the sec
retary of the senate respectively of the
last general assembly, .the list of the
names of such persons as according to
the returns, as shall have been elected
in either branch of the general assem
bly as shown by the returns.
It shall be the duty of the secretary
of the senate and clerk of the house of
representatives to enter upon the rolls
of the 'senate and house respectively
the names of persons duly elected to
represent their respective parishes and
senatorial districts. And those repre
sentatives and senators whose names
are so placed by the clerk and secre
tary respectively in accordance with
the foregoing provislons, and no others,
shall be competent to organize the
house of representatives or senate.
Sec. 28. Be it further eticted, etc..,
that the various boards of supervisors
shall provide and send to thie co:nmis
sioners of each preeinet before the time
fixed herein for the opening of the polls
on the day of any election, the ballot
boxes and tickets required by law to
be used. At the opening of the polls
in each precinct, and before any bal
lots are received, the ballot box shall
bhe publicly opened and shown to be
empty and the commissioners shall by
p;'rsonal examinati:on, ascertain that
the box is empty, after which the box
shall immediately be locked or falsten
ed and the key de!lvered to the deputy
sheriff attendant. The ballot box shall
not he removed from the puiblic view,
after it is so shown to be empty, until
all ballots have been removed there
'from and the .box has been relocked or
sealed. No 'ballot shall ;be removed
from the ballot box in any precinct or
while the polls are open.
Sec. 29. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that every balot box shal be provided
with a sufficient lock and key,. and
with an opening in the lid large enough
and not larger than may be necessary
to allow a single folded ballot to be
easily passed through such opening in
to the box. Each such box shall be
large enough to receive and hold all
ballots which may lawfully be delpos
ited therein at any election.
Sec. 30. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that the secretary of state shall. at the
expense of the State, provide envelopes,
blank statements, blank affidavits and
blank forms and one table for use by
the commissioners at each polling place,
in the count and cahvass and return of
the vote cast at each election, and upon
any proposed amendment to the consti
tution or other question submitted to
the voters, Said blank forms shall be
approved by the secretary of State,
treasurer and State auditor, and by a
majority of them. Said blank forms
shall be sent to the boards of supervis
ors, and shall be used in ascertaining
the result of su'ch election or .vote, or
such result shall be ascertained in the
manner hereinafter provided.
All tally sheets and forms for com
piled statements herein provided for
shall be ruldd at the bottom by at
least six lines, and partially blank, and
partially printed in, as follows: (Blank)
(printed in) (blank) (printed in.)
John Doe, commissioner for Demo
cratic party.
.........Commissioner for.........party
........Commissioner for.........party
....... Commissioner for.........party
.........Commissioner for.........party
.. ...Commissioner for.........party
(Printed in) (blank) (printed in) Sworn
to and signed before me, John Doe,
Commissioners by Majority.
of the commissioners serving at
this poll, and by me sworn to
and signed as true and correct this
day 1S9 .
(Hlank) (Printed in)
John Doe, President C(ommi,:sioner..
So as to require and prov ide for proper
attestations to every such tally sheet
or compiled statl'nent.
Sec. 31. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that in parishes and in towns of less
than 50,p0 inha.bitalts, the officer
whose duty it is to designate and ap
point polling places shall erect in front
of each polling place barriers, enclos
ing a space at least thirty feet square.
Each such enclosed space shall contain
a table or shelf of convenient height
for writing, and shall be furnished with
such supplies and conveniences, includ
ing black ink, pads. blotting paper and
pencils having black lead only, as will
enal)le the voters to conveniently pre
pare their ballots for voting.
Sec. 32. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that if for any cause ;t shall become
impossible at any such election, or in
taking any such vote, to make use of
the State blanks, the canvass of the
votes shall be made as the commission
ers shall direct; they shall make a
record of the facts pertaining thereto,
and retuirn an attested copy of the
record thereof to the board of super
\ sors.
Sec. 33. Be it further enacted, etc.,
that the boards of supervisors shall
send the State blanks to the commis
sioners of each precinct before the time
fixed for the opening of the polls on the
day of election.
Sec. 34. Be it further enacted, etc.,
That wheh, in any election, the right
of ay person offering to vote, is chal
lerged for any cause recognized 'by law,
the commissioners shall require the
name, occupation, age and residence of
the person so offering to vote. The
commissioners shall examine such. per
son offering to vote, upon his oath, and
if a majority of the commissioners then
present, are satisfied that such appli
cant is a legal voter of said ward and
precinct, they shall Iermit him to vote,
but in all cases such persons so offer
ing to vote, must establish his identity
and right to vote, by the written affi
davit of two bona, fide residents of the
said ward and precinct, such affidavit
to be taken before one of the commis
sioners in the same: ,rovided that noth
ing contained in this section shall be
so construed as to permit commission
ers to receive any vote which by law
they are required to refuse. Said af
fidavit shall be ptlaced in the ballot
box.
Challengers to. the number of not
more than one for each political party
or nominat.ng body shall be permitted
to remain just outside (the guard rail)
of each polling place, and where they
can plainly see what is done within
(such 'rail outside the voting booths)
from the opening to the close of the
Bolls.
Sec. 35. Be it further enacted, etc.
That it shall be the duty of the Regis
trar of Voters or other !registering offi-
cers of each parish, to deliv.r to the
IBoard of Supervisors of each parish, at
'least twenty-four hours before the day
and time fixed for the opening of the
polls therein, the list of the voters reg
istering for each precinct and polling
pilace, securely wrapped, sealed and
marked; the list shall contain the num
ber of the registration, place of resi
dence, age, race and occupation of each
\'oter in the election precinct whiere the
polling place is situated and shall be
certified ,by the Register of Voters to
be correct, and it slhall be the duty of
the Comnmissioners to check. the name
4,f each voter who is about to) vote upon
said list; and Registrar of Voters ori
other registering officer \iwho shall neg
lect, fail or refuse to perform the duty
above imposed, of furnishing the list as
aforesaid for any precinct shall lbe
punished by a fine of not less than five
hundred or more than one thousand
dollars, and imprisonment of not less
than three or more than twelve
months. And no person shall vote at
any election whose name has not been
previously placid on such list, nor until
the Commissioners fnd and check his
name thereon; provided, that no legal
voter shall 'be denied tthe right because
his name has been accidentally omitted
from said list or incorrectly written
or printed thereon; provided further,
that any voter whose name has been so
accidentally omitted therefrom, shall
make affidavit in writing to that etffect.
before said Commissioners, and stlid af
fidavit shall be preserved as part of the
election returns and be enclosed in the
box protvided for the return of the bal
lots. It shall be the duty of the Board
of Supervisors to transmit to the Com
'missioners of Election at each precinct,
an'd before the time fixed for the open
ing of the polls, the poll book provided
for such precinct.
Sec. 36. Be it further enacted. That
whenever any person offers t,) vote, he
shall give his name, residlence, occupa
tion and registration paper, if such be
required by law, to the Comnmissioners,
one of whom shall thereupnln announce
the same in a loud and distinct tone of
voice, cleatr and a~udible, and if . the
I same are found tipon the poll book by
the Commissioner having charge there
of, he shall, in a loud and distinct tone
of voice, clear and audible, repeat tihe
same, and the same being checked, the
voter shall be allowed, his name being
entered upon the poll list, to cast his
ivote.
The Commissioners in charge of the
poll list, the box and the poll book re
spectively, shall be of d'itrent political
parties or factions, so fg as practica
ble.
Sec. 37. Be It further enacted, .etc.,
'IElections shall be held in the precincts
'at and the polling placdsLs hereinafter
defined and herein below directed to be
established.
Sec. 38. Be it further enacted, etc.,
Each police jury ward in every ward of
the State, except the parish of Orleans,
land except ii the case of the division
thereof as hereinafte ail
e- ed as an election pr ,
shall be established in e
y constituted as an electl,
y vided, if more than 1on
y be established in any,
y ward, then the police J
y the ward geographically1.
as possible according to
polls established, and ha
limit within the ward for
Lt poll is established and said1
of the ward in such ease
an election precinct. n th
Orleans each subdivision ao
thereof to be made as hele
shill constitute an electir
and they shall be nlumlnbere
tively in each ward, comn
river and running back t of
boundary of the ward.
Sec. 39. Be it further 4
The police juries as above
1' shall establish after two
)- the passage of this act
t cincts and polling places ia'
spective parishes as they of
necessary; provided that
n never be less than one p
it polling place in each Police
h and provided that when m
polling place is established 1
d police jury ward the ward
1I ographically divided as aboh
and each subdivision of said
ward shall be arl election pre
when said polling places and
e are established they shall be
in the official proceedings of ti
jury. The precinct and polWl
e or any one of them, once
under this act, shall not be
except by a vote of the pollee `
en in favor of said change, 01
not within three months prio r.i
e oral elect:on.
Sec. 40. Be it further en
The City Government of Net
shall by Ordinance, divide thil
11 iiito election precincts withia.
erent wards and forthat pi 1
e ordinance, so arrange the
e of the ward as may be deeni 1
lent for the purpose of estab
election precincts, which, w
it lished, shall be the boundar
b wards; each of said precincts" n
p. losed of contiguous square'- a
e precinct to be so arranged as
if not more than 200 registered -
,e nearly as practicable as shoi
next precediig registration
d establish one polling place onl
n precinct, and shall establish:'
i- in each ward and shall cause
S!lished an accurate desription t
ward boundaries and election,
above referred to, within ten a
fore any election; they shall,:
cation in three daily newspa
notice of the location, of the
Sp!laces in each precinct, whirl
plates shall' be nearly as p
the centre of the precinct. the
ries and precincts to be fxei'
not to be changed within thr
prior to any general election,
S See. 41. Be it further enact
any person shall wilfully
t lawful. commands of the
rrs, or shall wilfully and
it ful authority obstruct, hind
Y any voter on his way to a.
d place where an election is to
1) while he is exercising or att
y exercise bhe right of .voting
n aid or assist in such obst
s) lay he shall be punished in:
to with section 44 of this act,
Sec. 42. Be it further e
'Whoever, knowing that he`
s- qualified voter a.t an electioni
-- votes, or attempts to vote, or
ac so votes, or attempts to V
It than once, either in his owan
.y that of any other person, or
ae sumed name, or whoeyver soi
- attempts to vote in more than
ig inlg precinct; or whoever wl
id or abets any one not legally
1- In voting or attempting to.
i- election, or whoever shall
h possession the registration pa
e other; or whoever with inten
e o:r defraud, alters any bali
to election, and whoever with
df 3 de;:,te any ballot in the
Sused aLt such election, and wh
n such intnt, removes any b
r such batlot box; or vwhoever s
Simitate, or .ointerfeit or fals
:ir alter- .:r shail lprocure to
[made, imitared, at.itered. f
e countarfeited, or shall aid or
e falsely making, . imitatlng,
i 1forging o: c:unterfeiting any
S part lhc-reof heroic provle
: shall utter or publish as true
It false, .a.ltred. forged, imatct.
n Itrf:'eit La,!,ot, or sball proorae
.ii Ibe uttered or ,published as
is ing same "o be fa.!se, alt~er
1l imitated or counterfeited,
o to use same or tio procurlle,
. u.ned at any eleotion; or wh
n charged nit the ~,:i 0' C,
r, of making .u r ( Tf r! ifnlisE
Sio 'ist l.xici' p-ovided for,
11 plerson lOt s'o .0*'gaged to
t. give a.ny '(Jnfolrm:ation with
f the sald official ballot or thf
x f exc , a. s liherein provided.'
ie Or whoever i an asemsbly
1 In t for the purpose.of makinl
l tions under this law, votes or
1-to 2vote unler any name other
t, owln, or whoever aids and,
- person in the commission of
d cos described in Ihis sectlol,
ever knowinigly and wilfull
t false answer to any electiono0
ac b,,punished for each offenseO3
- ed in section 44 of 'this act.
Secc. 4,. Be it further eat
s. Any person who shall be
Swfli and, co,2rrcl.' fair.e .swe
af firming in taking ao:y oath e
l: ioll pr'eseribed by this ect
y adjudged guilty of wilftltl'
e- perjury, and any pi·son who
to fully and corrupt tly iti
.e induce or procure any persqo
te or affirm falsely as aforesal
ag adjudged guilt if subor
is perjury, and shall uponl
thereof suffer the pun4,brt~
te by law in the cases of Wif
e- rupt perjury.
al Sec. 44. 'Be it further e
a- Any election officer or ,
who violates any of the P0
., this act shall be punished b1
ts not more than one thousand
er dollars or imprisonment fo
e than one year; provided tlt.
offense is declared in this
., felony thenr the punishment
of prisonmen't in the State .
, for not less than two Oor
in five (5) years.
