Art. 10. If, at any time, in any District, there should not be any person capable of acting as Poll Clerk, the District Clerji: has power to appoint a person, who, during the vacancy, shal,^ perform the functions of the vacant office.
Art. 11. By incapacity, negligence, or disaffection, on the part of a Poll Clerk, the business might be inconveniently delayed or frustrated, before the Election-Master-General could have time to appoint another in his stead. For remedy, it is thus ordained: — The District Clerk has power, on his responsibility, in case of necessity, to appoint a person to officiate in place of any such Poll Clerk, until the determination of the Election-Master shall have been made known.
If, for want of such temporary appointment, any suoh delay or frustration shall ensue, he is responsible for this default, as if it were his own.
An Instrument of Appointment, signed by him, shall for this purpose be delivered in at the Polling-office.
On or before the signature of it, a copy, accompanied with a brief intimation of the cause, shall be transmitted by post to the Election-Master, at the National Election-office.
Another copy shall be entered in the Register of the Districtoffice.
Art. 12. In the case of the National Election-office, like power and responsibility, as per Article 8, for providing eventual deputies and assistants.
On the decease of an Electiou-Master-General, the business of his office shall, by such deputies and assistants, be carried on, until a successor to the office shall have been appointed.
Art. 13. By reason of death, or other accident, it might happen, that, in a District-office, for want of a person authorized by the Election-Master-General, the business shall be at a stand, and the completion of the Election process in this District, within the appointed time, become impracticable. For remedy, it is thus ordained: — In case of necessity, the Chairman of the Magistrates of the County, in which the District-office is situated, has power to appoint a person to perform the business, until an appointment from the Election-Master-General shall arrive. Poll Clerk Substitute by necessity shall be the name of office of the person so appointed.
So, in default of such temporary appointment, any Justice of the Peace, whichsoever shall soonest reach the office.
Art. 14. In no instance, to any Deputy, Assistant, or Substitute, as above, shall any remuneration be given at the public expense.
To the Principal it belongs to afford compensation for labour, of the demand for which any deficiency on his part has been the cause.
In case of vacancy in the office of the Principal, any remuneration, given to any subsidiary functionary, as above, shall be taken out of the pay allotted to the office.
Art. 15. For the more clear, correct, complete, incontestable, and lasting preservation, of the evidence of such transactions as shall have place in virtue of this act, and thereby securing the eventual responsibility of all persons concerned,* it is thus ordained: — On the occasion of every act, which the Office-bearer performs, he shall make entry thereof in the proper Register Book of his office, attested either by his name at length, or by the first letters thereof, together with the place, and the time as expressed by the year, month; and day of the month.
* Note IX.
§ 5. Election Apparatus. IS He shall moreover state the capacity in which he acts, whether as Principal, Deputy, Assistant, or Substitute hy necessity; as likewise if he be not the Principal, the office of the Principal for whom he acts.
On the occasion of every act which he performs, in presence of an individual, having interest therein, as proposed V^oter, or agent for a proposed Voter, or otherwise — he shall make mention of the name and residence of such individual, as declared by him.
He shall moreover add to the designation of the day, as above, the hour of the day; namely, the last hour that has been completed; and shall, if required, add the minute.
To every histrument in which he bears a part, he shall, before it passes out of his hands, annex his attestation; including name of office, proper name, place, and time, as above.
Art. iG. For the more effectual prevention of mis-entry through fraud or error, it is thus ordained: — In no entry made in the Register of any office ordained by this Act, shall any word or portion of a word be, on any occasion, or in any manner obliterated, to such effect as to be illegible.
In so far as error is discovered, or supposed to be discovered, the course shall be to draw a plainly perceptible line along the length of the word, or part of a word, meant to be condemned.
For the designation of the person by whom the correction is made, his name, or the first letters thereof, shall in the margin be subjoined by him.* Section 5. ELECTION APPARATUS.
Art. 1. In the whole of its texture, and in this section in particular, the Act has for its main end the prevention of the following evils, all of them incident to the Election Process, that is to say,— I. Mis-election, Non-election, and 'Null-election: mis-election, by the election of persons positively unfit, or less fit than would have * Note X.
been returned otherwise: mis-election, to wit, by want of secrecy of suflfrage, and thence by want of freedom, as against intimidation and corruption.
II. Needless delay, vexation, and expense, by length of journeys to and from the place of Election, and of demurrage there.
HI. Tumults; that is to say, injuries to person or property openly inflicted by persons assembled in large numbers, in a state of irritation.
IV. Vexation and expense to individuals, by litigation respecting rights of suffrage.
V. Needless expense to the public, in respect of the process employed.
It has thereby for its main end the securing to the public, in respect of the Election Process, the several benefits of due Election, dispatch, tranquillity, and economy.
Art. 2. In respect of time, accidents excepted, the Election process is accordingly thus ordered: I. In every Polling District the voting process is to be completed in one day.
II. In every Election District the voters are, on the next day, to be received, from the several Polling District oflBces, at the Election District office, and the return being then made up, is, on that same day, to be thence transmitted to the National Election office.
III. These days shall be each of them the same, in every Election District throughout the United Kingdom; or at least in Great Britain and Ireland respectively.
IV. To this end it is so ordered, as that each man's title to vote shall have been established, by a day, anterior by a sufficient length of time to the voting day. See Section 7.
V. And this in such sort, as that, setting aside the cases of forgery, fraudulent personation, and certainly provable and punishable falsity of assertion — for no one of which offences any adequate temptation can, it is believed, present itself — no such title shall stand exposed to litigation or adverse contestation.
Art. 3, Here follows a specification of the Apparatus and corresponding set of operations hereinafter immediaiely desci ibed^ by means of which, for the purposes just mentioned, the Election Process is in each District to be carried on: No. I. Proposed Member's Blank Recommendatury Certificates. Tenor, as per Section 3. Forrti and size such as are suitable for placarding.
No. II. Blank Fote-making Certificates. Tenor, as per Section 2.
No. Iir. Sets of Voting Name-Cards: to be used as per Section 8.
No. IV. Sets of Secret- Selection Boxes, for selecting Name Cards: to be used as per Section 8.
No. V. Sets of Vote-receiving Boxes for receiving Name-Cards when selected: to be used as per Section 8.
No. VI. Sets of Name- Card Boxes, or Compartments, for containing the Name-Cards, while in the Selection Boxes, No. VII. Sets of Distinction Tickets, for distinguishing from cue another, and from the surrounding multitude, by universally conspicuous marks, the Voters and other classes of persons, bearing different parts in the Election process: to be used as per Article 7.
No. VIII. Stereotype Plates, for printing blank Recommeri' datory Certificates, as per Sections 3, 6.
No. IX. Stereotype Plates, for printing Blank Vote-making Certificates, as per Sections 2, 7.
No. X. Printing Presses, or other Machines, for printing or stampingBhnk Certificates, Fb^e'wg Car Js, and Distinction Tickets.
Art. 4. A Voting Card is composed of two oblong slips, of exactly the same size and shape; each of them (suppose) two inches by one inch, forming together a square: applied one upon another, they exactly coincide.
I. On one side of each of them, the name of a Candidate, the same name on each, is either stamped, or in case of necessity, written.
II. With the exception of the name, they are, each of them, white on the stampt side, black on the other side.
III. They are connected together by two hinges, each formed of a piece of thread, one near one end of the length, the other at an equal distance from the other end.
IV. When the two slips are applied, one upon another, the only two surfaces exposed to view are both of them black, and the name which is on the white surfaces, is unperceivable.
For the mode of voting by means of one of these Cards, see Section 8.
Art. 5. A Secret- Selection Box, is a Box, in and from which the Voter selects the name of the proposed Member for whom he intends to vote.
I. Within this Box are Name-boxes; in number not less than that of the proposed Members.
II. Each Box contains as many Voting Cards as there are persons entitled to vote in that Polling District; all presenting to view, as per Art. 4, the name of the same proposed Member.
III. In form, the Selection Box resembles a hot-bed frame, or a tradesman's shew-glass, of that sort which has a sloping front.
IV. In size it is (suppose) about two feet in length by one foot in width; and in depth, in front one foot, at the back 15 inches.
V. In the back board, is a plate of ground glass, for the letting in of light, without rendering any objects within it visible.
VI. In each of the sides, is a hole, large enough to let in a hand with part of the fore-arm, in such sort that a man's two hands may meet within it to facilitate the selection of the intended name.
VII. In the top is a narrow plate of glass not ground, of such form and size as to enable a Voter to see the several Boxes with their several contents, and thus select the name of the proposed Members for whom he intends to vote: but in such sort that nothing within the Box shall at that time be visible to any other person.
VIII. Lest, by the place of the hands while selecting, it should be known, or guessed, from what Proposed Member's box a Voter has selected his card — the boxes are so disposed, that no name can be reached on either side, till the arm has been considerably advanced within the box.
IX. In this view, the space, destined for each Proposed Member's voting cards, is distributed into diflferent boxes: and in situation the different boxes allotted to different Members are made to alternate one with another.
X. Or else the whole number of cards together may be lodged promiscuously in one and the same receptacle.
XI. The receptacles may be either separate boxes, or. compartments made in the same box.
XII. In the boxes, the cards are placed with the inscribed sides uppermost.
XIII. Each selection box is made to contain Name-Cards for Six Proposed Members, and no more.
XIV. Should the number of the Proposed Members ever exceed this number, each successive Proposed Member, or his Recommenders, must, at the production of the Recommendatory Certificate, furnish, at their own expense, a selection box, capable of containing name-boxes, equal in number to the whole number of Proposed Members constituted by the addition which they respectively make.
Art. 6. A Fate-receiving box is a box of cast-iron, or other sufficiently strong and cheaper metal, if such there be.
I. In form it is (suppose) a double cube, standing on one of its small sides.
II. In size, it is large enough to receive and keep concealed a number of voting cards, equal to that of the whole number of persons entitled to vote in the Polling District in which it is employed.
III. On the top, is a lid, which opens by a hinge, and when closed rests on a rim, so as to form one surface wiih the remainder of the plane into which it fits: in such sort, that when sealing wax, being dropt on it, has been impressed with a seal, the lid can not be opened unless the seal is broken.
s IV. In this lid is a slit, into which, at the time of voting, the cards are successively dropped. Near this slit rises a pin, on which slides a metallic plate, by which the slit is occasionally closed.
V. In form and dimensions, the slit is so ordered, as to receive the cards with ease, without exposing the name to view, as they are dropt in, or afterwards.
Art. 7. Here follows the description of a Distinction Ticket: I. Place where worn, the front of the hat.
II. Material, cotton, or any other cloth, if cheaper, that will not tear or spoil by wet.
HI, Size and form, such as to cover the front half of the crown of the hat.
IV. Colour of the border, and of the letters of an inscription included within it, different according to the class.
V. For Poll Clerks and their occasional Deputies and Assistants, (suppose) black; for Constables, blue; for Proposed Members' Agents, green; for Voters, red.
VI. Contents of the inscription, the name of the individual; beneath it, the name of the class, to which, as above, he belongs.
Art. 8. For the purpose of the first Election — from the National Election Office, may be furnished, to the several Polling Offices, accompanied with necessary descriptions and instructions, the several implements following — (to wit) II. Vote-receiving Boxes.
HI. Stereotype Plates, for printing Blank Recommendatory Certificates.
IV. Stereotype Plates, for printing Blank Vote-making Certificates.
V. Printing Presses, or other machines, for printing or stamping Blank Certificates, Voting Cards, and Distinction Tickets, as above.
The use of these Stereotypes and Presses is to prevent the stock from being exhausted, by accidents, negligence, or design.
in such sort that before a sufficient supply can be obtained, the voting process may be delayed, or even frustrated, and thus Mis-election, Non-election, or Null-election, may ensue.
Art. 9. For dispatch, or economy in respect of construction and carriage, the Election-Master-General may appoint any other pla; e or places, in which the above articles, or any of them, shall be constructed, and from which they shall be conveyed to their respective destinations.
In this case, instead of the articles themselves, in the requisite quantity, let specimens or models be transmitted from the office.
Art. 10. When once provided, the several implements shall be kept in the offices to which they respectively belong.
At the expense of the Counties in which the offices are respectively situated, the implements shall, in proportion as they are consumed, or become decayed or useless, be, from time to time, repaired or replaced, as the case may require.
Section 6. PROMULGATION OF RECOMMENDA- TIONS IN FAVOUR OF PROPOSED MEMBERS.
Art. 1, For sufficiency 2LX\d equality of notification, and to exclude, as far as may be, all such undue advantage as might be derived from superiority of expenditure, — provision is hereby made as follows for the promulgation of Recommendatory Certificates.
Art. 2. From the several definitive Recommendatory Certificates delivered in favour of the several proposed Members, as per section 3. the Election District Clerk prepares the General Recommendatory Certificate Paper of the District.
Copies thereof shall, under his care, be printed in two forms: namely, the Placard form and the Newspaper Advertisement form.
The text is the same in both. It is composed of the Form, as per Section 3, Article 3; omitting only the prefixed date, and the three Notes; and adding the several lists of Recommeoders, headed by the names of the respective Proposed Members.
The order, as between list and list, shall be the same as that in which they were delivered in at the office.
The instrument is to be attested and signed by the District Clerk.
Art. 3. Choice of placarding places shall be made in this manner. A list of Edifices within his District, such as shall seem to him proper for this purpose, shall be made out by the Election Clerk of each Election District.
[ ] days at the least before the Election day, a copy of such list, directed to the Election-Master-General at the National Election Office, shall be delivered in, by the Election Clerk, at the nearest, or other more convenient. General Post Office.
Art. 4. In this list shall be comprized: I. All Polling Offices.
II. All other Government Offices; and in particular all Post Offices and Excise Offices.
III. All Town Halls.
IV. All Cathedrals, Parish Churches, and Chapels of the Established Church.
V. All dissenting Meeting Houses: including Catholic Chapels, Quakers' Meeting Houses, and Jewish Synagogues.
VI. In every town or village, containing [one hundred] Houses, and not containing any such public building as above, — licensed Public Houses, one, two, or three; to be fixt upon by the Election Clerk at his discretion, regard being had to the purposes mentioned in Article 1.* Art. 5. [ ] days after the receipt of such List at the National Election Office, reckoning according to the course of the Post, shall, by each District Election Clerk, be allowed for the consideration of his list by the Election-Master- General.
* Note XI.
At the end of this length of time, with the addition of that which, in the instance of each such Election District Office, regard being had to local distance, is necessary for the transmission of an answer thither from the National Office,— if no answer therefrom have been received, such list is to be employed.
If an answer is received from the Election-Master-General, giving order for amendments, then shall such amendments be conformed to, and the list employed shall be such as the amendments indicate.
Of the answer received, or of the expiration of the time without answer, as the case may be, entry shall be made in the Register Book of the District Office.
Art. 6. Here follows a provision for keeping up the list of placarding places.
[ ] days before the last day of each successive year, a copy of the printed list of the year last preceding, — with indications in writing, proposing such amendments as, by the lapse of time, shall, in the judgment of the said Election District Clerk have been made requisite, — shall in like manner, by means of timely transmissions from the District Offices, according to their respective distances, have been received at the Eleclion-Master-General's Office.
They shall thereupon be re-transmitted and employed, subject to amendments, as per Article 5.
Art. 7. In each Election District, as soon as the General Recommendatory Certificate paper has been compleated, and (as per Article 4 and 3) the number of placarding places ascertained, — the District Clerk shall cause to be printed, in the placard form, a number of such Certificates, equal to that of the said placarding places, with a surplus sufficient for incidental demand.
Having so done, he shall by Post, as per Article 3, transmit, to each of the several Polling Offices within his District, a number, correspondent to that of the several placarding places within that Polling District, with a competent surplus, as above.
Art. 8. Immediately upon receipt of his allotment of General Recommendatory Certificate Papers, each Polling Office Clerk shall make appointment of a competent number of persons, under the name of Election Placarders, by whose hands ihe several placards shall be affixed on the several placarding places.
To each of such Election placarders he shall dehver, in manuscript or print, a Paper of Instructions, for his guidance in the execution of such his Office.
Art. 9. For the more effectual prevention of all obstruction thereto, each such Election Placarder shall, within such Polling District, have the power, as attested by the ensign of Office, of a Special Constable.
Of these powers a specification shall be contained in such Paper of Instruction.
The Election-Master-General shall, from time to time, as occasion may require, draw up a Paper of such Placarding Instructions for the whole Kingdom.
But with all such variations, and such only, as in his judgment may be suitable to the circumstances of particular Districts or Sub-Districts.
Art. 10. On payment of [Is.] the Editor of every Newspaper, having, or designed to have, currency in any Election District, may, if desirous of publishing in such his Newspaper the General Recommendatory Certificate Paper of the District, cause his name and address, accompanied with an intimation of such his desire, to be registered at the Office of such District.
This done, a copy of such paper shall, at or before the time when the operation of placarding commences, be transmitted to him by the General Post from the said Office.
As between Newspaper and Newspaper, it is the duty of the Election Clerk so to order matters, that every such Newspaper shall receive such Certificate Paper, as nearly as may be at the same time, in such sort that no advantage be given to any one to the prejudice of any other.
Art. 11. Of every such General Recommendatory Certificate the Copy shall, in every Newspaper, be free of Stamp Duty.
It shall be printed without change, and without any comment immediately prefixt or subjoined.
If, in the printing thereof in any Newspaper, any change be made, for the purpose or to the effect of undue preference or prejudice to any proposed Member, whether by omission, addition, or substitution, or any difference in the type or mode of printing, the proposed Member so injured shall have his remedy against the Editor of the Newspaper, by action for Damages and with Costs.
Art. 12. Of the three original definitive Recommendatory Certificates, delivered in in favour of each proposed Member, at the Election District Office, as per Section 3, Article 3, the Clerk shall by the next post transmit one to the National Election Office.
Section 7. VOTERS' TITLES PRE-ESTABLISHED.
Art. 1. The following are the evils, for the avoidance of which the arrangements in this section are ordained: — I. Vexation and cofisttmption of time, in the proof of claims to the right of suffrage, and in contestations respecting it.
II. In case of disagreement, eventual litigation, with the vexation and expense attached to it.
in. Consumption of time in such sort as incidentally to produce non-election or null-election; or at least the excluding of persons in numbers more or less considerable, from the exercise of their rights of suffrage.
IV. In case Householders' votes alone are by law admitted, intrusion of Inmates* votes.
For the avoidance of these evils, it has been thought good that, antecedently to the day of voting, the title of each Voter shall have been established.
Art. 2. For this purpose, at each Polling Office, three several Register Books are to be kepi; namely, I. The Application Book. In this book, entries are made of applications made for Blank Vote-making Certificates.
II. The Fotem' Book. In this book, persons, by or for whom apphcation is made as Voters, are set down in the alphabetical order of tlteir surnames.
III. The Fit led- up Certificate Book. This Book is composed of the duplicates of the Vote-making Certificates in the state they are in when filled np. They are kept in the Office, to form a standard of comparison for the corresponding duplicates, when produced on the Polling day, in support of each person's claim to be admitted to vote.
Art. 3. [ ] diiys at the least before the appointed Polling day, to enable himself to give a vote, the proposed Voter must take out two copies of a blank form of a Vote-making Certificate, as per Section 2.
The place at which he applies for this purpose, is the Polling Office, of the Polling District, within which the liabitation in respect of which he proposes to vote, is situated.
He may apply in person, or by any person appearing for him, as Agent for this purpose.
In the Application Book, before the Blank Certificates are delivered, entry is made of the name and habitation of the proposed voter, on whose behalf the application is made.
The description given of his name is that which is prescribed in Section 2.
The description given of the habitation is that which is pre* scribed in Section 10.
If the Applicant is the proposed Voter himself, note of his being so is taken, by entering under the word Application^ with which one column of each page in the Book is headed, the word personal; adding, as per Sections 9 and 1 0, the description as given by him of the habitation in respect of which he claims to vote: also whether as Householder or as Inmate.
If he be any other person, then, under the words Application by agent f with which another column in the same page is headed.
are inserted the name and habitation of the proposed Voter; as also the name and abode of the agent,* To each sucii entry is prefixed an indication of the year, month, and day of ihe month on which the apphcation was made: also the name of the applicant, signed by him.
'J'hia done, on payment of [3c^.j for each, the Blank Certificates are delivered.
Art. 4. The use of the Voters Book is to exhibit the names of voters in alphabetical order, that being the only order, in which reference can at all times, without loss of time, be made.
Whenever a pair of Blank Certificates has been delivered, and entry has accordingly been made in the jipplication Book, as per Article 3, — the name of the proposed voter is entered in this book, according to the situation of his surname in the alphabet.
In a line with it are written the words Certificate delivered, together with the month and day of the month, and the page in the Application Buok.
For each of these indications a column, headed accordingly, is provided.
Art. 5. The instruments being thus delivered, [ ] days at the least before the day of Election, the proposed voter must come in and produce them at the Polling Office, by himself or agent, filled up as per Section S.
These the Clerk examines; and, if he finds the duplicates sufficiently conformable to each other, and to the directions contained in the tenor of them, as per Section 1 — he returns one of them forthwith to the person by whom it was produced.
But first he writes or stamps on it the words EXAMINED, and found correct and re-delivered, to be used in giving the vote: together wiih the month, the day of the month, and his signature.
The other he retains for the use of the office. It constitutes a page in the book called the Filled-up Certificate Book.
He attests it in like manner; and, instead of the words Exa- * Note XII.
mined and found correct and re-delivered, &c. he writes or stamps on it the words — The duplicate hereof was examined, found correct, and re-delivered to be produced on giving the vote.
Art. 6. For remedy against misconception, error, or fraud, in the composition of Vote-making Certificates, it is thus ordained: If, in either duplicate of a pair of filled- up Certificates, any error is observed by the Clerk, intimation of such error, and of the alteration necessary for correction, is afi"orded by him.
It is expressed by entries briefly made in the margin of the instrument, and authenticated with signature and date, as per Article 5.
If the correction thus required be of such a sort, as that, for the prevention of fraud, it is in his judgment necessary that a fresh meeting of the Vote-makers should have place, — he thereupon, after entry made of the errors and of the alterations requisite, gives intimation of such necessity, and of the cause thereof, to the person applying, and writes or stamps upon the paper the words, ji fresh Meeting is required.
If, in his judgment, such fresh meeting is not necessary, he stamps or writes the words A fresh Meeting is not required.
If, in his judgment, consideration being had of the state of the errors, and the situation, quantity, and quality, of the corrections requisite, the same instrument can not conveniently be made to serve, — he delivers a fresh blank instrument, having first written or stamped on the corrected instrument, the words, Returned for incorrectness as above explained; fresh pair of blank Certificates at the same time delivered: — with date and attestation as above.
If, in one only of the duplicates, error requiring correction x^ observed, he retains for the Filled-up Certificate Book, the correct duplicate. But, for the memorandums, instead of the words, Duplicate hereof found correct and re-delivered to be produced on giving the vote, he inserts the words, This Duplicate found correct: the other found incorrect, and re-delivered for correction.
If in both duplicates error requiring correction is observed, he returns them both, noted as above.
In this case he delivers Blank Certificates, or not, as the case may require.
Art. 7. For remedy against accidental loss or defacement of Vote-making Certificates, before or after filling up, it is thus provided: Suppose any such accident to have happened, the proposed Voter, by himself or agent, makes application at the office for a fresh Certificate, or fresh Certificates, as the case may be.
He declares the nature of the accident: for example — Lost hy accident, Destroyed by accident, Defaced by accident. If defaced and not lost, he produces it.
Of this declaration entry is made in the Application Book, in the same manner as in the case of an original application.
For such entry the same fee is paid.
Such application may be made more than once: but if, from the number of successive applications, already made by or in behalf of the same proposed Voter, — it should appear to the Clerk that it was through sinister design, or wantonness, that they were made, — delivery may be and ought to be refused by him.
In this case entry shall be made by him, noting the number of the times, and adding, Delivery refused on suspicion of sinister design or wantonness.
So likewise if it be suspected by him, that a person, applying in the name and character of a proposed Voter, is not such proposed Voter, but an impostor.
Or that a person, applying in the name and behalf of a proposed Voter, was not authorized by him.
In all these cases he shall, in the Application Book, make entry of the ground, on which, as above, delivery was refused.
Art. 8. On payment of a fee of fSt?.] for the whole, these and all other books of the office are, in office-hours, open to the inspection of all persons, so far as may be without hindrance to the more material parts of the business.
Section 8. ELECTION, HOW.
Art. 1. For the periodical day of the first meeting of a parliament, see Section 12: [ ] days before that day, the Election Process everywhere commences.
It commences at the Sub-District Office, where there is one: it is completed at the District-office.
Art. 2. Here follows the mode of proceeding at the Pollingoffice.* At the time of voting, the station of the Poll Clerk is separated, by a rail or other sufficient partition, from that of the multitude, voters and others.
Near to him is the Secret Selection-box, described in Section 4.
Within reach of this Box is the station of a Vote-receiving Clerk, by whom the Voting Card, immediately as it is selected by the Voter, is received from him, and dropped into the Votereceiving Box, — both described in Section 5.
That the state which, at the time of the delivery, the Voting Card is in, may be perfectly seen by the whole company present, — the station of the Receiving Clerk is,— though at some distance, and by a rail separated from the spot occupied by the Voter at the Selection-box, — yet within reach of it, and at the same time elevated a little above it: in such sort that the Card can not be delivered by the Voter, without his raising his arm to deliver it, nor received by the Receiving-Clerk without his lowering his arm to receive it.
Art. 3. The Hustings are more or less raised above, and by a sufficient partition separated from, the attendant multitude.
Included therein are, — 1. The station of the Poll- Clerk; — 2. The station of the Proposed Members, or of any such Agents of theirs as are in attendance; — 3. The station of the Voters' Secret Selection-box; — 4. The station of a Vote-receiving Clerk with his Vote-receiving Box.
* Note Xlir.
To prevent confusion, — interposed between the station of the attendant multitude and the Hustings is a passage; in width sufficient to afford a convenient station to one man; in length (suppose) six, eight, or ten feet; formed by a sufficient partition, with a bar at each end.
To give admission to a Voter, — the bar, at the end furthest from the Hustings, is lifted up.
He presents himself with his Distinction-Ticket in his hat.
On his admittance into the passage, — for the information of all concerned, and in particular of the Poll-Clerk, the Voter's surname first, and then the first letter of it, are audibly pronounced, and at the same time the Voter's Copy of his Vote-making Certificate is handed up by him to the Poll-Clerk.
On receiving the Voter's Copy, the Poll-Clerk, being informed as above, turns to the corresponding copy, as it stands in the filled-up Certificate- Book: a short glance enables him to see whether the Copy thus prescribed is the duplicate of it.
As soon as he is satisfied of its being so, the bar opens; and the Voter repairs to the Secret Selection-box, within which he chooses the Card that bears the name of th* Proposed Member for whom he means to vote.
Art. 4. In the Secret Selection-box, — the Voter, looking through the pane of glass in the top, introduces his hand or hands, at the side-apertures, and having taken up the Card that bears the name of the Proposed Member for whom he means to vote, closes it while yet in the Box, by applying together the two white surfaces with the name, leaving on the outside the two black ones.
In this closed state he takes it out; and, holding it aloft, delivers it to the Vote-receiving Clerk.
The Vote-receiving Clerk, without opening it, instantly drops it into the Receiving-box.
If the two plates, of which this Card is composed, are not flapped together, as above, by means of the hinges on which so § 8. Election, how.
they turn, — the name on one or both of them may be visible: in that case, the Card is torn; and he who presents it loses his Vote. So, if they are folded together with the two black surfaces on the inside; in this case the name will be on the outside of each of them, and thus be visible.