householder within the precinct for two years, or a freeholder and householder for the year next preceding the election, then any qualified voter of the precinct may be appointed.

61, 62, and 65.)

(Secs.

An Inspector must not have anything bet or wagered on the election, nor be a father, father-in-law, son, son-in-law, grandfather, grandson, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, nephew, or first or second cousin of any candidate at the election.

Not more than three nor less than two days before the day of election, the Inspector, or the Judge authorized by him, must call at the County Clerks' office and get the ballots for his precinct. (Secs. 100, 103, 104.) Before going he should inform himself, if he can, if the number of voters in his precinct has increased fifty per cent. since the last presidental election. He will receive ten ballots for each five voters in his precinct-ten local (county) and ten township ballots--each kind of which must be counted, wrapped in separate packages and sealed in his presence. He will also receive a sealed package containing the State ballots, for his precinct, three blue pencils, the cards provided by the County Board of Election Commissioners with printed instructions for voters, and three sample ballots of each kind of ballots. All these he must carefully guard and preserve. (Secs. 100, 102.) If, by accident, they be lost or destroyed, he must report at once to the County Board of Election Commissioners, at the County Clerk's office, and obtain a new supply. (Secs. 96, 105.)

At the time election supplies are received by the Inspector he shall also receive from the Auditor the registration books, applications and affidavits returned by the Registration Board of his precinct. These he shall have present at the election precinct on the day of the election, and within three days thereafter he shall return them to the Auditor. (Sec. 45.)

The Inspector acts as Chairman of his Election Board, and must announce the opening and closing of the polls. His duties as a member of such board are set forth hereinafter under the head of "Election Board."

Meals--The Inspector should see that the Election Board of nis precinct are furnished with good, plain and substantial meals, at the regular hours for meals, during the election day and until the count is finished; but no spirituous, vinous or fermented liquors shall be furnished. Those entitled to receive these meals are the Inspector, two Judges, two Poll Clerks, and two Election

Sheriffs, and no others. The Inspector should also see that the election room is comfortable, such as furnishing fuel, light, chairs, table and a stove. (Sec. 144.)

APPOINTING JUDGES.

Before opening the polls the Inspector must appoint two Judges, one from the Progressive and the other from the Democratic party. (Sec. 62.) The Chairmen of the Progressive and Democratic County Committees have the right to name these Judges, but must do so at least one week before the election. (Sec. 61.) If a member of the Election Board fail to appear at the hour for opening the polls, the remainder of the Board must select a member from his political party to serve in his stead. The qualified voters of his party present at the polls may nominate a qualified person for the vacancy, and he must be appointed. If no member of the election Board appear at the hour appointed for opening the polls, the qualified voters present must elect a Board viva voce as nearly as possible in conformity with the requirements above stated. (Sec. 62.)

ELECTION JUDGES.

Election Judges have no duties except as members of the Election Board. They must be qualified voters of the precinct and have been freeholders and resident householders therein for at least one year, or householders for at least two years next preceding the day of election, and be members of different political parties and of the parties which cast the highest number of votes in the State at the last State election. If no persons who are qualified will consent to serve as such Judges, or if there are no persons residing in the precinct qualified to act as Judges by reason of the fact that they have not been resident householders within the precinct for two years, then, in that case, any two electors of the precinct may be appointed as such Judges. (Sec. 61.)

ELECTION BOARDS.

The Election Board is composed of the Inspector and the two Judges representing the two leading political parties. No person except these three have any voice in determining any question arising for the Board's decision. (Secs. 61 and 62.)

NOMINATION OF POLL CLERKS. The first duty of an Election Board is the appointment of Poll Clerks, who must be qualified electors of the precinct and representatives of the two leading parties. If nominations have been made by the chairman of these two parties, such nominees must be appointed. (Sec. 63.)

OATH OF OFFICE. The next duty is taking the oath of office in accordance with Sections 65 and 66. The law requires the Inspector and Judges to be qualified on the morning of the election. If no person is present at the polling place authorized to administer oaths, the Inspector administers the oath to the two Judges and then one of the Judges administers the oath to the Inspector. The Inspector administers the oath to the Polling Clerks. (Sec. 67.). The Inspector then reads to the Judges Sections 57 and 58 of the election law, and each member of the Election Board then takes an oath as provided in said sections. (Secs. 126 and 127.)

PROVIDING BALLOTS AND FURNITURE. In case, for any reason, the ballots or any necessary furniture for the election be not on hand at the opening of the polls, the Board must supply them as speedily as possible. Ballots should be obtained from the person who was entrusted to bring them to the polling places, if possible; if not, then at the County Clerk's office; and if that be impracticable, the Board must have them printed. (Sec. 105.)

OPENING BALLOT PACKAGES. After the organization of the Board the ballot packages must be opened by the Inspector in the presence of the Board without breaking the seals, in other words, cut the strings and leave the seals on them. (Sec. 101.) The seals must be preserved and returned with the protested, disputed, defective and uncounted ballots. (Sec. 119.) The Inspector then delivers twenty-five of each of the different kinds of ballots to the Poll Clerk of the party opposing his own, and the pencils to the other Clerk, who has charge of the same. As soon as a ballot has been delivered by the Poll Clerk to a voter the Inspector must deliver another ballot to the Poll Clerks, who must at once sign it with their initials and place it at the bottom of those already signed, so that at all times the Poll Clerk shall have twenty-five of each of the different kinds of ballots before him. (Sec. 101.)

BALLOT BOXES. The ballot boxes must be opened, examined and then closed and locked before announcing that the polls are open. One key must be retained by the Inspector and the other key given to the Judge of the opposite politics of the Inspector. (Sec. 69.)

OPENING THE POLLS. When these duties have been performed and the Poll Clerks have marked their initials on the lower left-hand corner of the back of twenty-five of each of the different kinds of ballots, the Inspector must then announce that the polls are open. No ballot can be received before this announcement is made. (Sec. 78.)

POLLS OPEN AT 6 A. M. SHARP. The failure of the Poll Clerks to have their initials marked on the full number of twenty-five ballots shall not delay the opening of the polls. The law says the election shall be opened at 6 o'clock a. m. (Sec. 70), and this provision is mandatory. As soon as the Clerks have any ballots at all marked properly with their initials, the polls shall be opened, and the full quota of twenty-five ballots shall be marked ahead as quickly as possible without delaying the vote.

POLLS OPEN CONTINUOUSLY. The polls must be kept open continuously from 6 a. m. to 6 p. m., unless after 4 p. m. when there has been no vote tendered for fifteen minutes, the Board may, by unanimous consent of all its member, close the polls. (Sec. 70.) (Sec. 70.) After the polls open at an election, the Board can not adjourn temporarily, nor take any recess, until the polls have been regularly closed, all the votes counted, the returns made out, and the result publicly announced. The meals should be served the Board in the election room, and the polls kept open so that no delay shall be had in voting. (Sec. 144.)

RIGHT OF ELECTION BOARD TO CHALLENGE. The right of any person offering to vote may be challenged by either challenger present, by any member of the Election Board, or by any voter of the precinct. (Sec. 108.)

INTERPRETER. If any member of the Board request it, an interpreter may be called to aid in instructing a voter, but the interpreter has no right to mark the ticket or see it marked. (Sec. 112.)

BALLOTING. The Board has general supervision of the balloting and should not permit any violation of the law in its

presence without the immediate arrest of the offender. No ballot may be put in the box by the Inspector if the manner in which it has been marked has been shown to any person, or if it has been mutilated, or defaced, or any distinguishing mark put on it, or if the initials of the Poll Clerks do not appear on it. (See 116.)

CLOSING POLLS. No voter can enter the election room after the polls are closed, but any voter in the room at the time of closing may tender his vote and it must be received. The Inspector must make proclamation of the closing of the polls, and a minute of the time must be entered by the Poll Clerks on the tally papers. (Sec. 70.)

POLL CLERKS.

Poll Clerks must be qualified voters of the precinct and taken from the two leading parties. They may be nominated by the respective County Committees four days prior to the election. (Sec. 63.) But if not, they must be selected and appointed by the Board of Election, one from each of the two leading parties. (Sec. 63.)

OATH OF OFFICE. The first duty of the Poll Clerks is to take the oath of office. (Sec. 67.)

PASTERS. On receiving ballots from the Inspectors the Poll Clerks must place all necessary pasters on them in their proper places, when a candidate has been properly named to fill a vacancy occasioned by the death, removal or resignation of any candidate after the tickets have been printed. (Sec. 94.)

INITIALS. The Poll Clerks must place their initials in their ordinary handwriting, in ink, on the lower left-hand corner of the back of each ballot immediately upon receiving the ballot from the Inspector. (Sec. 101.) This must be done without any distinguishing marks. Twenty-five ballots of each kind must be kept ready for delivery to the voters, and the one first signed must be delivered first. (Sec. 101.) Placing a mark on a ballot by which it may afterwards be known is a penal offense. (Secs. 129 and 130.)

THE VOTER AND POLL CLERKS. On entering the election room the voter announces his name to the Poll Clerks. The Board shall cause the registration books for such precinct