separating waiting-space from voting-space; O, Voting-space; D, Gate in rail C C; E, Table for election officers; F, Box for stubs; G, Box for voted ballots; H, Booth in which the voter prepares his ballot for voting; J, Door to booth.

The polls are open continuously from six o'clock in the morning until five o'clock in the afternoon, and the voting is conducted substantially as follows: The voter presents himself at the table in the voting space and announces his name. If his name appears on the registry list, the poll-clerks enter his name and residence with other items in a regular poll-list, and he is given a ballot by the ballot clerks, the number on the stub of which is also entered on the poll-list opposite his name. With this ballot he enters a booth and closes the door,

If he desires to

that he may prepare the ballot in secret. vote a "straight-ticket," that is, for all the candidates of one party, he makes a cross (X) with a lead pencil in the circle beneath the party emblem. If he wishes to vote a "split-ticket," that is, to vote for candidates of different parties, he makes with the pencil a cross (X) in the little square at the left of the name of each person for whom he wishes to vote; or he marks the candidates of parties, other than his own, for whom he wishes to vote, and puts a cross beneath his own party's emblem, by which he votes for the candidates specially marked and his own party's candidates for all other offices. He must not put any other marks on the ballot, unless he wishes to vote for some person not named on the ballot, in which case he writes the name of such person in the blank column in the proper place. After he has prepared the ballot, he folds it and delivers it to

the inspector in charge of the ballot boxes, who tears off the stub, the number of which is recorded in the polllist opposite the name of the voter. The inspector then places the stub in the box for stubs and the ballot in the box for voted ballots. While it is the intention that the ballot shall be secret, and but one person be allowed in a booth at the same time, yet in the case of blind men and some others a person under the direction of the election officers is permitted to enter the booth with the disabled person to prepare his ballot. Another provision permits a man to be "challenged," that is, stopped from voting, if it is thought that he is not entitled to vote. In such a case

he cannot vote unless he takes an oath before the inspectors that he has the right. This is called "swearing in his vote." But a person who votes illegally at any election is liable to imprisonment for not less than two or more than five years.

Counting Votes. After the polls are closed, the election officers count the votes and prepare three statements of the result, which show, among other things, the number which each candidate received. One of these statements is given to the supervisor of the town or city ward, one is deposited with the town clerk or city clerk, and the third is delivered to the county clerk. The county clerk tabulates the returns from the election districts, and on the Tuesday next after election, the board of supervisors of the county meet and "canvass," or review, the returns. In this work they are called the "Board of County Canvassers." Upon the completion of their work, the county clerk publishes a statement of the officers elected within the county, and prepares three statements of the

votes cast for officers of the State or divisions larger than the county, one of which he sends to the Governor, one to the Secretary of State and one to the Comptroller. In cities a similar canvass is made of the votes cast for city officers and the city clerk publishes the result. These statements of the county clerks are examined by the State Board of Canvassers before the fifteenth day of December, and upon completion of this work the Secretary of State presents certificates of election to the persons shown to be elected.

CHAPTER XII.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

State Property. The money and property of the State belong to the whole State, and not to any portion or class of individuals, and to insure its use for common purposes the Constitution provides that neither the credit nor money of the State shall, in any manner, be given or loaned in aid of any corporation or private undertaking (Art. VII., Sec. 1; Art. VIII., Sec. 9); but, for the public good it is provided that the Legislature may make provision for the education of the blind, deaf and dumb, and may apply funds held by the State for educational purposes. (Art. VIII., Sec. 9.)

State Debts. As a further safeguard the Legislature is also limited in its power to contract debts. The Constitution (Art. VII., Secs. 2 and 3) permits debts to be contracted by the State in case of failure to collect the taxes, or for unexpected expenses, to the amount of one million dollars, and to repel invasion, suppress insurrection or

defend the State in time of war; "but the money arising from the contracting of such debts shall be applied to the purpose for which it was raised, or to repay such debts, and to no other purpose whatever." No other debt can be contracted by the State except one authorized for some special work or object, such as the erection of public buildings, or repair of the canals. In such a case the Legislature must pass a bill which states the object for which the money is to be raised, and provides for the collection of an annual tax sufficient to pay the interest on the debt as it falls due, and the principal within eighteen years. Then the law so passed must be approved by the voters of the whole State at the next general election, otherwise it shall be of no effect (Art. VII., Sec. 4.)

Forest Preserve; Canals. Other important sections of the Constitution regarding state property are those relating to the Forest Preserve (Art. VII., Sec. 7) and the Canals of the State (Art. VII., Secs. 8-10).

Other Important Provisions. Among the other provisions of the Constitution, which are so clear as to require no comment, but are of sufficient importance to warrant careful study, are those relating to Bribery and Corruption (Art. XIII., Secs. 2-4), Free Passes to Public Officers (Art. XIII., Secs. 5 and 6), Amendments (Art. XIV. Sec. 1), and Constitutional Conventions (Art. XIV., Secs. 2 and 3).