LAWS OF WISCONSIN

CONCERNING THE

ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT

OF

TOWNS.

CHAPTER VII.

OF GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS; OF THE MANNER OF CON-
DUCTING THE SAME, AND OF THE CANVASS.

QUALIFICATIONS AND DISABILITIES OF ELECTORS.

R. S. 1858.
CHAP. 7.

p. 99.

SECTION 1. Every male person of the age of twenty-one years who are qualior upward, belonging to either of the following classes, who shall fied voters. have resided in the state for one year next preceding any election,

shall be deemed a qualified voter at such election :

1. White citizens of the United States.

:

2. White persons of foreign birth, who shall have declared their intention to become citizens, conformably to the laws of the United States on the subject of naturalization.

3. Persons of Indian blood, who have once been declared by law of congress to be citizens of the United States, any subsequent law of congress to the contrary notwithstanding.

fied or permitted

4. Civilized persons of Indian descent, not members of any tribe. SECTION 2. No person under guardianship, non compos mentis, Who not qualior insane, shall be qualified to vote at any election; nor shall any to vote. person convicted of treason, felony, or bribery, unless restored to civil rights; nor shall any person, who, being an inhabitant of this state, may hereafter be engaged, directly or indirectly, in a duel, either as principal or accessory, be permitted to vote at any election; nor shall any person who shall have made or become directly or indirectly interested in any bet or wager, depending upon the result of any election at which he shall offer to vote, be permitted to vote at such election.

GENERAL ELECTIONS.

and what officers

SECTION 3. A general election shall be held in the several General election, towns and wards in this state, on the Tuesday next succeeding the elected thereat. first Monday in November in each year, at which time shall be chosen so many of the following officers as are by law to be elected in such year; that is to say, a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, state superintendent,

Special elections when held.

Vacancies may be

eral election; when

bank comptroller, state prison commissioner, senators, members of assembly, representatives in congress, electors of president and vice-president, and the following county officers, to wit: clerks of the circuit courts, sheriffs, registrars of deeds, district attorneys, clerks of the boards of supervisors, county treasurers and coroners, and all other state and county officers not herein enumerated or otherwise provided for.

SPECIAL ELECTIONS.

SECTION 4. Special elections may be held in the following cases, and for the election of the following officers :

1. When there has been no choice at a general election of a representative in congress, senator, member of assembly, or of any county officer who should properly have been chosen at such general election.

2. When the right of office of a person elected to the office of senator, member of assembly, or to either of the said county offices, shall cease before the commencement of the term of service for which he shall have been elected.

3. When a vacancy shall occur in either of the said county offices, except in those of county treasurer, clerk of the circuit court, and clerk of the board of supervisors, after the commencement of the term of service, and more than three months before the next general election.

4. When a vacancy occurs in the office of senator or member of assembly, after the last day of December in any year, and before the first day of February next following.

5. If a vacancy, proper to be supplied at the general election, shall not have been supplied at the general election next succeeding the happening thereof, a special election to supply such vacancy shall then be held.

6. When in any other case of a vacancy, not particularly provided for in this section, the governor shall in his discretion direct. SECTION 5. A vacancy in either of the offices named in the supplied at gen- third section of this chapter, which shall not have been supplied by an election before the general election next succeeding the happening thereof, may be supplied at such election; but no election shall take place for governor or lieutenant governor except at the general election held in the last year of their constitutional term of office.

governor

and lieutenant

governor to be chosen.

Special elections, how conducted

and when held.

Elections where held.

SECTION 6. Special elections shall be conducted, and the result thereof canvassed and certified, in all respects as near as practicable, in like manner as general elections, except as otherwise directed; and no special election shall be held within thirty days next preceding a general election.

SECTION 7. All general and special elections shall be held at the place in each town where the last town meeting was held, or . at such other place therein as shall have been ordered at a previous meeting, or when there has been no such previous meeting, then at such place as shall be directed in the act or proceeding by which the town was organized: but nothing in this section contained shall prevent the holding of two or more polls in one town, when the

same shall be ordered by the inspectors of election as hereinafter provided.

adjourned.

SECTION 8. Whenever it shall become impossible or incon- When place of venient to hold an election at the place designated therefor, the holding may be board of inspectors, after having assembled at, or as near as practicable to such place, and before receiving any votes, may adjourn to the nearest convenient place for holding the election, and at such adjourned. place forthwith proceed with the election.

be made, &c.

SECTION 9. Upon adjourning any election, as provided in the Proclamation to preceding section, the board of inspectors shall cause proclamation thereof to be made, and shall station a constable or some other proper person, at the place where the adjournment was made, to notify all electors arriving at such place, of the adjournment and the place to which it was made.

NOTIFYING ELECTIONS.

elections to be

SECTION 10. The secretary of state shall, between the first Notice of general day of July and the first day of September in each year in which given by secrea governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, at- bary. torney general, and state superintendent, or representatives in congress, are to be elected for a full term of office, or in which electors of president and vice-president are to be elected, make out and cause to be delivered to the sheriff of each county a notice in writing, stating that at the next general election, the aforementioned state officers, and electors of president and vice-president, and a representative in congress for the district to which such county shall belong, are to be elected, or so many of such officers as are then to be chosen.

elections.

SECTION 11. If any vacancy shall exist in the offices either of Ib. of special secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, state superintendent, state senator, or representative in congress, proper to be supplied at the ensuing general election, one month before such election, the secretary of state, or in case of a vacancy in such office, then the person officiating as such, shall, thirty days at least before such election, give notice in writing to the sheriff of each county in the state, when the vacancy is in a state office; or in case of such va-* cancy in a district, then to the sheriff of each county therein, specifying the cause of such vacancy, the name of the officer in whose office it occurred, and the time when his term of office will expire. SECTION 12. The secretary of state shall, between the first Secretary to notiday of July and the first day in September in each year in which sheriffs of vathe term of office of any state senator in any district will expire, senator. make and cause to be delivered to the sheriff of the county comprising such district, or to the sheriff of each county which shall form a part thereof, a notice in writing, specifying the number of the district, and the name of the senator whose term of service will so expire, and whose successor is to be elected at the next general election.

cancy in office of

SECTION 13. The secretary of state shall cause a copy of each Publication of notice issued by him, and of each writ of election issued by the notices and writs governor for a special election, to be published in a paper printed retary.

of election by sec