bureau of elections in each other borough within The City of New York a sufficient number thereof for the use of each board of inspectors within said respective boroughs at least twenty days prior to the first day of registration for a general election in each year. The county clerk shall deliver such books to the town. clerks of each town, and to the city clerk of each city in such county, by mail or otherwise, at least five days prior to the first day of registration, and such town clerk and city clerks, and the said superintendent and chiefs of bureaus of elections in The City of New York shall deliver such books to the inspectors of said boroughs, respectively, before the hour set for registering the names of electors on the first day of registration. On each day of registration, the police board of The City of New York, and the city clerk of Buffalo shall furnish to each board of inspectors in their respective cities, blanks for the list of electors provided for in subdivision three of section thirty-two of the election law. Subdivision 2. Delivery of previous registers and poll books to inspectors. Each town clerk with whom the register of the last preceding general election in any election district, elsewhere than in a city or wholly within a village having five thousand inhabitants or more, shall have been filed, shall cause such register and one of the poll-books to be delivered to the board of inspectors of such district at the opening of its first meeting for the registration for any election. If a new election district shall have been formed in a town since such general election, the clerk of such town shall, before the first meeting for registration thereafter in such new election district, make a certified copy of each register for such general election of each election district out of which such new district shall have been formed, and shall cause such certified copy to be delivered to the board of inspectors of such new election district at the opening of such meeting for registration. Such board, at such meeting, shall place upon the register of electors all persons whose names are upon such copies who are qualified to vote in such election district at the election for which such meeting is held, except the names of persons who are required to personally appear for registration. If a new election district shall have been formed in a city since such general election, the clerk or board with whom the register of electors for such last preceding general election shall have been filed shall, before the meeting of the inspectors Primaries, Conventions and Nominations. S$ 50-51 of election of such new district for registration for any other election, make a certified copy of each register of electors for such last preceding general election of each election district out of which such new election district is formed, and the inspectors of such new election district shall, at such meeting for registration for such election, place upon the register of electors the names of all persons upon such copies who are qualified to vote in such election district at the election for which such meet. ing is held. (As amended by chap. 379 of 1897, § 10.) ARTICLE III. PRIMARIES, CONVENTIONS AND NOMINATIONS. SECTION 50. Definitions of primary and convention. 51. Notice of primary. 52. Organization and conduct of primaries. 53. Qualifications of voters at primaries. 54. Duties of chairman of primary. 55. Watchers and canvass of votes at primaries. 56. Party nominations; choice of emblem for ballots. 57. Independent nominations. 58. Places of filing certificates of nominations. 59. Times of filing certificates of nominations. 60. Certification of nominations of secretary of state. 61. Publication of nominations. 62. Lists for town clerks and aldermen. 63. Posting town and village nominations. 64. Declination of nomination. 65. Objections to certificates of nominations. 66. Filling vacancies in nominations and correction of certificates. § 50. Definitions of primary and convention.-As used in this article, a convention is an assemblage of delegates representing a political party or independent body, duly convened for the purpose of nominating candidates for office, electing delegates to conventions, electing officers for party organizations, or for the transaction of any other business relating to the affairs or conduct of the party or independent body; and a primary is any other assemblage of voters of a political party or independent body duly convened for any such purpose. 51. Notice of primary. --No primary shall be held in a city or village having a population of over five thousand, as shown by the last state or federal enumeration, unless at least two days' notice thereof shall be published in a daily newspaper in such city or village, of the same politics with the political party giving the notice at least twice; but if no such newspaper is published in the same city or village where such primary is to be held, such notice shall be published in a weekly newspaper, if any, in such city or village of the same politics of the political party giving the notice before such primary is held. But if no such daily or weekly newspaper be so published in such city or village, such notice shall be posted in at least six public places in such city or village at least two days prior to the holding of such primary. Such primary shall be opened at such hour between nine o'clock in the forenoon and nine o'clock in the afternoon, as may be prescribed by the political party or independent body holding the same. Elsewhere than in such a city or village, every primary shall be called and held pursuant to notice given according to the regulations and usages of the political party or independent body holding it. § 52. Organization and conduct of primaries.-Every primary held by any political party or independent body for the purpose of choosing candidates for office, or the election of delegates to conventions, or for the purpose of electing officers of any political party or independent body, shall be presided over and conducted by officers to be selected in the manner prescribed by the rules. or regulations of the political party or independent body holding such primary. If the rules and regulations of the political party or independent body calling it so require, or if it shall be, by a vote of the electors present, so resolved, or, if it be in a city or village having a population of over five thousand according to the last preceding federal or state enumeration, and five qualified electors of the district where it is held, belonging to the political party calling it, shall serve upon the secretary or chairman of the general committee of the party, or of its organization in such city or village, or upon the chairman of the district committee, a written demand, stating that they so require it, the following additional requirements, or such of them as may be specified ir such demand, shall be complied with: 1. The chairman and other officers shall take the constitutional oath of office. 2. Candidates and delegates and officers of the organization o committee shall be chosen by ballot. Primaries, Conventions and Nominations. §§ 53-55 3. The meeting shall be held open not less than one hour for voting thereat. 4. The tellers shall keep a poll list of the name and residence of each person voting, and assist the secretary in the canvass of the votes. 5. An elector shall be appointed watcher for each candidate or set of candidates or delegates requesting the same. 6. The chairman shall publicly announce the number of votes cast for each candidate, and the result of the canvass at the completion thereof, and shall, if the primary be held in a city or village having a population of more than five thousand, as shown by the last preceding federal or state enumeration, file a statement of such results and the oath taken at such primary, and the poll list kept thereat in the office of the county clerk, if located in such city or village, and otherwise, in the office of the city or village clerk, and the papers so filed shall be public records and open to inspection and examination by any elector of the state. § 53. Qualifications of voters at primaries.-No person shall be entitled to vote at any primary unless he may be qualified to vote for the officers to be nominated thereat on the day of election. They shall possess such other qualifications as shall be authorized by the regulations and usages of the political party or independent body holding the same. 54. Duties of chairman of primary. The chairman may administer any oath required to be administered at any primary. He shall decide all questions that arise relating to the qualification of voters when the voter is challenged by an elector and shall reject such vote, unless the person offering the vote is willing to be, and shall be sworn, that he will truly answer all questions put to him touching his qualification as such voter, and shall state under oath that he is qualified to vote at such primary. 855. Watchers and canvass of votes at primaries.--The ballot box used at any primary shall be examined by the secretary and by the tellers, if any, in the presence of the watchers, if any, before any ballots are received to see that there are no ballots therein. Such watchers are entitled to be present from the commencement of the primary to the close of the canvass, and the signing of the certificates thereof. At the close of the canvass of the ballots cast for each candidate, the secretary shall publicly announce the vote and the result of the canvass. 01a010.6548 56. Party nominations; choice of emblems for ballots.Nominations made as provided by this section shall be known as party nominations, and the certificate by which such nominations are certified shall be known as a party certificate of nomination. Party nominations of candidates for public office can only be made by a convention, or by a duly authorized committee of such convention of a political party which at the last preceding general election before the holding of such convention at which a governor was elected, cast ten thousand votes in the state for such officer; provided, however, that party nominations of candidates for public office to be voted for only in a town, or ward of a city, or a village or subdivision thereof, can only be made by a convention or primary or by a duly authorized committee of such convention or primary of a political party, which, at the last preceding general election before the holding of such convention or primary at which a governor was elected cast ten thousand votes in the state for such office. The party certificate whereby such party nominations are certified shall contain the title of the office for which each person is nominated, the name and residence of each such person, and, if in a city, the street number of the residence of each such candidate and his place of business, if any. It shall also designate, in not more than five words, the name of the political party which the convention, primary or committee making such nomination represents. It shall be signed by the presiding officer and a secretary of such convention or primary, or, if made by a committee, by a majority of the members thereof, who shall add to their signatures their respective places of residence, and shall make oath before an officer qualified to take affidavits that the affiants were such officers of such convention or primary, or that they are members and constitute a majority of such committee, and that such certificates and the statements therein contained are true to the best of their information and belief. A certificate that such oath has been administered shall be made and signed by the officer before whom the same was taken, and attached to such certificate of nomination. When the nomination is made by a committee, the certificate of nomination shall also contain a copy of the resolution passed at the convention or primary which authorized such committee to make such nomination. A certificate of nomination filed pursuant to this section may upon its face appoint a committee of one or more persons |