ballot. The ballot shall vary in form only as the names of Detalls as to offices or candidates may require. The names of the candidates shall appear in alphabetical order under the respective offices. The voter may designate his choice, as is indicated by the instructions shown on the form of ballot above set forth. Each candidate for delegate shall have the right, by filing a request with the county commissioners, to have printed at the right of his name upon the official ballot, in the space provided for that purpose, the name of the candidate whom he will support in the convention. Petitions of Section 5. The names of candidates shall be printed upon the official ballot of a designated party, upon the filing of petitions, signed by qualified electors electors. of the political district division within which the nomination or election is to be made, setting forth that the signers thereof are members of the party designated. The said petitions, in the case of candidates for Congress or for State offices, shall be filed, at least Filing of. four weeks prior to the primary, with the Secretary of the Commonwealth; and in all other cases shall be filed, at least three weeks prior to the primary, with the county commissioners of the respective counties. The number of signers shall be as follows: 1. Candidates for nomination for Members of Congress, Judges of the various courts, and State Senator, two hundred qualified electors. 2. Candidates for nomination for Members of the State House of Representatives, and for offices to be voted for by the entire county, fifty qualified electors. 3. Candidates for nomination for all other offices, for delegates to State and National conventions, and for party offices, ten qualified electors. Number of signers. Section 6. The Secretary of the Commonwealth, List of candiimmediately after the filing of the said petitions with dates. him, shall forward to the county commissioners of each county a correct list of the candidates of each party for the various offices, as contained in such petitions. Forms of ballots The county commissioners shall have on file in their office, at least one week preceding the primary, open to public inspection, forms of the ballots with shall be on file. the names printed thereon, which shall be used in each election district within such county. official ballots to county commis be supplied by Section 7. The county commissioners shall prepare, and furnish to the election officers for use at the primaries, as many official ballots of each party as are equal to double the total number of votes cast for any candidate of said party, within the election district, at the last general election: Provided, That the Proviso. county commissioners shall furnish such additional sioners. Additional ballots.. Sample ballots. Delivery of ballots. Ballot boxes, blanks, return sheets, etc. Delivery of. Polling-places. Election boards. Compensation. Clerks. Compensation. Oath. Poll hours. Liquor selling. Conduct of primaries. number of ballots, in any election district, as may be requested in writing by the chairman of the county committee of any party; such requests must be filed with the county commissioners two weeks before the primary. The county commissioners shall also furnish onefourth as many specimen ballots as the whole number of official ballots, to be printed on colored paper, and to be of the same size and form as the official ballot, for the use of the electors at the polls. The official ballots shall be bound, in books of one hundred each, in the same manner as ballots at elections; and shall be delivered to the officers of election in the same manner as ballots are or hereafter may be required by law to be delivered to officers of election, for use at elections. The county commissioners shall prepare, and furnish to the election officers, at the primaries, such ballot boxes, properly numbered for each election district, lists of voters, forms, blanks, return sheets, blank books and other supplies as they are, or hereafter may be, required to furnish, by law, to said officers for use at elections, and shall deliver them in the same manner as at elections. The said supplies shall have printed upon them appropriate instructions, and shall be in appropriate form for use at the primaries. They shall also provide for the opening of the polling-places, for the compensation of the owners thereof, shall see that they are in proper order, and provided with voting-booths, as at elections. In Section 8. The primaries shall be conducted by the regular election boards, duly elected under existing laws, who shall receive one-half the compensation for their services that they receive at elections. spectors of elections shall have the right to appoint clerks to assist them, as at elections, who shall receive one-half the compensation that clerks receive for such services at elections. Vacancies on election boards shall be filled in the manner now provided by law. Before entering upon their duties the election officers and clerks shall be sworn, as is now required by law. The polls shall be open between the hours of two post meridian and eight post meridian: Provided, That all persons licensed to sell liquors, either at wholesale or retail, or as bottlers, shall be compelled to keep their places of business closed, on said days for holding said primary elections, only between the hours of one o'clock post meridian and nine o'clock post meridian. Primaries shall be conducted in conformity with the laws governing the conduct of general elections in so far as the same are not modified by the provi electors. sions of this act or are not inconsistent with its terms: But, provided, That no elector shall be permitted to receive any assistance in marking his ballot, unless Assistance to he shall first make an affidavit that he cannot read the names on the ballot, or that by reason of physical disability he is unable to mark his ballot. Expense of holding primaries, Section 9. The county commissioners shall keep an accurate account of the entire expense of holding such etc. primaries, including the preparation and delivery of supplies, voting materials, et cetera, and the total amount shall be paid, in the first instance, by the county treasurer, upon the order of the county commissioners. As soon as convenient thereafter, the county commissioners shall prepare an itemized statement of the amount so paid, verified by oath, and send ment. the same, accompanied by the receipted vouchers, to the Auditor General, who, if he finds the same correct, shall draw a warrant on the State Treasurer, for the proper county, for the amount so approved, which shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of the money in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Itemized state Warrants. Qualifications of Proof. Section 10. The qualifications of electors entitled to vote at a primary shall be the same as the qualifi- electors. cations of electors entitled to vote at elections, within the election district where the primary is held. Each elector shall prove his qualifications and his identity in the same manner in which electors in the election district in which he offers to vote are, or hereafter may be, required by law to prove their qualifications or identity, on election day. ballots. Proviso. Oath or affirma Each elector shall have the right to receive the Right to receive ballot of the party for which he asks: Provided, That if he is challenged, he shall be required to make oath or affirmation that, at the next preceding general tion. election at which he voted, he voted for a majority of the candidates of the party for whose ballot he asks. Upon executing such affidavit the voter shall be entitled to receive the ballot for which he has called, and to cast his vote according to law. Affidavit. boxes, lists, etc. Section 11. The ballot boxes, lists of voters (a copy Custody of ballot of which shall be posted outside of the polling-place), and other records shall be delivered into the custody of the officers who now are, or hereafter may be, required by law to keep similar records of elections. Upon the closing of the polls at such primary election, the election officers shall forthwith proceed to open the ballot boxes and take therefrom the ballots, and first count the number cast for each party, and Counting the make a record thereof; and then count the vote cast for the different persons named upon said party ballots; and, when said count is finally completed, they vote. shall certify, in due and proper form, to the number Certificate. Sealing of returns. Canvass. Petition alleging fraud. Recount. Appeals. Proviso. Commissioners' certification of returns. Tabulation. Nominees of Delegates. of votes cast for each person upon the respective party tickets. They shall then replace the ballots, counted and canvassed, in the boxes, and lock the same. They shall then place the returns of votes and the register of voters, aforesaid, for each party, in separate envelopes, and seal the same; which said envelopes shall, on or before noon of the Tuesday following, be deposited by the judge of election in person, or by registered mail, with the county commissioners, who shall on the succeeding day, at noon, publicly commence the computation and canvassing of the re turns, and continue the same from day to day until completed; and for that purpose to have the right to petition the court of common pleas for the use of its processes to enforce the provisions of this act in relation to the returns of the election officers. Upon petition of ten qualified electors of any county, setting forth that fraud has been committed in any election district of said county, together with a statement of the reasons why such an assertion is made, it shall be the duty of the county commissioners to open the ballot box of the said district and to recount the votes. Any person aggrieved by any decision of the county commissioners relative to the counting of the votes may appeal therefrom to the court of common pleas of the proper county, whose duty it shall be to hear said appeal, and to make such decree as right and justice shall require: Provided. however, That in case of a contest of delegates to a State Convention, such contests shall be determined by the State Convention, according to the rules of their respective parties. Contests of primaries shall be originated and conducted as in the case of elec tions. The county commissioners shall make the proper certification of returns of votes cast for the candidates for nomination for members of Congress or for State offices to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, who shall tabulate the same, and shall certify to the county commissioners the result of the computation of the vote for such offices, at least forty days prior to the election. Section 12. Candidates for offices of the CommonState conventions, wealth, to be voted for by electors of the State at large, shall be nominated by the State conventions, for which delegates are elected in accordance with the terms of this act. The delegates who receive a plurality of the votes of the party electors at the Spring primary shall be the duly elected delegates to the respective State and National conventions. Said State conventions shall be held not later than one week after the date of the primary, in accordance with the rules of the respective parties. Date of State conventions. Candidates for nomination as provided herein, who receive a plurality of votes of any party at a primary meeting, shall be the candidates of that party, and it shall be the duty of the proper officers to print their names upon the official ballots, for use at the election, as is now or hereafter may be required by law. nomination. Candidates for party offices, who receive a plurality Party officers. of the votes cast for such candidates, shall be the party officers of such party. vote. In case of a tie, the candidates receiving the tie In case of tie vote shall cast lots before the county commissioners or the Secretary of the Commonwealth, as the case may be, and the one to whom the lot shall fall shall be entitled to the nomination or election. Vacancies happening or existing after the date of Vacancies. the primary may be filled in accordance with the party rules, as is now or hereafter may be provided by law. Watchers. Section 13. Each candidate shall be entitled to have two watchers at the primaries, as at elections, only one of whom shall be entitled to be within the polling-room at one time. Their rights, duties and method of appointment shall be as at elections. Each party or candidate may, at any time before the pri- Petition. mary, present a petition to the court of common pleas of the proper county, setting forth the fact that it or he has reason to believe that in a certain district or districts fraud or unfair methods may be attempted; and if, upon a consideration of the facts presented in said petition, the court shall be of the opinion that said application is made in good faith, the said court shall appoint an overseer for said petitioner or petitioners, who shall be entitled to remain within the polling-place during the casting and the counting of the ballots. Overseer. Section 14. Any person who votes or attempts to violations. the polling place, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, Misdemeanor. or both, in the discretion of the court. No police Police officers 1 |