The New Election Law

I.ansins, -Feto. -4, 1892. a oí Courler. Dear Sir- There have been su man; queetions asked by local officers of iu8 town.-liips, incorpórate vllLages and citiee, relative to the application of the general election law to local electlons and town meetings to be held in the spring ! 1892, that I deeire Ï say to mu-u officers, through your paper, that.: Act No. 190 of the Public Acts of 1891, fcnown as the general election law, a.s limited by Act No. l'.)i of the Public Acte of ,the same year, apjpMes 'tu all local electione held in the varioue citlee, viílages and townships of this state. That such clections must lx.' üisild accordtag bo the provisions of sáid genera! law, so far as tJie Bame are applicable -tuereto. It te provided among other things, in Bectton Ome of Act No. 194, that "all tJie provisions of 'euch general law ï-elative to the board of election inspeel oi-s, the arrangement of polling places (wiiit-h would inclnde the pro vidtng and arrangement of booths), the mattner of voting and receiving votes, and the canvass and declaratáon of bhe rrsult .of such election, ure ínade applicable io Kuch numicipal ■iiül towBShip clcLtions;" but the time ïor opeming Bnd cloöiog of polls shall mot be affected by reason of Act Xo. 190. The 'time iov opening and closing DÍ the Jiolls in itOWBBhip eleetions is CöntroUed by section 704 of Howell's Statutee, which provldee that: "The pools ehall be opened at nlne o'clock in th cfoi-enoon. or as soon thereafter as may bc, and shall be i the homrs ooi I and si o'eloek in .the afternoon, and . shall cause proclamatlon to Ik.1 niad I one hour beíore the ciostng of .the polls, that the closed at (y wlthin the öpecifi ;1 hour, naming it," Section two, : Act No. V.)i provldee liiai: "Thé towuship board of each town. aad sucli pea-sous as shall be .1 therefor by the common couiicil of the vairlous cities and villages in this state, shaU be the board of election commlBSloners for such town6hip, city or village reepectively, and éhall perform such duties relative to the preparatiOD and printing of bailóte as are required by law oí the board of Blestioa commis.sioners lof countiee, ïuid tlie likc duties and privileges as are enjoyed and granted by tii e ïaws govcirning general elections, upon tlic various commlttees of the Uiffcrent political organizatione, are hcreby prescribed ïor the city, village or township committeee, in elections pui-suant" to fcaid act; nxcept that no vignette or lieading ior the ballot, other tlian Vhe aiame of the 1a.rty Bhall lx' necessary. It -vill be ueceesary to Jiold the caucuses for the aomination of candidates at least five days befare election day, as wetion tliree of tlie act pirovides that "the namee of candi- sliall be given .in by the commitbees oí the varions organizatdons, to the board of election commissioners of .suclimunicipality, not less than live days befoi'e each election, and the pt-oof copy of the ballot niiall be open Do the Snspection o? the chairman of each coniiüittee at the office of the townsMp clerk, and city or village clea'k or recorder, siot less than two clear secular days before such election." The ticket must be pi-inted in the terne foïm as is .provided in the general law, and the board of election icommissioners for the township, city ör village, must iurnisli the ticket. Tlvey can get -he .printing done at isuch place as they choose. The worde "political organizations" or "political party" uscd in this act, must be coiivStirued to mean any respectable body of citizens who are Olectors of any townehip or election district, and who !isemble thenaselves together in the ananner provided by the law, and hold & nominating cauCU6 Off con'ention. Henee it Is öiüy necessary, in order for a, peréón to have his name ■ upon the ticket, that he shoukl be Hminutrd ly a renpectable body oí ■etors prope-rly assembled, ivho are Btitled to have his name prluted on ■ ticket. Ht is not intended, however, that ■W pereon ivho de.s-ires to run for ■ice shaU be p-rohibited from furnishr felips, ot Beeking, within the pro■ions of the law, ,to have his name ■ttten or paeted on the ticket by Httoi-M when they are preparing their ■Hots in the booths. All such votes Hil the votes íor any person, when ■ the bíillot, Bhould be counted un■r the name directions as govern the ■unting oí votes íor regular candiHttvs wioee ñames are printed on K iKillot-s. ■íjr teection 4, of Act No. 190, it is Hhvidt'd: B'No electlon district or voting preBct the provisdons oí this act Bill contaüi more than five hundred ■V !irs according to the poll lists of "■ last preceedimg general elcction. 'WlK'ii iiuiy election district or voting precimct hall contain over five hunÖired electora it shall be the duty oí the lownsiiip board in townshlps, and the city council in cities, to divide ïsuch voting precincts into two or tnore èteettOD districts." i In oase the división is made in a townehlp or incorporaitod village, the provisions oí chnptcr eight of Howell's Statutee, are to apply and govern fiuch división. If the división is made in cities, and thoi-o are no special provisions in the city charter cxisting relative thercto, then the ilivision, the election Comniissioners, the election inspect.uid all mattere arising iv reason of the división, must be provided ior oriliiuuice iï the common council. The common covmcil luis power to make éiü necessary rules and regulaMons In connection therewith, to fully parry outihc provisión ol the law. In all vol tog precincte in ojties where ■ are specla] provi&ione in the charter for dtsi.cnatin.i? Inspectora of olcction, sucli inepectore should be deslgnated aè düirected In the charter and would 1k the inspectora ol election umlcr the law. Attoi'iK'v General.