Chap. 115.—An ACT to amend and re-enact an act passed January 31,
1862, changing the manner of Examining Pollsand Certifying Elections
for certain officers of this Commonwealth.

Passed January. 28, 1867.

"1. Beit enacted by the general assembly, That in all cases
f elections for election districts, or senatorial or congres-
ional districts, the commissioners superintending the elec-
ions at the courthouses of the several counties or corpora-
ions forming such districts, shall, within six days after such
lection 1s concluded, deliver a certified ‘statement of the
esult of the election in said county, (to be ascertained in the
.amner now prescribed by law), to the clerk of the county
>urt of such county, whose duty it shall be to record such
»sult in a book for that purpose, to be kept in his office, and
ansmit a certified copy of such result, (whichwshall be writs
p in words and not in figures), by mail or otherwise, to the
erk of the county court of the county first naméd in the
law, (except in the several congressional districts, when the
returns shall be made, in the first district, to the clerk of
Mathews county; inthe second district, to the clerk of Nan-
semond county; in the third district, to the clerk of the
county court of Louisa; in the fourth district, to the clerk of
the county court of Prince Edward; in the fifth district, to
the clerk of the county court of Pittsylvania; in the sixth
district, to the clerk of the county court of Augusta; in the
seventh district, to the clerk of the county court of Frede-
rick; and in the eighth district, to the clerk of the county
court of Washington county), describing such district, whose
duty it shall be, on a certain day appointed by law, from the
commencement of such election—which certain day, if an
election from 4 district of a delegate, shall be the fifteenth;
of a senator, the twentieth; of a representative in congress,
shall be the thirtieth, after such commencement—in the pre-
sence of two freeholders, to open and examine such copies
so transmitted, and compare the returns from the respective
counties, and declare the person having the greatest number
of votes in the whole district, duly elected. If the greatest
number of votes be equal for two or more persons, the two
freeholders and clerk shall decide by lot to which of them
they will give the certificate of election, and shall record the
same in the clerk’s office; and shall, within three days there-
after, transmit by mail or otherwise a copy thereof to the
person so elected, and a like copy to the clerk of the house
to which such person is elected, to be preserved by him—
which certified copy shall be sufficient evidence of his elec-
tion, and entitle him to a seat.

2. In contesting elections, reference may be had by either

y party to the records of any county or counties from which

(trom any cause) such returns may not have been received or

s counted by the clerk giving such certificate.

3. When parts of counties belong to such districts, such
returns shall be transmitted by the officers conducting such
elections to the clerk of the county first named in the dis-
trict as aforesaid.

4. It shall be the duty of the secretary of the common.-

‘ wealth to prepare and have printed, in pamphlet form, the
third article of the constitution, and an abstract of such liws

it

in relation to elections, as it may be proper for commissioner:
of elections to know, with references to the Code and Acts
of Assembly, and also forms of oaths to be taken by officers
superintending and conducting elections, and forms of pol
books and returns of elections, and to furnish a- sufficient
number for each place of voting in the counties, cities anc
towns, to the clerks of the counties, cities and towns; that 1
shall be the duty of the several clerks of the county or cor
poration courts to cause the said pamphlets to be placed it
possession of the commissioners, or condnuctors.of elections
at eath place of voting in each county or corporation, no
fess than threé days before said election.
5. This act shall be in force from its passage.