Meetings to fill held. (516.) SEC. 24. Special township meetings may be held for Special Township the purpose of choosing officers to fill any vacancy that may vacancies; how occur, if the Township Board shall deem it expedient, and make their order therefor; and in case the said Township Board become disorganized, or reduced below the number of a quorum, as provided by law, by, or through the death or removal of the officers composing the same, or from any other cause, then such special township meeting may be called and proceeded in, in all respects, as in the case of newly organized townships. (c) for other pur (517.) SEC. 25. Special township meetings shall also be held, Special Meetings for the purpose of transacting any other lawful business, poses. when ordered by the Township Board, on a request to them in writing, signed by any twelve electors of the township, specifying therein the purposes for which such meeting is to be held; and the mode of proceeding at all special meetings shall be the same as at the annual meetings. Meeting what to (518.) SEc. 26. Every order for a special township meeting Orders for Special shall specify the purpose for which it is to be held, and the specify. time when, and the place where it shall be held; and if any vacancies in office are to be filled at such meeting, such order shall state in what offices vacancies exist, how they occurred, and who were the last incumbents, and if the vacancy be in the office of Justice of the Peace, such order shall also state at what time the Constitutional term of office will expire. (519.) SEC. 27. The time appointed for holding any special Within what township meeting shall not be more than twenty, nor less than meeting to be fifteen days from the time of making the order therefor; and such order shall be left with the Township Clerk within two days after the making thereof, and shall be recorded in his office. time after order held. notice. (520.) SEC. 28. The said clerk shall, within two days after Clerk to give such order shall be left with him, cause copies thereof to be posted up in three of the most public places in the township; and if there be a newspaper printed in such township, he shall also cause a copy to be published therein, if practicable, at least five days before the day appointed for such special meeting. (c) As amended by "An Act to amend Section Twenty-Four of Chapter Eighteen of the Revised Statutes of Eighteen Hundred and Forty-Six, entitled, 'Of the Powers and Duties of Townships, and Election, and Duties of Township Officers."" Approved January 29, 1853. Laws of 1853, p. 22. No noti e f (521.) SEC. 29. No notice of the annual township meetings shall hereafter be necessary. MANNER OF CONDUCTING ELECTIONS. Election. Inspectors of (522.) SEC. 30. At the election of officers required to be chosen by ballot at the annual township meeting, the Inspectors of election shall be the same as at the general election. Township Clerk to keep minutes. When Clerk of Meeting to be appointed by Inspectors. Opening and closing of poll. Ballots to be deposited in box. contain, etc. (523.) SEC. 31. The Township Clerk shall be the clerk of the township meeting, and shall keep faithful minutes of its proceedings, and a correct list of the persons voting at the election; and he shall enter at length in his minutes every order or direction, and all rules and regulations made by such meeting. (524.) SEC. 32. If the Township Clerk be absent, then such person as shall be appointed by the Inspectors for that purpose shall act as clerk of the meeting, first taking an oath, to be administered by one of the Inspectors, that he will faithfully perform the duties of his office according to the best of his ability. (525.) SEC. 33. The polls of the election shall be opened at nine o'clock in the forenoon, or as soon thereafter as may be, and shall be closed between the hours of three and six o'clock in the afternoon, and the Inspectors shall cause proclamation to be made at least one hour before the closing of the polls, that the polls of the election will be closed at, or within the specified hour, naming it. (526.) SEC. 34. When the election is by ballot, the Inspectors shall deposit the ballots in a box, to be constructed, kept and disposed of, as near as may be, in the manner prescribed in chapter five. Ballots, what to (527.) SEC. 35. The ballot shall be a paper ticket, with the names of the persons for whom the elector intends to vote, written or printed, or partly written and partly printed thereon; and shall designate the office to which each person so named is intended by him to be chosen; but no ballot shall contain a greater number of names as designated to any office, than there are persons to be chosen at such election to fill such office, and each ballot shall be so, folded as to conceal the contents, and shall be delivered to one of the Inspectors. Designation of (528.) SEC. 36. If at any election there shall be one or more cancy. vacancies to be supplied, in the office of Justice of the Peace, persons to fill vaSchool Inspectors, or Commissioners of Highways, and at the same election, any such officer is to be elected for the full term, it shall be necessary to designate on the ballot the person or persons voted for to supply such vacancy or vacancies. (529.) SEC. 37. If any person offering to vote at such election, Challenges. or upon any question arising at such township meeting, shall be challenged as unqualified by any Inspector, or any elector entitled to vote at such meeting, the Inspectors shall proceed thereupon in the manner prescribed in chapter five, in case of a challenge at the general election; and no person whose vote shall have been received upon such challenge, shall be again challenged upon any other question, arising at the same township meeting. serve order, etc. (530.) SEC. 38. The Inspectors, or officer presiding, shall Authority to prehave the same authority to preserve order, to enforce obedience, and to commit for disorderly conduct, as is possessed by the Board of Inspectors at a general election. and elections. (531.) SEC. 39. Between the hours of twelve o'clock at noon, Viva voce votes and three o'clock in the afternoon, there shall be elected the other officers to be elected at said meetings; and all business of said meetings requiring a viva voce vote (except that required by section eight of said [this] chapter), shall be then transacted. (d) motions, how de (532.) SEC. 40. All questions upon motions made at town-questions upon ship meetings, shall be determined by a majority of the termined." electors voting; and the officer presiding at such meeting shall ascertain and declare the result of the votes upon each question. CANVASS OF VOTES. and determina (533.) SEC. 41. The votes given by ballot shall be publicly Canvass of votes canvassed by the Inspectors, at the place where the meeting tion of result. was held, and the result shall be read by the clerk to the persons there assembled; and such reading shall be sufficient notice to all persons elected at that election to any office, whose names are on the poll list as voters. (d) Substituted for original Section 39, by "An Act to repeal Section Thirty-Nine of Chapter Sixteen, of the Revised Statutes of 1846, and to substitute a new Section therefor, to stand as Section Thirty-Nine of said Chapter." Approved February 10, 1855. Laws of 1855, p. 137. Ballots to be counted and poll list. (534.) SEC. 42. Before the ballots are opened, they shall be compared with counted and compared with the poll list, and the like proceedings shall be had as to ballots folded together, and as to differences in number, as are prescribed in chapter five. sult, etc. Statement of re- (535.) SEC. 43. The canvass being completed, and the result ascertained, the Inspectors shall draw up a statement in writing, setting forth, in words at full length, the whole number of votes given for each office, the names of the persons for whom such votes for each office were given, and the number of votes so given to each person, which statement shall be certified under the hands of the Inspectors to be correct. (536.) SEC. 44. The Inspectors shall also certify upon such certified and re statement, their determination of the persons elected to the respective offices, including as well those elected without ballot, as those elected by ballot; which statement and certificate of determination shall be left with the Township Clerk, and recorded in his office. Statement of determination to be corded. Who to be deem ed elected; when termined by lot. (537.) SEC. 45. The persons having received the greatest choice to be de number of votes given for any office at such election, shall be deemed and declared duly elected; and if two or more persons shall have received an equal number of votes for the same office, the Inspectors of election shall determine the choice by lot, and shall declare and certify the same accordingly. TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. Oath of office. Clerks, when to notify' persons elected. (538.) SEC. 46. All officers, except Justices of the Peace, required to be elected at township meetings by ballot, shall, before entering upon the duties of their offices, and within ten days after notice of their election, respectively take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed by the twelfth article of the Constitution, before the Township Clerk, or some other officer authorized to administer oaths, and file the same with the Township Clerk, who shall record the same and such oath shall be administered without reward, and certified by the officer before whom the same was taken, with the date of taking the same. (539.) SEC. 47. Within two days after the election of any officers at a township meeting, the clerk shall transmit to each person elected to any township office, and whose name shall not have been entered on the poll list at such election as a voter, a notice of his election; and each Overseer of Highways and Pound Master elected at such meeting, shall, within ten days after notice of his election, file with the said clerk a notice in writing of his acceptance, and in default thereof he shall be deemed to have refused to serve. enter upon their (540.) SEC. 48. The persons so elected Justices of the Peace, when Justices to shall enter upon the duties of their offices respectively, as duties. follows: 1. Those elected for the full term of four years, on the fourth day of July next succeeding their election; 2. Those elected to fill vacancies, and those elected at the first township meeting in any new township, immediately upon the filing of their oath of office and security with the County Clerk, as required by law. in new townships. (541.) SEC. 49. When a new township shall be organized, if Justices residing there be one or more Justices of the Peace residing therein, they shall be deemed Justices thereof, and shall hold their offices according to their respective classes; and only so many Justices shall be chosen as shall be necessary to complete the number of four for such township. Justices. 6. ing. (542.) SET. 50. Within six days after the election of Justices Classification of of the Peace in such new township, the Supervisor shall give notice in writing to the Justices elected, and to the Township Clerk, of the time and place when and where he will meet them, to determine by lot the classes of such Justices; which 1836, p. 20, Sec. notice shall be served at least six, and not more than twelve days, previous to the time appointed therein for such meeting. (543.) SEC. 51. At the time and place so appointed, the Mode of classifySupervisor and Township Clerk shall cause to be written on separate pieces of paper, as near alike as may be, the numbers one, two, three, four, or such, and so many of such numbers as shall correspond with the classes which shall be vacant, and shall cause them to be rolled up as nearly alike as may be, and deposited in a box; and the persons elected Justices shall 1836, p. 21, Sec. severally draw one of the said pieces of paper, and shall be classed according to the number written on the paper so drawn by him, and shall hold his office for such number of years, either one, two, three, or four, as shall correspond with such number so drawn. 7. to draw for ab (544.) SEC. 52. If any person elected a Justice shall neglect When Supervisor to attend such drawing, the Supervisor shall draw for him; sent Justices. but if the Supervisor be absent from his township, or unable to serve, or his office be vacant, the Township Clerk shall 1836, p. 21, Sec. 8. |