SEC. 2. The return of votes for electors shall be made out, signed, certified, sealed and directed in the same manner hereinbefore provided for the return of votes for senator, and the town clerk shall transmit the same to the sheriff of the county within seven days after said meeting, or to the office of the secretary of state on or before the last Wednesday but one of the same month. SEC. 3. Each sheriff shall on or before the said Wednesday transmit to the secretary's office all returns of votes to him transmitted as aforesaid. The sheriff or secretary to whom such return of votes shall be delivered, shall, if requested, give a receipt therefor.

SEC. 4. The secretary shall on the day following the said last Wednesday but one of November, lay such returns before the senate and house of representatives in convention, to be by them examined and counted. The requisite number of persons to be chosen, who shall have the largest number of votes returned, shall be declared duly chosen electors. (Laws of 1848, chap. 701, sec. 1.) SEC. 5. If the requisite number of electors shall not be chosen as aforesaid by reason of two or more persons having an equal number of votes, then the senate and house of representatives in convention shall forthwith choose by ballot so many persons, one at a time, as shall be necessary to complete the requisite number. (Laws of 1848, chap. 701, sec. 2.)

SEC. 6. The governor shall cause the several persons who may be chosen electors, to be notified forthwith of their election, and request their attendance at the state house in Concord, on the Tuesday next preceding the first Wednesday of December then next, at ten of the clock in the forenoon.

SEC. 7. The electors chosen as aforesaid shall meet at the state house in Concord, ou said Tuesday, and by twelve o'clock at mid-day of said day, give notice to the legislature of the number of electors present, who accept said office.

SEC. 8. If the requisite number of electors are not present, or do not accept, the senate and house of representatives shall immediately meet in convention, and by joint ballot elect the number wanting to complete the board, and if any person so chosen do not accept, the convention shall immediately fill such vacancy.

SEC. 9. The electors shall give their votes for president and vice-president of the United States at Concord, on said first Wednesday of December, and shall proceed therein according to law.

SEC. 10. If any clerk or sheriff shall neglect to make return of votes in the manner aforesaid, he shall incur the same penalty as in case of neglect to return votes for senator.

CHAPTER 30.

OF THE ELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE GENERAL COURT.

SECTION 1. The meeting for the election of representatives to the general court, in towns not classed, shall be holden on the second Tuesday of March annually; but if the election of the requisite number shall not be effected on that day, the meeting may be adjourned to and the election of the number deficient made on the following day, but not afterwards.

SEC. 2. The certificate of election shall be made out, certified and signed in the same manner as the return of votes for governor, and the town clerk shall also certify that the check list was duly posted and used during the balloting on which such representative was chosen; the number of ratable polls in such town; and the number of voters upon the check list as corrected on the day of such annual meeting.

SEC. 3. In determining the number of representatives to which any town or place is entitled, every male inhabitant of twenty-one years of age and upwards, who is a legal voter in such town or

place, or not being a legal voter has resided therein twelve months next preceding the election at which such representative or representatives are to be chosen, or who has been taxed and has paid a poll tax within such town during the year preceding such election, and resided therein six months next preceding the same election, shall be considered a ratable poll; and the names of such persons only shall be considered, in certifying the number of ratable polls in such town or place, upon the check list used in balloting for representatives. (R. S., chap. 29, sec. 3; laws of 1847, chap. 493, sec. 1.)

SEC. 4. The clerk of every town specially authorized to send a representative to the general court, shall note on the margin of the certificate of election the time when such authority was given.

SEC. 5. Each of the following towns and places not having the constitutional number of ratable polls, may send a representative to the general court, until otherwise ordered, viz: Atkinson, East Kingston, Greenland, Newington, Newton, Hampton Falls, Poplin, South Hampton, Madbury, Middleton, Centre Harbor, Brookfield, Allenstown, Brookline, Litchfield, Sharon, Temple, Gilsum, Roxbury, Sullivan, Surry, Langdon, Benton, Hebron, Orange, Dalton, Albany, Bennington, Chatham, Franconia, Gosport, Jackson, Sandown and Windsor. (R. S., chap. 29, sec. 5; laws of 1844, chapters 95, 173, 174; laws of 1847, chapters 508, 509; laws of 1848, chapters 619, 623, 721.)

OF THE ELECTION IN CLASSED TOWNS.

SEC. 6. The meeting for the election of the representatives of any classed towns may be holden on any day in March except the second Tuesday thereof.

SEC. 7. Such meeting shall be called by warrant under the hands and seal of the selectmen of the town wherein the meeting is by law to be holden for that year, requiring the inhabitants of said classed towns qualified to vote for senator, to meet at a certain place in said town, and at a certain hour therein mentioned, and expressing the purpose of such meeting.

SEC. 8. The selectmen shall post up an attested copy of such warrant at some public place in each of said towns fifteen days at least before such meeting, and return such warrant, with their doings thereon, at the time and place of said meeting.

SEC. 9. The selectmen of the town wherein such meeting is by law to be holden, shall lodge with the clerk thereof, and cause to be posted up at some public place in said town, at least fifteen days previous to said meeting, an alphabetical list of all the legal voters of said town, and shall at said meeting enter on said list the name of every legal voter which shall be upon the list of voters of any town classed therewith.

SEC. 10. The selectmen of each classed town shall hold sessions for the correction of the list of voters in the manner herein

before provided for other towns, giving at least seven days' notice thereof; but no session shall be holden for such purpose on the day of the election, except in the town in which such election is to be holden.

SEC. 11. An attested copy of the check list, as corrected by the selectmen of each classed town, shall be filed by them with the town clerk of the town in which such meeting is to be holden, before the opening of such meeting, or in his absence with one of the selectmen.

SEC. 12. At such meeting a moderator shall be chosen, and said moderator and the selectmen and clerk of the town wherein such meeting is holden, and the legal voters of each town present, shall have the same rights and powers, perform the same duties, and be subject to the same liabilities and penalties, as if such meeting were a legal meeting of the inhabitants of one town only.

SEC. 13. If there shall be no clerk of the town in which such meeting is to be holden, or in case of his absence, the legal voters of such town present shall choose a clerk of the meeting, who shall be sworn and shall perform the duties by law required of town clerks in town meetings, shall keep a fair record of the proceedings of the meeting, and shall transmit the same duly certified, to the clerk of said town as soon as one shall be elected, who shall record the same in the book of records of the town wherein such meeting is holden.

SEC. 14. If any selectman or town clerk shall neglect to perform any duty required of him by this chapter, he shall be punish-ed by fine not exceeding fifty dollars.

SEC. 15. The following towns and places, not having the constitutional number of ratable polls each, are hereby classed for the election of representatives to the general court in the following manner, and each class may send one representative annually, viz : Carroll, Nash and Sawyer's Location, Hart's Location, and Craw ford's Grant; Jackson and Pinkham's Grant; Northumberland and Stratford; Woodstock and Lincoln; Ellsworth and Waterville; Pittsburg and Clarksville; Errol, Millsfield, Dixville, Cambridge and Wentworth's Location; Stark and Dummer; Milan and Berlin; Shelburne, Gorham, Randolph, and Martin and Green's Grant. (R. S., chap. 29, sec. 15; laws of 1848, chap. 741, sec. 1; laws of 1849, chap. 856, sec. 1; laws of 1852, chap. 1306.)

7

SECTION 1. The secretary of state shall, within thirty days after any default in the return of votes, certify the same to the solicitor of the county, which certificate shall be prima facie evidence of such default, and the solicitor shall prosecute every person guil ty of such default.

SEC. 2. All fines and penalties accruing under the six preceding chapters for any default or offence, may be recovered by indictment or information, and shall be appropriated one half to the use of the prosecutor, and the other half to the use of the county. SEC. 3. No prosecution shall be sustained unless commenced within one year after the commission of the offence.

SEC. 4. If the clerk of any town or place shall make an incorrect or insufficient record or return of the votes given therein at any meeting for any of the officers aforesaid, the tribunal by whom said votes are opened and counted, may require said clerk at his own expense to come in and amend said record or return according to the facts of the case.

SEC. 5. If any clerk shall neglect or refuse to appear and amend as aforesaid, he shall be punished by a fine of fifty dollars, to be recovered by indictment or information in the county in which such delinquent resides.

SEC. 6. If any person shall make or accept any bet or wager of money, goods or property of any kind whatever, upon any election for any public officer, or upon the event or result of such election, or upon any of the proceedings thereof, or if any person shall receive any money, goods or other thing, the same having been won upon any such bet or wager, he shall forfeit and pay a sum equal to double the amount of the money or value of the goods or property so received, bet or wagered, to the use of the person who first sues therefor.

SEC. 7. Any contract or agreement made or entered into for the purchase, sale, loan or use of money, or property real or personal, the terms of which are made to depend upon or are to be varied or affected by any such election, or by the event or result