^J^^-UA.^LtL4>^ IVA [IIouSB^BlLLUfeJ .] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 28, 1863. A. BTLT. To be entitled An Act to provide certain regulations for holding elections for representatives in the Congress of the Confederate States. 1 The Congress of the Confederate Stalts of America do e)iact. That, 2 in the several States of the Confederate States of America, the 3 regulations for holding elections for representatives in the Con- 4 gress of the Confederate States .shall be as follows : 5 I. Such elections shall be held iu all States wherein no pro- 6 vision exists by law fixing the time for holding the same, on the 7 first Wednesday in November next, and in each second year * 8 thereafter. 9 II. Elections shall be so held by the officers, autlioiities or 10 persons appointed or provided by the laws of the several States 1 1 for the purpose of holding such elections and at the })1aces so 1 2 provided, or, if no provision has been made or shall be made there- 13 for, then by the State authority, officers or persons, who, at 2 14 time, are authorized to hold elections for members of the mo8t 15 numerous branch of the State Legislature. 16 III. Such elections shall be conducted according to the mode 17 prescribed by the laws of the several States, except so far as the IS same are modified by this act. 19 1\. In such elections every citij^en of the Confederate States 20 who has not forfeited his citizenship by electing to adhere to the 21 government of the United States, Avho shall be qualified to vote '2,2 for a member of the most numerous branch of the Sate Legisla- 23 ture of the State wherein he resides, shall be entitled to vote at 21 the place or places in his State at which he would be entitled to 2o vote in an election for such member of such Legislature. 2ti X. But, in case such citi/en shall be in the military service of 27 the Confederate States, or in case he shall be driven from his home 28 by the occupation of his country by the public enemy, or the 29 movements of his troops, or in case the elections cannot be held at 30 the usual places of holding the same, by reason of such occupation 31 or movements, then such citizen shall be allowed to vote at the 32 places in such State hereinafter provided, or in the camps of the 33 army. 34 VI. In every State. in which elections are to ,bc held for the S5 Congressional Districts separately, polls shall be opened by the 36 officers, authorities or persons, authorized to hold such election, 37 at the court house of each county for each Congressional district, "p.. s 88 from which the vote of any citizen, entitled to vote under this 39 act, shall be offered; and the returning officers shall make dupli- 40 cate returns of the votes of such citizens from other districts 41 to the Governor of the State within three days after such election. 42 VII. In every State in which, under the provisions of the 43 act of the present Congress, such election shall be held by general 44 ticket, such citizen may vote at any place of voting in such 45 State. 46 VIII. In every case in which the State governments have 47 failed to provide for elections to be held in the camps of the army, 48 such elections for representatives shall be held therein as fol- 49 lows : 50 IX. In every army corps, diviyion or command, the colonel 51 of each regiment, or other officer in command thereof, or the 52 officer i» command of any less body on detached service, shall 53 appoint two judges and three clerks to open and hold such elec- 54 tion, who shall hold the same, and make out the poll-books and 55 returns, under the same rules and regulations as if the same 56 were opened and held at the usual place of holding the same in 57 the State from which such regiment or command came, and in 58 case such election shall be by general ticket, shall allow all per- 59 sons entitled, to vote therein. But if the same sli;ill be by dis- 60 tricts, then such judges and clerks shall keep separate poll books 61 and make separate returns for each district. Or such command- 4 62 ing officer may appoint such judges and clerks foi* each district 63 or 80 many as may be deemed convenient and proper. 64 X, The returns of such elections in camps shall be forwarded 65 by the several commanding officers appointing the judges and 66 clerks as aforesaid, to the highest officer in grade, and the senior 67 of the grade from the State for "which the same is held, in the en- 68 campment or army in which the same is held, whose duty it shall 69 be at once to forward the same to the Governor of the State, or 70 the same may, if more convenient, be forwarded by such cora- 71 manding officer directly to such Governor. 72 XI. In case the exigencies of the public service prevent the 73 holding the elections in camp under this act, or under any State 74 law passed for that purpose, at the time provided by law, the 75 same may be held at any time within ten days after the prevent- 76 ing cause may cease, the time for holding the same*to be fixed by 77 the officer authorized to appoint the judges and clerks. 78 XII. Such officer shall be authorized to administer the proper 79 oaths to the judges and clerks, or they may administer the same 80 to each other. 81 XIII. Every person concerned in holding such elections in 82 any State or camp, shall take an oath to support the constitution 83 of Conledcrs o States, and to discharge his duty in holding such * 84 election U.i h fully and impartially.