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EXTRACTS

FROM THE

CONSTITUTIONS OF THE SEVERAL STATES

IN RELATION TO THE

RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.

MAINE.

ART. II.-Sec. 1. Every male citizen of the United States, of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, excepting paupers, persons under guardianship, and Indians not taxed, having his residence established in this State for the term of three months next preceding any election, shall be an elector for Governor, senators, and representatives, in the town or plantation where his residence is so established, and the elections shall be by written ballot. But persons in the military, naval, or marine service of the United States, or this State, shall not be considered as having obtained such established residence by being stationed in any garrison, barrack, or military place, in any town or plantation: nor shall the residence of a student at any seminary of learning entitle him to the right of suffrage in the town or plantation where such seminary is established.

2. Electors shall, in all cases except treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest on the days of election, during their attendance at, going to, and returning therefrom. 3. No elector shall be obliged to do duty in the militia on any day of election, except in time of war or public danger.

4. The election of Governor, senators, and representatives shall be on the second Monday of September annually for ever.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Every male inhabitant of each town, and parish with town privileges, and places unincorporated, in this State, of twentyone years of age and upwards, excepting paupers, and persons excused from paying taxes at their own request, shall have a right at the annual or other meetings of the inhabitants of said towns and parishes, to be duly warned and holden annually forever in the month of March, to vote in the town or parish wherein he dwells, for the senators of the county or district whereof he is a member.

Provided, nevertheless, That no person shall be capable of being elected a senator, who is not of the protestant religion and seized of a freehold estate, in his own right, of the value of two hundred pounds, lying within this State, who is not of the age of 30 years, and who shall not have been an inhabitant of this State for seven years immediately preceding his election, and at the time thereof he shall be an inhabitant of the district for which he shall be chosen.

And every person, qualified as the Constitution provides, shall be considered an inhabitant for the purpose of electing and being elected into any office or place within this State, in the town, parish, and plantation where he dwelleth and hath his home.

And the inhabitants of plantations and places unincorporated, qualified as this Constitution provides, who are or shall be required to assess taxes upon themselves towards the support of government, or shall be taxed therefor, shall have the same privilege of voting for senators in the plantations and places wherein they reside, as the inhabitants of the respective towns and parishes aforesaid have. And the meeting of such plantations and places for that purpose shall be holden annually, in the month of March, at such places respectively therein as the assessors thereof shall direct; which assessors shall have like authority for notifying the electors, collecting and returning the votes, as the selectmen and town clerks have in their several towns by this Constitution.

The meetings for the choice of Governor, Council and senators shall be warned, by warrant, from the selectmen, and governed by a moderator, who shall, in the presence of the selectmen, (whose duty it shall be to attend,) in open meeting, receive the votes of all the inhabitants of such towns and parishes present, and qualified to vote for senators; and shall in said meetings, in presence of the said selectmen and of the

town clerk, in said meeting, sort and count the said votes, and make a public declaration thereof, with the name of every person voted for, and the number of votes for each person: and the town clerk shall make a fair record of the same at large, in the town book, and shall make out a fair attested copy thereof, to be by him sealed up and directed to the Secretary of the State, with a superscription expressing the purport thereof: and the said town clerk shall cause such attested copy to be delivered to the sheriff of the county in which such town or parish shall lie, forty days at least before the first Wednesday in June; or to the Secretary of the State at least thirty days before the said first Wednesday in June; and the sheriff of each county, or his deputy, shall deliver all such certificates by him received, into the Secretary's office, at least thirty days before the first Wednesday in June.

All persons qualified to vote in the election of senators shall be entitled to vote, within the district where they dwell, in the choice of representatives. Every member of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by ballot; and, for two years at least next preceding his election, shall have been an inhabitant of this State; shall have an estate within the district which he may be chosen to represent, of the value of one hundred pounds, one-half of which to be a freehold, whereof he is seized in his own right; shall be, at the time of his election, an inhabitant of the district he may be chosen to represent; shall be of the protestant religion, and shall cease to represent such town, parish, or place, immediately on his ceasing to be qualified as aforesaid.

And the qualifications of electors of the Governor shall be the same as those for senators; and if no person shall have a majority of votes, the Senate and House of Representatives shall, by joint ballot, elect one of the two persons having the highest number of votes, who shall be declared Governor.

VERMONT.

SEC. 21. Every man of the full age of twenty-one years, having resided in this State for the space of one whole year next before the election of representatives, and is of a quiet and peaceable behavior, and will take the following oath or affirmation, shall be entitled to all the privileges of a freeman of this State:

"You solemnly swear (or affirm) that whenever you give your vote of suffrage, touching any matter that concerns the State of Vermont, you will do it so as in your conscience you shall judge will most conduce to the best good of the same, as established by the Constitution, without fear or favor of any man."

34. All elections, whether by the people or the Legislature, shall be free and voluntary; and any elector, who shall receive any gift or reward for his vote, in meat, drink, moneys, or otherwise, shall forfeit his right to elect at that time, and suffer such other penalty as the law shall direct; and any person who shall, directly or indirectly, give, promise, or bestow, any such rewards, to be elected, shall thereby be rendered incapable to serve for the ensuing year, and be subject to such further punishment as a future Legislature shall direct.

39. Every person of good character, who comes to settle in this State, having first taken an oath or affirmation of allegiance to the same, may purchase, or by other just means acquire, hold, and transfer land or other real estate; and, after one year's residence, shall be deemed a free denizen thereof, and entitled to all rights of a natural born subject of this State, except that he shall not be capable of being elected Governor, LieutenantGovernor, Treasurer, counselor, or representative in Assembly until after two years' residence.

Amendment adopted June 26, 1828.-Art. 1. No person, who is not already a freeman of this State, shall be entitled to exercise the privilege of a freeman, unless he be a natural-born citizen of this, or some one of the United States, or until he shall have been naturalized agreeably to the acts of Congress.

MASSACHUSETTS.

SEC. 3. Art. 4. Every male person (being twenty-one years of age, and resident of any particular town in this commonwealth, for the space of one year next preceding) having a freehold estate within the same town, of the annual income of three pounds, or any estate of the value of sixty pounds, shall have a right to vote in the choice of a representative, or representatives, for the said town.

Amendment.-Art. 3. Every male citizen of twenty-one years of age, and upwards, (excepting paupers and persons under guardianship,) who shall have resided within the commonwealth

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