Ibid. 1897. and City or Town Council. his books, naming the day of the week he will keep his books open. The district registration officers, herein before provided for, shall keep the registration book for such district open at some convenient place therein for the purpose of registration, at least two days in each week, from 9 o'clock a. m. to 12 m., and from 1 o'clock p. m. to 7 p. m. from the first Monday in September until the second Saturday of the month preceding the day in each year in which there is any general election. He shall give notice by posting in three conspicuous places in his district, naming days of the week his books will be open, and at what particular dwelling or building he will be. During the time that the district registration officer is registering voters he may register in one book and the supervisor in another. The registration books. of each county shall be closed on said second Saturday of the month preceding the day in each year in which there shall be a general election. And no person shall be allowed to register at any other time than during the period herein provided for the opening of said books for registration of electors. SEC. 6. That section 12 of said act be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: Section 12. The Supervisor of Registration of the several counties of this State shall have published within fourteen days after the second Saturday in the month preceding the day in which any general election is held, a certified list of the registered and qualified electors of each election district wherein such election shall be held. SEC. 7. That Section 22 of said act be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: Section 22. The County Commissioners (or in case of a municipal election the city or town council) shall cause to be Duty of County prepared or secured one ballot box for each polling place in Commissioners their respective counties, of sufficient size to receive and contain all the ballots of the particular precinct or voting place for which it is intended, and it shall be plainly marked, or labeled with the name of the election district or precinct, or number thereof, for which it is intended. Before any general or special election they shall place in said ballot box twice as many official ballots, so printed by them, as there are registered qualified electors in said election precint, and after securely locking said box, sealing up the keyhole thereof, and all other openings, shall send the key thereof, in a sealed envelope, to the inspector of election of said election district Custodian to be together with the box. The custodian shall be placed under oath or affirmation to perform his commission faithfully and Number of ballots to be placed in ballot box. placed under oath. impartially, without favor or predudice to any political party. SEC. 8. That Section 24 of the said act be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: 1897. election. Section 24. For the purpose of carrying on and conducting all such general and special elections, it shall be the duty of the County Commissioners in each county, at least twenty Inspectors of days prior to the holding of any general or special election therein, to appoint three intelligent, discreet and fair-minded inspectors of election, and a clerk of election, for each polling place in each and every election district in such county, all of whom shall be residents and registered qualified electors of the election district for which they shall be appointed; all of whom shall not belong to the same political party. The County Commissioners in each county shall cause the names of such inspectors and clerks of election to be published in a newspaper published in such county, if there be a newspaper printed in the county, or posted in a conspicuous place at the court house, if there be no newspaper printed in the county, for at least fifteen days before the day of holding any general or special election in such county. Inspectors and clerks of any general or special election of any county shall be paid for their services by their respective Names of in spectors to be published. board of County Commissioners, and the inspectors who carry Pay of inspectthe returns of such elections to their county seats and prop- ors and clerks. erly deliver them shall receive two (2) dollars per day, and five cents per mile each way while performing such service. No elector who cannot read and write the English language shall be appointed inspector or clerk of election. SEC. 9. That Section 25 of the said act be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: Refusal of in Section 25. In case of the absence or refusal to act of any of the inspectors or clerks of election appointed by the Board of County Commissioners for any district or polling spector or clerk place, the qualified electors present favoring the ticket to act. which the absent inspector, inspectors or clerk had been chosen to represent, shall choose from among their number one inspector, inspectors or clerk as will, together with the inspector, inspectors or clerk present, constitute a board of four; Provided, The inspector, inspectors or clerk so chosen shall (if any such be present, represent the political party that the absent inspector, inspectors or clerk Proviso. would represent if present, and the person or persons so chosen shall) be authorized to act as inspectors or clerk of the election at the polling place where they may be chosen, and said inspectors and clerk shall each take and subscribe same 1897. How oath may be taken. Chairman of Board of Inspectors. Majority to decide questions arising before inspectors. Names of candidates to be printed on ballots. an oath or affirmation, which shall be written or printed, to the effect that they will perform the duties of inspectors and clerk of election according to law, and will endeavor to prevent all fraud, deceit or abuse in conducting the same. Such oath may be taken before any officer authorized to administer oaths, or before either of the persons who are to act as inspectors, one of them to swear the others, and one of the others thus sworn in turn to administer the oath to him who has not been sworn, and such oath shall be returned with the poll list, and the returns of the election to the Supervisor of Registration. One of the inspectors shall be chosen by them as chairman of their board. In any and all questions that may arise before said inspectors of election, the decision of a majority of them shall decide such question. SEC. 10. That Section 30 of the said act be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: Section 30. The Board of County Commissioners (or in case of a municipal election the city or town council) of each county shall cause to be printed on the ballots to be used in their respective counties the names of all candidates who have been put in nomination by any caucus, convention, mass meeting, primary election or other assembly of any political party or faction in this State and certified and filed with them not more than sixty nor less than twenty davs previous to the day of election, which certificates shall contain the name of each person nominated and the office for which he is nominated, and shall be signed by the presiding officer and secretary of such caucus, convention, mass meeting or other assembly, or by the canvassing board of such primary election, and be duly acknowledged by one or more of them before any officer authorized by law to take the acknowledgements. The Board of County Commissioners (or in case of a municipal election the city or town council) shall also cause to be printed upon said ballots the name of any qualified elector who has been requested to be a candidate for any office by State or Feder Written petition signed, in case of a candidate for a State or Petition for candidate for al office. Petition for candidate for State, county or municipal office. Federal office, by at least five hundred electors; in case of a county or municipal office, by at least twenty five el ctors qualified to vote in the election to fill said office, when such petition has been filed with them not more than sixty days nor less than twenty days previous to the election, and in addition to the name printed upon said ballot, and whether there be any names printed on said ballots or no, there shall be printed under each office to be voted for at the election, blank lines in number equal to the number of persons who may be elected to fill that office. The name of no person 1897. shall be printed upon the ballot who shall, not less than twenty days before the election, notify the Board of County Non-acceptance Commissioners, in writing, acknowledged betore an officer of nomination. authorized by law to take acknowledgements, that he will not accept the nomination specified in the certificate of nomination or request of electors; Provided, however, That when any person who has been regularly nominated and who shall de- Proviso cline to run for the office to which he has been nominated, the party by which such person was nominated shall be allowed five days after such declination to run by such person, in which to substitute another candidate. In case of any person to be voted for by the electors of the whole State, or of any entire Congressional District, such certificate of nomination shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State not less than thirty days before the day of election, and such Secretary of State shall thereupon immediately certify to the Board of County Commissioners of each county in the State in case of an officer to be voted for by the electors of the whole State, and to the Boards of County Commissioners of the counties composing the Congressional District in case of an officer to be voted for by the electors of such district, upon suitable blanks to be prepared by him for that purpose, the fact of such nomination and the name of the nominee or nominees, and the name of the officer to which he or they may be nomi. nated, and the name of such person shall be printed by the Board of County Commissioners upon the ballot in its proper place in all respects as herein provided for nominations filed in the office of the Board of County Commissioners; and any Secretary of State who shall willfully fail or refuse to certify such nominations as herein provided shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars; and in event of such failure or refusal, such certificate shall be made by the State Comptroller. SEC. 11. That Section 37 of the said act be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: Number ballo Section 37. There shall be provided for each voting place at least one hundred ballots for each fifty registered qualified to be provided electors at said polling place. SEC. 12. That Section 40 of the said act be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: Section 40. The Board of County Commissioners (or in case of a municipal election the city or town council) of each county shall cause to be printed, in large type on cards, instructions for the guidance of electors in preparing their ballots. They shall furnish to the inspectors twelve, or more if at each voting place. Cards for guid ance of electors necessary, such cards for each precinct or ward, and it shall, be the duty of the inspectors to post one of such cards in each booth or compartment for the preparation of ballots and not less than three in prominent places elsewhere and outside of the polling place the day of election. Said cards shall be printed in large, clear type, and shall contain full instructions to electors as to what shall be done. First, to obtain ballots for voting; second, to prepare the ballot for -deposit in the ballot box; third, to obtain a new ballot in the place of one accidentally spoiled. SEC. 13. That all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the provisions of this act be and the same are hereby re"pealed. SEC. 14. That this act shall take effect upon its passage and approval by the Governor. Approved June 7, 1897. Corporations prohibited from Contributing money for the purpose of in CHAPTER 4538-[No: 24.] AN ACT to Prevent the use of Money for Political Purposes by Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: SECTION 1. No foreign or non-resident corporation or corporation organized under the laws of the United States, doing business in this State, nor any domestic corporation, shall pay or contribute, or offer, consent or agree to pay or contribute, directly or indirectly, any money, property or thing of value to any political party, organization, committee or individual mencing legis for any political purpose whatsoever, or for the purpose of influencing legislation of any kind, or to promote or defeat the candidacy of any person for nomination, appointment or election to any political office. ation. SEC. 2. Any officer, employe, agent or attorney or other representative of any corporation, acting for and in behalf of such corporation, who shall violate this act shall be punished upon conviction by a fine of not less than one thousand nor more than ten thousand dollars, or by imprisonment in the Penalty for iolation of this State prison for a period of not less than two nor more than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court or judge before whom such conviction is had, and the corporation, if a domestic corporation, is dissolved,if after a proper proceeding upon quo warranto,in either |