is to be entered by one of them the name of every person who shall take the required oaths, or either of them, specifying in each case whether the preliminary oath, or the general oath, or both, were taken, which minute is to be certified and signed by the inspectors, and returned and filed in the town or city clerk's office, with the statements of votes. The clerks of the poll must also designate, by a mark in their poll-lists, the persons who have taken either or both such oaths, thus: For preliminary oath P. O., both oaths B. O. (§ 264, ante.)

Form of memorandum of challenges.

SEC. 686. "At a general election held in election district number in the town of

ward of the city of

. (or in the ) in the county of

on the

day of November, 18 the following persons were challenged and respectively took the oath or oaths as stated below, to wit:

Peter Polk, John Dallas, Joel O'Hern, each took the preliminary oath; whereupon the challenge was in each case withdrawn.

John Smith, Jr., Henry Jones, Dennis O'Brien, each took the preliminary and also the general oath (or affirmation).

We certify that the above is a true minute and statement of the persons challenged who took either or both. of the oaths or affirmations required by law."

SEC. 687. Precisely at sunset (except in New York city, and there at 4 o'clock P. M.) the poll should be closed by proclamation, as follows (See §§ 219, 434, ante),

viz.:

"Hear ye! hear ye! hear ye! The poll of this election is closed."

Canvass of votes.

SEC. 688. The canvass must commence immediately upon the closing of the poll, must be public, and shall not be adjourned or postponed until it shall have been fully completed. (§ 285, ante; see, also, § 476, ante, which specially relates to New York, and § 540, ante, which relates to Brooklyn.)

The first proceeding, before any box is opened, is the comparison of the poll-list with each other from the beginning, and the correction of any and all mistakes that may be found therein.

The aggregate number of ballots as tallied for each box is to be ascertained and set down, and the two lists made to agree in all particulars. §§ 286, 477, 540, ante.

Boxes containing votes and the order in which the votes contained in each box shall be canvassed.

SEC. 689. The boxes are then to be opened and the votes therein canvassed as near as may be (except in New York), in the following order (§§ 279, 280, ante; see, also, § 478, relating to New York, and § 540, relating. to Brooklyn, ante):

1. The box containing the ballots indorsed "Electors." 2. The box containing the ballots indorsed "State." 3. The box containing the ballots indorsed "Congress.' 4. The box containing the ballots indorsed "Senate.” 5. The box containing the ballots indorsed "Assembly."

6. The box containing the ballots indorsed "Judiciary."

7. The box containing the ballots indorsed "School Commissioner."

If any other ballot-boxes shall have been used at any such election in pursuance of law, such other boxes must be opened and the votes therein canvassed immediately after the foregoing, in such order as the inspectors shall determine. § 279, 280; see, also, § 540, ante, as to Brooklyn.

Counting the ballots unopened.

SEC. 690. Each box in order having been opened, the

ballots in it are to be taken out and counted unopened, except so far as to ascertain whether each ballot is single. S$ 287, 479, 540, ante.

Ballots folded together.

SEC. 691. If any two or more are found so folded together as to present the appearance of a single ballot, they shall be destroyed if, by counting them, the number will exceed the whole number of ballots of that kind received, according to the poll-lists; otherwise they must be counted as if they had been found separate. §§ 287, 479, 540, ante.

Ballots in the wrong box.

SEC. 692. Ballots having an indorsement indicating that they belong in a box different from the one in which they are found will be laid aside and carefully preserved, until the box to which they seem to belong has been opened and the ballots in it counted. And then, if no excess of votes in the latter box over the number as designated on the poll-lists will thereby be produced, the ballots so found in the wrong box must be counted as belonging to their own proper box; but in case of such excess, they must be rejected. §§ 288, 480, 540, ante.

Excess of unopened ballots over poll-lists.

SEC. 693. If the ballots properly indorsed, found in any box, exceed the whole number on the correspondent column of the poll-lists, they are to be replaced in the box from which they were taken, and one of the inspectors, without seeing the same, shall publicly draw out and destroy so many ballots, unopened, as shall reduce them to the proper number, corresponding with the polllists. $ 289, 481, 540, ante.

A memorandum of the number of votes found in each box, the number drawn out, etc., should be made and preserved for reference, until the canvass of all the boxes is completed.

Opening and counting votes. Excess of ballots.

SEC. 694. When the number of unopened ballots hav

ing the proper indorsements, found in the first instance, falls short of, or is just equal to the number indicated by the poll-list, or has been made to agree by drawing out the apparent excess, they will then be opened, sorted and counted. And if after having opened or canvassed them, it shall be found that there is an excess, the inspectors shall return the whole into the box and thoroughly mingle the same, and one of their number, to be designated by the board, shall publicly draw out of such box, without seeing the ballots contained therein, so many of such ballots as shall be equal to the excess; which ballots so drawn out shall be forthwith destroyed. §§ 291, 482, 540.

Tickets. Unscratched to be separated from the scratched, etc.

SEC. 695. Generally the unscratched or unaltered tickets are first separated from the scratched or altered ones, each kind placed by itself and counted, and the number received for each person for the same office set down opposite his name upon a tally sheet previously prepared.

The scratched or altered tickets are then canvassed, and the number of votes given for each person named therein set down as before upon the tally sheet.

In canvassing the scratched or altered tickets, it may become necessary that one of the inspectors should read the name of each person upon each ticket, and that the clerks should make a tally of each, until all are tallied by fives, thus:

SEC. 696. When all are counted and entered upon the main tally sheet, the several numbers marked for each person are to be added horizontally, and the total for each set down at the right hand. This right-hand column being also added up, will show the whole number of

votes given for all the persons voted for, for each office; and these several additions will furnish the numbers to be inserted in the statements of results which the inspectors are required to make, sign, file, etc.

Tally sheets to be preserved.

SEC. 697. Tally sheets must be preserved for a time so that if any mistakes shall have been made in the returns, or any question shall afterward arise respecting their accuracy, the original figures may be referred to for the settlement of such questions and the correction of such mistakes.

Defective ballots.

SEC. 698. All ballots which are so irregular, ambiguous or informal as that they cannot be canvassed, are denominated "defective ballots."

These must be preserved and attached to the statements of results, though they must not be counted in. (§§ 292, 293; see, also, § 483, as to New York.)

BALLOTS may be defective in various ways, for example:

If under the designation "For Governor," two or more names should be written or printed, or if under the designation of any office, more names than there are officers of the kind to be elected, should be placed on the ticket, then the ballot would be defective, or if several designations of office are united as "For County Clerk and Coroners," the names attached to or in connection with such blended designations cannot be canvassed, and the ballot is defective.

If the Christian or surname, or part of a name, only, is given, the ballot is defective. But well-known and established abbreviations, by which the meaning is as clearly conveyed as though the names had been written. at full length, as Wm. for William, Jno. for John, Abm. for Abraham, etc., may be allowed, counted and returned as if written in full.

Where the name is misspelled, as Jacub for Jacob, Jonson for Johnson, but so that the pronunciation is not