Langlade County, Wisconsin - Chapter 5: General Elections, 1922

Section 1. The annual municipal election of said city shall be held on the first Tuesday of April, in each year, for which purpose one place in each ward shall be procured and designated as election polls, by the aldermen of the proper ward, and notice shall be given by the said aldermen for at least ten days prior to said election by publication in two newspapers, if there be so many printed in said city, and by posting the same in three conspicuous places in each ward, which notices shall be signed by the aldermen of the ward in which the same are to be posted, and shall designate the time and place where the polls will be opened.

Section 2. All male inhabitants of said city, who shall have resided therein for thirty days next preceding any election therein, and who are otherwise qualified to vote under the general laws of the state, shall be entitled to vote at such election, in the ward in which he lives.

Section 3. The aldermen in each ward and the supervisor therein, shall be the inspectors of all elections held in said city, and at the opening of the polls therein, at the general or special election the inspectors present shall appoint the clerk or clerks of election.

Section 4. All general or special elections held in Eaid city shall be held and conducted, and the votes canvassed, sealed and returned in all respects under and in accordance with the general laws of the state. And the inspectors and clerks of said elections shall possess the same powers and authority as are prescribed by the general laws of the state in regard to elections.

Section 5. The polls of election in each ward, shall be kept open from nine o'clock in the morning until five o'clock in the evening, without intermission or adjournment, and when the polls shall have been closed, the inspectors, without adjourning, shall canvass the votes received at such polls, and make returns thereof in writing, duly signed, stating therein the number of votes received for each person for a designated office, and the whole number of votes received, and such returns shall be by them delivered together, with the oaths of the inspectors and clerks, and the polls lists kept by them to the city clerk, to be filed in his office within twenty-four hours after closing the polls.

Section 6. All elections shall be by ballot; a plurality of votes shall constitute an election and the names of all officers voted for shall be upon the ballot.

Section 7. Except as herein otherwise provided, so far as the same are applicable, all of the laws relating to general elections, as to the qualifications of electors, the manner in which election shall be conducted, the making of poll lists, and returns, and the punishment of illegal or fraudulent voting, or attempting to vote and for fraudulent or illegal returns and any other fraud or wrong designated under the general election laws, shall apply to all elections provided for by this act.

Section 8. On Thursday next after the elections herein provided for in each year, at 7.30 o'clock P. M., the common council shall meet at the council rooms in said city and the returns of the inspectors of the various wards shall be produced by the city clerk whereupon the common council shall forthwith canvass and returns determine and declare, by the greater number of votes appearing by said returns to have been cast at said election, who are elected for each of the city and ward offices as were voted for, or any other or either of them, and the council shall thereupon cause a report of such determination to be made and entered upon the minutes of said determination, the city clerk shall cause certificates of election to be served upon the persons so declared to be elected personally, or by depositing the same, enclosed in an envelope, with the postage paid and properly directed, provided, that the city clerk shall at the same time certify to the clerk of the circuit court the names of the persons so elected justices of the peace, and all officers authorized to administer oaths and take acknowledgements of instruments in writing and the terms for which they were respectively elected when they have qualified.

Section 9. When two or more candidates for an elective office, shall receive an equal number of votes for the same office, the election shall be determined by casting lots, in the presence of the common courcil at such time and in such manner as said council may direct.

Section 10. Every justice of the peace elected or appointed by virtue of this act, shall file such oath of office and bond necessary to qualify, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of such office, as is prescribed by the general statutes for such officers in the several towns.

Section 11. Upon the filing the oath of office and the filing and approval by the common council of any kind by any officer of the city, as in this act required, the city clerk shall, upon demand, execute and deliver to the persons so entitled a certificate of his election and qualifications to the office to which he has been elected or appointed.

Section 12. In addition to the amount herein limited for taxes for general city purposes special taxes may be levied for the purchase of fire engines, cemetery grounds, public square and other objects of public utility; but no such tax shall be levied, unless the same shall first be recommended by the common council and afterwards submitted to a vote of the people, and approved by them. Whenever the council shall recommend such a tax, it shall specify the amount to be raised and the object thereof and cause notice thereof, and of the time and the place of voting thereon, to be published in the same manner as in case of the annual city election.

Section 13. At such special elections so called, no such special tax shall be raised or levied unless the whole number of votes cast shall equal two-thirds of the whole number of votes cast in said city at the last preceding municipal election; nor unless two-thirds of the votes cast at such special election shall have been cast in favor of the tax so voted for.