Conduct of elections.
Section 21
SEC. 21. Conduct of elections.—At all the elections held under the provisions of this Act the polls shall be open from seven o'clock in the morning untill five in the afternoon during which period not more than one member of the board of inspectors shall be absent at one time, and then for not to exceed twenty minutes at one time. The inspectors of election and poll clerks shall meet one-half hour before the time fixed for the opening of the polls af the place designated, and shall then and there have the ballot box, box for spoiled ballots, the ballots and all other supplies provided by law. At the opening of the polls the ballot box and box for spoiled ballots shall be opened by the chairman, emptied and exhibited to all the members and other voters present, and, being empty, shall be closed, locked, and a seal placed over the lock, and the boxes shall be kept closed and sealed until the polls are closed, when the ballot box shall be opened to count the votes: Provided, however, That when necessary to make room for more allots the chairman may open the box in the presence of all the board and press down the ballots with his hands without removing therefrom : he shall then close, lock and seal the box, as hereinbefore provided. In case of the destruction of the boxes or he failure to deliver them at the polling place, the board of inspectors shall immediately provide other boxes or receptacles as y as possible adequate for Ihe purposes for which intended. From the time the polls are opened until the votes are counted, and the result announced as hereinafter provided, no person other than members of the board of inspectors, or necessary police, Constabulary, or other peace, officer who may be present at the request of the board to execute its orders, or to serve the process of a court, or to net as messenger, and voters receiving or depositing their ballots, shall be allowed within the guard rail in the polling place, nor shall any be or remain within thirty meters of the polls. No persons, other than voters while waiting to vote or voting, shall congregate or remain in the distance of thirty meters of the polling place, nor shall any person solicit voles or do an tioneering within such distance: Provided, forever, That during the counting of the votes by the board, a number of qualified voters of the precinct, not to exceed six, who shall represent as evenly as possible the opposing candidates voted for, and be named by such candidates, shall be allowed within the polling place, but not within the guard rail, as watchers. Such watchers shall he allowed to freely witness the count and to hear the proceedings of the board and to take notes of what they see and hear, but shall not touch the ballots nor convers with the inspectors nor any of them, nor with each other in such manner a interrupt the proceedings. No member of officer shall, before the announcement of statement of the number of ballots east, the for any person, the name of any person has not voted, or of any other fact tending to how the state of the polls, nor shall he make anv statement al any time, except as a witness before a court, tending to show how any person voted.