Canvass by provincial board.
Section 25
SEC. 25. Canvass by provincial board.—In case statements from all precincts are not filed the day after election, the municipal secretary shall notify the members of the delinquent boards of inspectors to file the same. All statements shall be sent to the provincial treasurer by mail, if the mails are reasonably regular and expeditious for the purposes of this section, or by special messenger at the expense of the municipality, if they are not. Delayed statements shall be forwarded as fast as received. The provincial board shall meet as a board of canvassers not later than the twenty-fifth or if that be a holiday, the twenty-sixth day of November, and the provincial treasurer shall then produce before it all such statements filed with or delivered to him. If any statements he missing the board, by special messenger or otherwise, shall obtain such missing statements and shall direct the fiscal to prosecute the persons responsible for the delay, if any, under section twenty-nine of this Act. The board shall also examine the statements on file, and if it clearly appears that material matters of form are omitted, such statements shall he returned for correction to the board of inspectors by special messenger or in such manner as mav be most, expeditious. Such statements may not however, be returned for a recount, As soon as all statements are before it, the board of canvassers shall proceed to a canvass of all the votes cast in the province for Delegates to the Assembly or for provincial officers, and upon completion thereof shall make one statement of all votes cast for each candidate for the Assembly in each Assembly district, and one statement, of all the votes, if any, cast for provincial officers. Upon the completion of such statements the board shall determine therefrom what person has been elected to the Assembly from each Assembly district, and what person has been elected to the provincial offices. All such determinations shall, be reduced to writing, in duplicate, and signed bv the members of the hoard or a majority of them and sealed with the provincial seal. One copy thereof shall be filed with the provincial treasurer, one forthwith with the Executive Secretary, and a certified copy t thereof shall also forthwith be delivered to each elected candidate. Upon the filing of said certificate in the olliee of the Executive Secretary, the Governor-General shall confirm the election of each of the candidates so certified unless there he a contest pending and undetermined in the courts, in which case be shall withhold confirmation with respect, to any person involved in such contest until a certified copy of the decision of the court shall have been filed with the Executive Secretary. The Governor-General mav refuse to confirm the election of any person as provincial governor if there is reasonable ground to suspect his loyally to the instituted authorities, and may refuse to confirm the election of a third member of the provincial hoard as provided in Act Numbered Fifteen hundred and forty-five. In case of refusal to confirm any provincial officer a special election to fill the office shall be called and held as provided in section, four hereof, and at such special election a person whose confirmation was so refused shall be ineligible and no vote shall be counted or canvassed for him. In case the board of canvassers shall decide that an election for Delegate to the Assembly results in a tie it shall certify its decision, together with the statements and all papers upon which the same is based, to the Assembly, which shall have jurisdiction of the matter thereafter; in case the board of canvassers shall decide that an election for provincial governor results in a tie it shall similarly , certify the matter to the Philippine Commission, which shall have jurisdiction to declare either of the tied candidates elected or to order a special election, as it may decide: Provided, however, That nothing in this sentence contained shall bar the right of any candidate to contest an election as hereinafter provided.