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Section 1. Every white male person, of the age of twenty-one years
and upwards, who shall be a citizen of the United States, and shall have
resided in this State one year next preceding the election, and the last
three months thereof in the county in which he offers to vote, shall be
deemed a qualified elector. Provided, that no soldier, seaman, or marine,
in the regular army or navy of the United States, and no person who shall
have been convicted of bribery, forgery, perjury, or other high crime or
misdemeanor which may be by law declared to disqualify him, shall be entitled
to vote at any election in this State.
Section 2. In all elections by the people, the electors shall vote
by ballot, until otherwise directed by law.
Section 3. Except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace,
electors shall be privileged from arrest during their attendance at elections,
an in going to and returning from the same.
Section 4. Returns of elections for all civil officers elected by
the people, who are to be commissioned by the Governor, and also for members
of the General Assembly, shall be made to the secretary of State.
Section 1. The General Assembly may, whenever two thirds of each
house shall deem it necessary, propose amendments to this constitution ;
which proposed amendments shall be duly published in print, (in such manner
as the General Assembly may direct,) at least three months before the next
general election for representatives, for the consideration of the people
; and it shall be the duty of the several returning officers, at the next
ensuing general election for representatives, to open a poll for the vote
of the qualified electors on the proposed amendments, and to make a return
of said vote to the secretary of State ; and if it shall thereupon appear
that a majority of all the qualified electors of the State, who voted for
representatives, voted in favor of the proposed amendments, and two thirds
of each house of the next General Assembly, before another election, shall
ratify said amendments, each house voting by yeas and nays, said amendments
shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, as parts of this constitution.
Provided, that said proposed amendments shall, at each of said sessions
of the General Assembly, have been read three times, on three several days,
in each house.
Section 2. After the expiration of twelve months from the adoption
of this constitution, no convention shall be held, for the purpose of altering
or amending the constitution of this State, unless the question of convention
or no convention shall be first submitted to a vote of the qualified electors
of the State, and approved by a majority of the electors voting at said
election.
Adopted by the convention, by the unanimous vote of all the delegates
present, at the State capitol, in the city of Montgomery, on this, the thirtieth
day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-five, and of the Independence of the United States the ninetieth year.
BENJ. FITZPATRICK,
President of Convention.
Attest: --Wm. H. OGBOURNE,
Secretary of Convention.