residence.

1895, c. 61,

§ 2.

May, and the same shall be accepted by said board as prima facie evidence of such residence, or he shall present a certificate from the assessors that he has been a resident for the six months next preceding the election at which he claims the right to vote, and the same shall be accepted by said board as prima facie evidence of such residence. If a male person was a resident of the city on the first day of May, and was not assessed a poll tax by the assessors of said city on the first day of May, such person, in order to establish his right to be assessed, shall appear before the board of assessors, accompanied by two witnesses who shall testify under oath that they are registered voters of the ward in which he desires to be assessed, and who shall also testify under oath to the truth of the statement of the applicant in regard to his right to be assessed at the place claimed by him as a legal residence on the first day of May.

Evidence of 45. Every male person moving into said city subsequently to the first day of May, and claiming the right to vote at an election and desiring to be registered by said board, shall appear before the board of assessors, accompanied by two witnesses who shall testify under oath that they are registered voters of the ward in which he desires to be registered, and who shall also testify under oath to the truth of the statement of the applicant in regard to his being a resident of the city for the six months next preceding the election at which he claims the right to vote. The assessors shall give the applicant a certificate stating that he has complied with the provisions of this section.

Records to

be kept, copies of

laws to be

posted, etc. Ibid. § 3.

46. The assessors shall, in a book provided for that purpose, enter the name and residence of each person thus assessed or certified, and also opposite each name the names, occupations and residences of the parties who have testified under oath as above provided. In every place where voters are registered, said board, and in every place where oaths are administered under this act, the assessors, shall post in a conspicuous place a copy of sections three hundred and fifteen and three hundred and

sixteen, of chapter four hundred and seventeen of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-three, printed on white paper with black ink, in type not less than one quarter of an inch wide.

assessors.

47. The assessors shall hold such day and such even- Sessions of ing sessions as shall be necessary to carry out the provi- 1895, c. 61,

sions of this act.

§ 4.

tion of naturalized citizen, etc.

48. If an applicant for registration is a naturalized cit- Registraizen, said board shall require him to produce for inspection his papers of naturalization, and to make oath that he is the identical person named therein, and shall, if satis- 1893, c. 417, fied that the applicant has been legally naturalized, make § 50. upon his papers a memorandum of the date of such inspection. Said board shall not be obliged to require the production of papers of naturalization which have once been examined, and of which record has been made in the general register, as required by the provisions of this title.

Ibid. § 51.

49 If said board are satisfied upon examination that of minor. an applicant for registration possesses all the qualifications of a voter, except that of age, and will on or before the day of the next election attain the required age, they shall place the name of the applicant upon the registers for registration.

to be notified of rejec tion, etc.

50. In case said board shall decline to register the Applicant name of any person examined for registration, and reported to them therefor by any registrar, they shall notify such person of their declining so to register his name, and Ibid. § 52. give him a reasonable opportunity to be heard by them upon his application. They shall likewise in case of rejection of an applicant who appears before them inform him of such rejection.

51. Said board shall, from time to time, revise and Revision

and correc

correct the general register and the current annual regis- tion of reg. ter in accordance with any facts which may be presented isters. to them, and they shall strike therefrom the name of every Ibid. § 53. deceased person which has been transmitted to them by the city registrar in accordance with the provisions of section twenty-three of chapter four hundred and seven

Illegal or

incorrect registration.

teen of the acts of eighteen hundred and ninety-three; but after the name of a voter has been placed upon the current annual register, they shall not strike it therefrom or change the place of residence as given thereon, unless the voter has deceased, or until they have sent a notification to him of their intention so to do, offering him an opportunity to be heard in the matter.

52. If a complaint in writing under oath shall be made, in said city seven days at least, before an election to said board by a registered voter, stating that he has 1893, c. 417, reason to believe and does believe that a certain person by him therein named has been illegally or incor1895, c. 355. rectly registered, and setting forth the reasons for such

$ 54.

Service of summons,

etc.

Examination, etc., entry in

register or

erasure of

name.

1893, c. 417, $ 55.

belief, said board shall examine into such complaint, and, if satisfied that there is sufficient ground therefor, shall summon the person complained of to appear before them at a certain place and time, before the next election, to answer to the matters set forth in the complaint; and the substance of the complaint and a copy of this and the following section shall be set forth in the summons. Service of the summons shall be made, by an officer qualified to serve civil or criminal process, not more than fourteen days nor less than twenty-four hours before the day named for appearance, by the delivery of a copy of the summons to the person therein summoned, or by the leaving of such copy at his last and usual place of abode known to the officer; and the officer shall return the summons to said board before the day named for appearance, with a certificate of his doings indorsed

thereon.

53. When a person summoned before said board to answer a complaint made in accordance with the preceding section, appears before them, they shall examine him under oath, and shall receive other evidence which may be offered in regard to the matters set forth in the complaint; and, if satisfied that the person is properly registered as a qualified voter, they shall enter in the register a statement of their determination upon the facts required for registration; if, however, they are satisfied that the

person so appearing is not a qualified voter in said city, or if a person duly summoned in the manner aforesaid shall fail to appear as directed in the summons, without sufficient cause for his failure being shown, they shall strike his name from the register.

54. Said board shall promptly transmit to the as- Notices to sessors of said city notice of every error which they shall assessors. discover in the name or residence of a person assessed § 5.

therein.

1894, C. 271,

and records

of board

open to

55. Said board shall, in the performance of their duties, Sessions act in open session, and not secretly. They shall in every case announce the name of an applicant for registration in a clear, audible and distinct tone of voice, before entering public, etc. his name on the general register of voters. They shall 1993, c. 417, § 57. keep all their records open at suitable times to public inspection.

for two

56. Said board shall cause all written complaints and To preserve certificates received by them under the provisions of the documents various sections of this title, and all other documents in their custody relating to registration, to be preserved for Ibid. § 58. a period of two years after the respective dates thereof.

years.

order, etc. Ibid. § 59.

57. Every registration officer shall have authority to Authorized enforce regularity in all proceedings had before him, and to maintain to maintain order at and about the place where a session is held, or applications for registration are received, and to keep the access thereto open and unobstructed. 58. The board or officer in charge of the police force Police of said city shall, when requested so to do by said board of election commissioners, detail a sufficient number of police officers to attend any meeting held by registration officers in the performance of their duties, and to preserve order and enforce the directions of said registration officers.

officers at

meetings. Ibid. § 60.

tion.

59. The governor, with the consent of the council, Supervisors shall, on the petition of not less than ten qualified voters of registraof a city, appoint two supervisors of registration for Ibid. § 61. each place of registration in such city named in the petition. The two supervisors for each place of registration shall be appointed, one from each of the two

leading political parties, to serve for the term of one year from the date of their appointment. The supervisors shall attend all sessions or meetings for registration held at the places for which they are appointed, and either of them may attach to any book or papers there used for purposes of registration, any statement touching the truth or fairness of the proceedings, which he may deem proper, and may add thereto his signature or other marks for the purpose of identification.