Christine: Have you contacted Linda Bull, the State Archives Regional
Advisory Officer for your county? She may be good resource for the type of
information you're seeking:
Linda Bull
Regional Advisory Officer
Region 9-Lower Hudson Valley (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland,
Westchester Counties)
301 Manchester Road, Suite 200-A
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
Phone (845) 485-2634
Fax (845) 485-2635
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Good luck,
Susan
**************************************************
Susan M. Hughes
Regional Archivist
Central New York Library Resources Council
6493 Ridings Road, Syracuse, NY 13206
315/446-5446
CLRC.ORG
***************************************************
-----Original Message-----
From: A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State history.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Christine O'Connor
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2005 11:13 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [NYHIST-L] early election procedures (Town and State)
I am a Town Historian in Carmel, New York (Putnam County).
In researching our old Town Minutes, I have come across a
curiosity involving the electoral process in the years 1795-1839,
and possibly beyond, though I have not read that far yet.
Whereas our Town elections occurred at an annual town meeting,
held on one day early in April, the voting for NY State officials
occurred over a three-day period. This was also in April. At first
I thought it was to get enough "turnout" in what were doubtless
muddy road conditions, planting season, for the convenience
of our largely agricultural residents.
But then, why were the town officers able to be elected on one day?
To keep it within the "clique" who had control (as my husband jokingly
suggests)?
Presumably the townsfolk would have the same difficulty
getting to one sort of election as another, in the same place and month.
I don't know exactly when this 3-day voting period was shortened
down to the present single voting day we have now. I am looking for that
fact as well, and may have to dig through 30 or 40 more archived minutes
books in an exhaustive manual search, to catch the year things changed.
I'm also intrigued by the lack of a tally on our early voting, and I have
to assume it was a voice vote in the earliest days (1795-1830 or so).
At some time, paper was used, but they don't record when that started.
When officers were "sworn in", I wonder who did it? A judge? I only see
justices of the peace ... a pastor... the Clerk? All I can see is
"sworn" occasionally written next to a name.
I often find that a cross-comparison between various
locales sheds a lot of light. These old minutes can be very
"dry" on the questions we have today, but they can go on and on about a
description of a sheep found in somebody else's enclosure, etc. Of course
that was a big deal, then; the way to hold an election was probably
an accepted custom not worth noting.
I am trying to find an online way to see the old NY State laws but so far,
haven't found one. To avoid travel and expenses to physically dig through
the
dusty archives, I thought of trying to ask other historians for some clues.
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