Scottish traveler James Stuart reported the three-day period in the 1828 elections for the Saratoga region, so the change would have been some time after that. David Minor > > >>>> [log in to unmask] 12/30/05 11:12 AM >>> >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. David Minor Eagles Byte Historical Research Pittsford, New York 585 264-0423 'dminor' 'at symbol' 'eznet.net' To be put on the mailing list for the weekly TimeMaster radio scripts (WXXI-FM 91.5), as well as a Quote of the Week and a URL of the Week, e-mail me at the address above. HOME PAGE http://home.eznet.net/~dminor includes NYNY, a series of timelines covering New York City and State, from approximately 1,100,000,000 BC to 1992 AD. http://home.eznet.net/~dminor/NYNY.html Visit the Canal Society of New York State page at http://www.canalsnys.org/ "I would undertake to supply your demands if your generosity is equal to them." -John Bartram, U. S. naturalist