3-021-481 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Elections in France: removal of the voting-urn from a district polling-place to the Mairie, 1869. 'The balloting-urns are provided with two locks, both of which are secured in presence of the Mayor and certain scrutineers, who have to give their words that the urn is empty when it is locked. The former retains possession of one key, and the eldest of the scrutineers is intrusted with the other. At the close of the first day's polling the balloting-urn is sealed and deposited at the Mairie, under an escort of national guards. Breaking these seals or tampering with the ballot-box or voting-papers in any way renders the offender liable to severe punishment. At the close of the poll the ballot-box is opened and the voting-papers counted, and their number verified against the number of voters indicated as having recorded their votes...the lists are published, and the official proclamation of the result of the elections for Paris is made at the Hotel de Ville three days afterwards, when, as a matter of course, it excites very little attention, as by this time all France knows how the elections have gone throughout the empire'. From "Illustrated London News", 1869.