Election Returns for the New Salem Precinct in Sangamon County, Illinois, 5 May 18341
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[ certification
]
05/05/1834
05/05/1834
Green, BowlingArmstrong, Hugh M.Whray, David (Wray)
At an election held at the house of William F. Berry the New Salem precinct in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois on the fifth day of May
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirtyfour the following named
persons received the number of votes annexed to their respective names for the following
described office to Wit4
Garrett Elkin had eighty four votes for Sheriff
David Dickinson had Seventy seven votes for Sheriff
Zechariah Peter had four votes for Sheriff
Certified by us
| Bowling Green | } | |
| Hugh Armstrong | Judges of the election | |
| David Whray5. |
[ certification
]
Green, Bowling
I certify that Hugh Armstrong David Whray Mentor Graham and A Lincoln were qualified
by me according to law as Judges and Clerks of the election
Bowling Green J. P.[Justice of the Peace][ certification
]
Graham, Mentor
I certify that Bowling Green was qualified by me according to law as Judge of the
election
Mentor Graham1Acting as Clerk of the election, Abraham Lincoln wrote the entirety of this document,
including the endorsements of Bowling Green and Mentor Graham. Green and Graham signed
their own names.
Illinois’ 1818 constitution provided for state elections to be conducted viva voce, in which a voter would present himself in person to the election judges and declare
his votes publicly. An election official would record the votes in a poll book. In
1819, the First General Assembly reversed this provision in favor of voting by ballot.
The legislature mandated a return to viva voce in 1821, ballots in 1823, viva voce again in 1829, and finally settled on ballots in 1849.
Ill. Const. (1818), art. 2, §28; Sec. 13 of “An Act Regulating Elections,” 1 March
1819, Laws of Illinois (1819), 93; Sec. 5 of “An Act Regulating Elections,” 3 February 1821, Laws of Illinois (1821), 75-76; Sec. 14 of “An Act Regulating Elections,” 3 January 1823, Laws of Illinois (1823), 57; Sec. 10 of “An Act Regulating Elections,” 10 January 1829, Revised Laws of Illinois (1829), 57; Sec. 13 of “An Act to Provide for the Mode of Voting by Ballot, and for
the Manner of Returning, Canvassing and Certifying Votes,” 12 February 1849, Laws of Illinois (1849), 73.
2There were two men named William Jones living in this area at this time. This could
person could have been either of them.
4Sangamon County held this special election to fill the vacancy brought by the death
of James D. Henry.
Harry E. Pratt, Lincoln 1809-1839: Being the Day-by-Day Activities of Abraham Lincoln from February
12, 1809 to December 31, 1839 (Springfield, IL: Abraham Lincoln Association, 1941), 28.
Handwritten Document Signed, 8 page(s), Lincoln Collection, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, IL).