ROBERT BOWIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR

141

be duly elected the Commissioners of the said town,
and shall have. and exercise the several powers and
authorities delegated. to them by this act; and every
free white male person, above the age of one-and-
twenty years, and having a freehold estate, or lease-
hold property for a term exceeding one-and-twenty
years, within the limits of the said town, shall like-
wise have a right to vote in the election of the said
commissioners, notwithstanding such person may not
be resident therein.

1812.

2. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the commis-
sioners so chosen shall assemble on the first Monday
in April next ensuing their election, at such place as a
majority of them shall fix upon in the said town, and ar-
range and number themselves into five classes by lot;
and the office of the commissioner of the first class shall
determine at the expiration of one year after his elec-
tion; the office of the commissioner of the second
class, at the expiration of two years; the office of the
commissioner of the third class, at the expiration of
three years; the office of the commissioner of the
fourth class, at the expiration of four years; and the
office of the commissioner of the fifth class, at the ex-
piration of five years; and the vacancy thus succes-
sively occasioned by the determination of their res-
pective offices, shall be supplied by an election of a ju-
dicious and discreet person, resident and qualified as
aforesaid, to be made at such place as the commission-
ers shall appoint in the said town, by the inhabitants
and others qualified to vote as aforesaid, on the second
Monday of March in every year; and the person so
elected shall remain in office for the term of five years;
and the succession of the said commissioners be so
continued as that one commissioner shall be chosen
annually.

Commissioners
shall meet and
arrange them-
selves into class-
es by lot. Their
respective terms
of servitude. -—
Vacancies shall
be filled up by
annual elec-
tions.

3. AND BE IT ENACTED, That any justice of
the peace for the counties of Somerset or Worcester
shall, in the first instance, be the judge of the said
election, and shall return his certificates thereof, to the
said commissioners, on the day first appointed for their
meeting; and the same shall be filed and recorded
among their proceedings; and at every subsequent
election, the commissioners of the said town, or the
major part of them, shall be judges of such election,
and the proceedings thereof shall be recorded under
their direction; and every commissioner, before he
shall proceed to open an election, shall take an oath
or affirmation, that he. will faithfully and impartially
18

Judges of elec-
tions— they
shall take an
oath.