Alexander Hamilton Papers

New York Assembly. Motion on an Act for Regulating Elections, [24 January 1787]

New York Assembly. Motion on an Act for
Regulating Elections1

[New York, January 24, 1787]

A clause in the bill, ordering the judges of election for governor and lieutenant governor, to destroy the whole ballots of every district where there was an excess of even one vote.

This was shewn by Mr. Hamilton to be a very great injustice to the district, as it was in the power of the clerk or any officer, by putting in an additional ballot, to set aside the votes of 500 persons; he therefore moved, that in any case where there was an excess, such excess should be destroyed by lot.2

The [New York] Daily Advertiser, January 26, 1787.

1For the background of the debate on “An Act for Regulating Elections,” see “Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections,” January 23 and 24, 1787.

2H’s motion was adopted.

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