Elections. -- During the colonial period elections were held on the first Tuesday of April in each of the towns for choosing of town officers, and as often as writs of election directed to the high sheriff" were issued for the purpose of selecting members of the Colonial Assembly. The places where the latter were

6 Bolton's "History of Westchester County," vol. ii. p. 299 (new edition).

« Court-house cost £2000. Additional appropriations were made in 17fiO and 1762.

' Proceedings of Board of Supervisors, 1873, p. 714.

CIVIL HISTORY.

held were within the bounds of the civil divisions represented. Tlie representative for the countj' was elected at first in the southern part of the county, and later near the Presbyterian meeting-house at White Plains.' The voting in all cases was viva voce. The Constitution of 1777 made provision for a trial of voting by ballot. The act of March 27, 1778, authorized the use of the ballot in the election of Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, and that of February 13, 1787, extended it to the election of members of the Legislature. Doubtless up to the passage of the latter act elections were carried on in much the same manner as they had been during colonial times. The act last mentioned provided that they should be held in every borough, town, district, precinct or ward under the supervision of inspectors chosen for that purpose. Until after the passage of the act of March 27, 1799, the canvassers were a joint committee of the Legislature, the boxes containing the ballots being sent by the sheriff to the Secretary of State for the purpose. After that date there were local canvassers. The result was recorded by the town clerk, who made return to the county clerk, who made record and transmitted it to the Secretary of State, who, with the comptroller and treasurer, constituted a State Board of Canvassers.