Page:The Federal and state constitutions v3.djvu/457

Rh gubernatorial district, and the person to be chosen governor at the election first to be held under the provisions of this section, and the person to be chosen at every succeeding third election for governor forever thereafter, shall be taken from the said first district; and the district, the name of which shall be written on the ballot secondly drawn, shall thenceforth be distinguished as the second gubernatorial district, and the person to be chosen governor at the second election, to be held under the provisions of this section, and the person to be chosen at every succeeding third election for governor forever thereafter, shall be taken from the said second district, and the district, the name of which shall be written on the ballot thirdly drawn, shall thenceforth be distinguished as the third gubernatorial district, and the person to be chosen governor at the third election to be held under the provisions of this section, and the person to be chosen at every succeeding third election forever thereafter, shall be taken from the said third district; and the result of such drawing shall be entered on the journal of the senate, and be reported by the speaker of the house of delegates on his return to that body, and be entered on the journal thereof, and shall be certified by a joint letter, to be signed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of delegates, and be addressed and transmitted to the secretary of state, if appointed, and if not, as soon as he shall be appointed, to be by him preserved in his office.

The general assembly shall have power to regulate by law all matters which relate to the judges, time, place, and manner of holding elections for governor, and of making returns thereof not affecting the tenure and term of office thereby, and that until otherwise directed, the returns shall be made in like manner as in elections for electors of President and Vice-President, save that the form of the certificates shall be varied to suit the case, and save also that the returns, instead of being made to the governor and council, shall be made to the Senate, and be addressed to the president of the senate, and be inclosed under cover to the secretary of state, by whom they shall be delivered to the president of the senate, at the commencement of the session next ensuing such election.

Of the persons voted for as governor at any such election, the person having, in the judgment of the senate, the highest number of legal votes, and possessing the legal qualifications, and resident, as aforesaid, in the district from which the governor at such election is to be taken, shall be governor, and shall qualify in the manner prescribed by the constitution and laws, on the first Monday of January next ensuing his election, or as soon thereafter as may be, and all questions in relation to the number or legality of the votes given for each and any person voted for as governor, and in relation to the returns, and in relation to the qualifications of the persons voted for as governor, shall be decided by the senate, and in case two or more persons, legally qualified according to the provisions of this act, shall have an equal number of legal votes, then the senate and house of delegates, upon joint ballot, shall determine which one of them shall be governor, and the one which, upon counting the ballots, shall have the highest number of votes, shall be governor, and shall qualify accordingly.

No person who shall be elected, and shall act as governor, shall be again eligible for the next succeeding term.