| Section 5. Election of Representatives; lists of votes |
delivered forthwith; lists of votes examined by Governor; summons |
of persons who appear to be elected; lists shall be laid before |
the House. The meetings within this State for the choice of |
Representatives shall be warned in due course of law by qualified |
officials of the several towns and cities 7 days at least before |
the election, and the election officials of the various towns and |
cities shall preside impartially at such meetings, receive the |
votes of all the qualified electors, sort, count and declare them |
in open meeting; and a list of the persons voted for shall be |
formed, with the number of votes for each person against that |
person's name. Cities and towns belonging to any Representative |
District shall hold their meetings at the same time in the |
respective cities and towns; and such meetings shall be notified, |
held and regulated, the votes received, sorted, counted and |
declared in the same manner. Fair copies of the lists of votes |
shall be attested by the municipal officers and the clerks of the |
cities and towns and the city and town clerks respectively shall |
cause the same to be delivered into the office of the Secretary |
of State forthwith. The Governor shall examine the returned |
copies of such lists and 7 days before the first Wednesday of |
December biennially, shall issue a summons to such persons as |
shall appear to have been elected by a plurality of all votes |
returned, to attend and take their seats. All such lists shall |
be laid before the House of Representatives on the first |
Wednesday of December biennially, and they shall finally |
determine who are elected. |