CHAPTER 20.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE LOCATION OF THE COUNTY SEATS IN THE COUNTIES OF THIS TERRITORY.
Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Dakota:
Election, how ordered and when.Section 1. That when any number of the legal voters of any county in this territory equal to one half the highest number of votes cast at the next preceding general election in such county, shall, at least thirty days previous to the next ensuing election, petition the county commissioners of such county to be allowed to vote on the removal or location of the county seat of such county, to any point within such county, the said commissioners shall cause to be inserted in the notices for the next general election, an article requiring the voters of such county to vote on the removal of the county seat to, or the location thereof, at the point named in the petition. That only one point of removal or location shall be voted for in each year, and that point shall be the one presenting the largest number of petitions: Proviso.Provided, That the same point was not voted for at the last preceding election, and that it shall be lawful for said petitioners to deposit any sum of money or bonds with the county treasurer, which they may propose to donate for the erection of public buildings at the point petitioned for: Proviso.Provided, That in any of the counties of the territory in which the county seat has been or shall hereafter be located by a vote of the electors of said county, the place at which the county seat is so located shall be and remain the county seat at least three years after the time of taking such vote; and no new vote shall be had on the re-location of the county seat until the expiration of said three years.
Form of ballot.Sect. 2. The voters of any county, so notified, shall vote at the next general election on the removal or location of their county seat by ballot, written or printed as follows: “For county seat at ———" (filling the blank with the place named in the petition), or “ Against county seat at ———" (filling the blank as above); and if a majority of the votes