Chapter VII.

Elections.



§1. For the convenient exercise of political power, as well as for the
purposes of government generally, the territory of a state is divided
into districts of small extent. It has been remarked, that the people of
a state, being too numerous to meet in one assembly to make laws and
transact the public business, elect a small number to represent them.
But to elect these representatives and other officers, and to adopt the
constitution, or fundamental law of the state, are political duties,
which must be performed by the people in person, and in a _collective_
capacity. Hence the necessity of small territorial divisions, in which
the people may assemble for political purposes.

§2. A state is divided into counties, and these are divided into towns
or townships. The people of every county and every town have power to
manage their local concerns. The corporate powers of counties and towns,
and the election and the powers and duties of county and town officers,
will be given in subsequent chapters.

§3. The electors of the state meet every year in their respective towns
for the election of officers. Meetings for electing town officers are,
in a majority of the states, held in the earlier part of the year. Most
officers elected by the people, other than town officers, are chosen at
the general state election, which, in most of the states, is held in
October or November.