Which return, when so made out & certified, shall be transmitted by the judges to the officer ordering the same <​election​> also a poll book as aforesaid shall be kept by the Clerk officer whose duty it shall hereafter be made to act as Clerk of election, and in case of a contested election, it shall be the duty of the said clerk, to transmit the said same to the presiding officer of inquiry the court of inquiry, in which such contest shall be tried; and the person having the greatest number of votes shall be declared duly elected

All contested elections, shall be tried by a board of officers, to be appointed for that purpose by the officer ordering the same, under the rules and regulations following to wit: Provided that <​in​> the in all cases the members composing such board of officers as afforesaid, shall be as near as may be the rank as may be, of the officer whose duty election shall be contested; and shall consist of not less than three, nor more than seven members.

The officer appointing the board of officers as aforesaid, shall notify each member thereof in writing, of the time when, and place where, such board is to be tried held; and if any officer when so appointed & notified as aforesaid, shall neglect or refuse to attend at the time & place of holding such board, he shall be liable to be fined as in other cases for neglect of duty, and the decision of all such boards of officers, which may at any time be instituted as aforesaid, shall be final & conclusive.

When any election shall be contested as aforesaid, it shall <​not​> be the duty lawful for the officer, whose duty it may be to certify the same, to make return thereof, untill a decision shall be had thereon, as aforesaid; after which the presiding officer of the board shall certify to the officer who may have appointed the same, which of the contending parties is entitled to the office; and such succesful party shall there be commissioned as in other cases; Provided, That no exceptions shall be allowed to be taken to the election of any officer, unless the same be done with in ten days after such election shall have been held [p. 9]