Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1852-04-01
DIRECTIONS TO VOTERS.

that at the roaching April election
they will vote, for The first lime, under
! tie new Law, which is iamiliarly known
as the "S,cr,i Ballet Law" AS the
mode of voirg is entirely new, and ms
the provisions oi the Law are such that
many, Notwithstanding The greatest pre-
caution will be very liable TO lose their
votes. we feel il our dny TO safe. as
briefly as possible, and vet comprehen-
sive.y, the prominent provisions of the
law, and what will be required Of ihe
electors. We have already expressed
!, our dislike TO tie Law. us Il childish,
foolish and embarrassing affair; yet,
while il remains IN force, il is the duty
OF every good citizen strictly TO comply
with il.
The Town Council will appoint two
suitable persons to take charge of and
deliver the envelopes; these persons
must be at the place OF voting when the
Polls open, and must remain there until
they close. Every voter must apply to
one Of them, in person, for an envelope,
and these men can only deliver one Of
each kind OF envelopes to such persons
as they know to be voters, by an exami-
nation of the Registry, and as they delv-
er the envelopes, they must check the
names on the Registry list The .envel
ope in which you will place your ticket
for State officers, will have the coat-oi-
arms OF the State upon l.; and that in
which you place your ticket for Mem
hers OF the Assembly, will have upon it
the arms of the State, and also the words
"lor Senator and Representatives"
Having obtained these, you place
your tickets in their respective envel-
opcs, and then wet the gum and press
the envelope together so as to seal it
but you must be careful not to write
your name on the ticket, as the law has
heretofore required, because, il you do,
the ticket " i'll be destroyed without be.
ing counted, when the polls are closed
if you accidentally place two tickets of
the same kind in th. same envelope
your ticket will be lost, as it is the duty
Of the Moderator TO destroy all such if
the envelope "bears any impression or
device or color, designed TO distinguish
such envelope from others OF the same
kind" it is the duty ol the Moderator to
re ject ii with all lis conit nts."
Having prepared your envelopes, as
you 60 up TO the ballot box, you call
out your name distinctly, the
Moderator repeats it aloud, and then
causes the sane 10 be checked on the
Registry; you then hold up the envcl-
opc so that the Moderator can distinctly
see that you have but one in your hand,
and also that il bears no mark or device
by which II may be disting ishcd from
the others. Having gone through with
all tins ceremony, you will then deposite
your envelope in the opening OH the top
OF the ballot box.
All voters must be careful in preparing
their ballots, not to soil them or make
any impression upon them, by which
they may be distinguished, because all
such votes will be lost.
BE careful that you place each ticket
in The proper envelope F; and also that
The gum on the envelope is not too wet
or not wet enough, as, in ,ihcr, case it
will not adhere. and if any envelopes
are found even accidentally unscalcd
when tho box is opened, such envelopes,
with all their contents, will be destroyed,
without being counted.
We are thus particular in stating, as
briefly as possible, ,hc main features Of
the new law, because We presume that
the majority Of voters will not take the
trouble TO read the law carefully through,
and thoroughly understand what they
have TO do. The law is ridiculous, and
the sooner it is repealed, the better it
will be for all concerned. IL affords no
security IN elections which did not pre-
viously exist; the perplexilcs of this
system are innumerabe, and the chan
ccs OF many persons losing their votes,
although they may have deposited them
in the ballot box in good faith, are very
great. The above directions must in
all cases be strictly complied with, by
every voter.