The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-11-04

who spent one hour and three quarters in
getting to the ballotbox yesterday in Rock
Island. II took some Of them almost as
long in Moline. There is no sense in throw.
ing such obstacles in the way Of voters
Business men havn't the time, if they have
the patience, to consume so much time in
securing their ballots. The elections yes.
terday demonstrated the necessity of diVid.
ing the Rock Island precinct into two or
more, and Moline likewise into two. Five
hundred voters are full as many as should
be expected TO deposit their ballots at one
poll. The supervisors, at their next meet.
ing, should at once authorize the division Of
these two voting precincts into such number
as will give every voter the opportunity to
deposit his ballot by sunset. Then the law
can be carried out to the letter, every man
can deposit his vote, returns can be made
early, and election officers are not worked
to death. - Union.
We fully agree with the above, and we
have no doubt that every man in town does,
also. Most of the men who voted on Tues.
day were obliged to take their turns in line
Of people reaching from the ballot.box in
the court house nearly across court square,
and requiring from two to three hours in
that line before reaching the ballot. box
The result was that not two-thirds Of the vo'
ters of this township cast their ballots at all.
There are over 400 names on the registry,
aud probably 200 voted by affidavit, who were
not on the register; while but little over
100 votes were poed. We have no doubt
that there are from $500 to l,8OO voters in
this township. But when it comes to stand
ing three hours in line, losing half days
work or business, struggling for your place
and for a chance to vote, at least one man
out of every three gets Disguised with the
effort and goes away. 1t is, by law, made
the duty of the board of supervisors to es.
tablish a sufficient number of voting places
in every township to accommodate all the
voters-and they would have done so at their
last meeting, if any of our citizens had pc
titioned to have it done. At the next meet.
ing Of the board a petition should be pre-
scented, asking for voting precincts to be es-
tabished in each ward in the city. Proba
bly, two voting precincts would be enough in
Moline. The people there will be their own
judges about that. If they want more let
them ask for them. But a voting precinct
should be established in every ward in this
city. And if the wards increase, as we ex-
pect they WILL then they should be sub.
divided into other precincts. In some Of the
large cities four or five voting precincts are
established in some of the wards. 1t is the
duty Of the board Of supervisors to furnish
such facilities for voting as will enable ev-
cry man to cast his vote without delay, and
not subject him to any loss of time, or any
doubt about being able to cast his vote
Some people were complaining, in this town,
that the officers were slow, that it took the
clerks too long to write names, &C., &C.
These complaints are all wrong and unjust.
The officers in this township transacted the
business with more rapidity than it was done
in Moline. More votes were polled in an
hour here than there The fault 10 not with
the officers in either place. The delay is
caused by the registry law, and cannot be
avoided. Each man, as he comes to the
ballot.box, must first wait until the clerks
ascertain if his name is on the registry. It
1t IS there and he shall be challenged he
must vote by affidavit, if at all, and must
have two witnesses. If it is not on, then he
must make affidavit that he is a voter, and
procure one witness. If, then, he shall be
challenged, be must find two witnesses. 1t
will thus be seen that the requirements OF
the law are what cause the delay. At the
next meeting Of the board of supervisors let
Us petition for voting precinct in each
ward, confined to the limits of such territory
in each ward as shall be within the township
lines. Ia that way every man can get a
chance to vote without loss OF time or an.
noyance, and our town will show something
near the number of votes to which We are
entitled.