The Placer herald., 1872-01-20
BANyARD'S BALLOT BILL.
An Act to Protect the Voters OF TINS S'"''

7ze peoDls of The STATE of California. represented
IL Senate and assembly, d. enact as Jo1!ou''
Section l. ALI elections shall be by ballot.
The ballots shall be white paper slips, OF UNI
form size and weight in each county, not trans
parent Oh which shall be printed or written 'n'
name or nam . of the candidate or cAndoa'e'
for whom votes are cast
Sec. 2. The County Clerk Of each OF the sew
.ral counties of this State shall determine We
size and weight of the slips to be used IN lhs
county in which he oficiates as such Clerk ana
at least twenty days prior to any election shall
cause to be printed, in sufficient numbers, on
such slips. the name or names Of the candidate
or candidates to be voted for; the Di1llotS 81
printed to be issued at the expense oil the county
furnished gratuitously, in equal numbers ~ 70
the party organization represented ~ Can'''. "a m
date or candidates at such election to the otcerS
Of election of each precinct IN such county; Pro-
pided that any person who may DO q candidate
independently Of party nomination shall on
application to the County Clerk, DC ent'ieu ~
receive sufficient number Of such ballots, Win
his name printed thereon.
Sec. g. The Secretary Of State shall cause to
be prepared sufficient number @; seif-seaiihe
enyelops, stamped with device OF the seal OF
the State, which, on application, he shall furnish
TO the several County Clerks OF the several coun-
ties in such numbers as may be required; ana
the County Clerk shall supply the officers oi
election OF each precinct in his county with a
number Of such envelops equal to the number oi
ballots supplied; such envelops to be Gt the ex-
pense OF the respective counties proportona'eiy
to the number so furnished to each.
Sec L. 1t will be the duty OF the otncers OIL
each election precinct in the State to see that
such ballots and enyelops, in equal numbers, are
properly distributed to voters to agents oil party
organizations, and among public places III the
vicinity Of the polls on election day.
Sec s. No ballot shall be defaced by any cut
or mark whatever, by which the character OF the
ticket voted shall be known; and any oailot SO
tlefaced or any printed on paper other than such
AZ provided for III this Act, or on paper whicn,
by reason Of its Transparency or otherwise, VIII
enable any person besides the voter to know the
candidate or candidates voted for, shall not be
counted.
Sec. G. 1t shall be unlawful to counterfeitan
ballot or envelop as provided for in this Act; or
to print ticket with the name or names OF a
candidate or candidates who is or are not the
candidate or candidates Of the party organlza-
ton Of which the ticket on its face, purports IT.
self to be. Prorided. hotrerer, that any voter
shall have the right to erase name or names
from a genuine printed ticket, and write another
or Others thereon instead
Sec. 7. No employer, contractor or other
person, by menace, or threat, or other undue
appliance, shall attempt to influence or coorce
any person IN his employ to vote for any partlc-
ular candidate or candidates, or to ire OF
him in any way, or by whatever means, to vote
contrary to his own judgment.
Sec. s. Ii any envelope shall contain more
than one ballot the officers Of election snail re-
! ject all therein enclosed.
See. 9. Every person who shall violate any
of the provisions Of this Act, or who shall will
ingly destroy, conceal, or deface any of the bal
lots or enyelops so furnished by county or 10y a
| -. L l. & L.. ,r.
and on conviction thereof, shall be punished by
| Imprisonment in the County jail for period OF
| not less than three months nor more than two
| years; or by fine OF not less than (50} dollars,
nor more than (500) dollars; and any officer who
| shall fail to perform the duties required of him
in this Act shall. upon conviction in addition
to such penalty as may be imposed upon him.
! be removed from office.
! Sec. 10. All Acts and parts OF Acts in con-
! ct with the provisions Of this Act are hereby
repealed.
The above is the bill introduced into the
Senate by Hon. +. NJ. Banvard of this
county. There is no subject that demands
more prompt attention from the Legislature
than the right of voters to the secret ballot
as contemplated by the Constitution. This
bill points in the right direction, and with
some change will accomplish the object de-
sired by its author, and the commands of
the Constitution. We wish to be understood
as endorsing it with these exceptions or sug-
gestons: Strike out all provisions requiring
the County Clerk to have anything to do
with preparing paper, printing or issuing
tickets. Require all ballots to be written or
printed on white paper of a specified kind,
of specified weight per ream and on slips
of designated size, length and width for
each candidate to be voted for at such cleo
ton, let it be State, county, district or mu-
nicipal. Require the type to be of epeci-
fed size and face, and the ink black This
will give each party or independents exactly
the same ballot in color, size and weight at
all the polls, and render it impossible to dis
tlnguish one from another when folded. If
envelops are required, provide for their color,
size and weight. Render null every ballot
not complying with these requirements, and
parties and candidates will see that the law
is complied with. Add the applicable pen
alties in the above bill, and we think the
object will be attained Above all things,
keep officials, who are all politicians, from
having anything to do with the preparation
or issuing of tickets or cnvelops. Fix the
lawful ticket, guard against fraud and coer-
clon of voters, and candidates and parties
will attend to the balance.
|
STRATEGY AND CoURAGE.-Master NJ. B.
Metwell, boy not yet fourteen years old
lately robbed stage in Sonoma county, all
alone, in this wise: lie halted the driver.