The Portland daily press., 1880-09-02
fKennebec Journal
A Word to Town Clerks.

Much has been said, and truthfully, of the
vital importance Of true and correct returns
being made of the result of elections. 1t is
true that the laws of the State furnish rem
edy whereby errors, If discovered, may be cor
rected by the record, but it cannot always be
known that the returns do not agree with the
record. and it sometimes occurs that
the record itself is defective. As an example
of the frequency with which errors occur, We
would state that an examination of the guber-
Material returns shows that the returns from
twenty-eight towns were erroneous in the
spelling or writing of the names of the can
didates voted for. Votes which should have
been returned for Daniel II. Davis were re-
turned as cast for Daniel +. David, ID. r..
Davis, and Daniel f. Smith. Votes intended
for Joseph L. Smith, were returned as for JOS
eph Smith, JOS L. Smith, j, L. Smith, Joseph
Smith and Josett l.. Smith, while Garcelon's
name was enormously spelled as Gaslin, Cars
Ion, Gacelin, Garcellon, Garzelon, Garclon,
Gaselon and Garslin; Alonzo being further
tortured into Alamo, Anolze, Alozo, Elonco
and Elonzo the whole number of votes thus
incorrectly returned amounting to 59S-enough
to change the result of an election when close.
These errors cannot always be chargeable to
the ignorance of the clerk as in some instances
the returns are filled up by one of the select
men, an instance iof which is in the return
from the town Of Freedom, in Waldo county,
where the return is in the handwriting of the
first selectman of the town, and thirty-one
votes are returned for Elonzo Garcelon; the
selectman referred to being no other than the
Fusion Senator for that county, who as Presi-
pent of the gat Senate essayed for day or
two the role of Governor of Maine. Another
error is the omission both of the name Of the
town and of the county from their proper place
in the returns, and in one instancetevery asses
sor and the clerk of a plantation in Madawas-
ka made his mark instead of signing his names
and none of the marks were witnessed, unless
the name of another party, written in the cor
ner was intended: for that purpose. In the
return of another plantation the names of two
of the assessors were signed by their marks
with no pretence in any form OF being wit
messed Many other instances might be given
of errors in returns, but these are sufficient to
show the absolute necessity of carefulness in
this particular, and we urge upon the town
officials whose duty it is to make up the cleo
tion returns to see to it that It IS properly done
and the legal requirements fulnileds IN every
particular. i.--
The following rules should be rigidly OBJ
served Insert in the spaces left for them the
name of town and county. Insert the whole
number OF DallOtS gwen IOr 0dcu oIuc6 anu
the number of votes for each candidate plainly
written, and the names correctly spelled. In
writing the names Of candidates, do not write
them as you think they are, but copy them
inst as they are written or printed on the oai-
lots.
The returns should be true copy OF the
records, and signed by the selectmen and clerk
and sealed up in open town meeting Read
carefully the directions printed on the blanks
sent you for returns and follow them implicit
ly. :, A.. ....u...,
hints YOU will not only give correct return Of
| the votes as cast, but you will greatly assist
| those whose duty it is to canvass and tabulate
| the returns, so that every voter shall not only
be able to cast his vote for the candidate OF his
choice, but after casting it shall give its IN
fluence in determining the result of the cleo
ton, without which his time taken IN gong 10
the polls to deposit his ballot is thrown away
and he is deprived of all voice in shaping the
affairs of the country.
We will add to the above that whiie put
tbraa arrors anpear in the votes referred to
above returned for Republican candidates,
! twenty-five appear in those for the Fusloniss'