Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-13
Counting the Vote

/ The counting Of the vote Of New York is
! in progress When it will end cannot be
foretold Under the most favorable circum-
stances the counting Of the vote Of the State
/ is necessarily slow. II required fifteen days
~ determine Garield's vote accurately though
! he had 90 900 plurality in the State Now
with the vote exceedingly close, necessitating
the most thorough scrutiny of all the details
of the election and sharp contests upon all
ltdisputed points the length of time that will
be consumed in the count cannot possibly be
determined at this stage of the struggle
There are 2000 election precincts in the State
concerning each Of which the result of the
election must be decided.
To ascertain the result in New York city
alone il heavy task, The law is elaborate,
having many provisions 10 secure fair and
honest result. The board of aldermen be.
comes board of supervisors of the
count. In other counties the canvassing
i, done by the regular board of supervisors
II omissions or mistakes are discovered bv
the supervisors In the returns they are not
tNtHl-tlNFH hutHbIlN VI ~ t'i tGt tllrH II Is
their duty to send them by one of their num-
Der to the town or district inspectors, who
must forthwith assemble and make such
correction ms the facts of the case require"
! he inspectors are forbi lden to chang. or
alter any decision previously made by them.
hut shall only cause their canvass ITO be cor
reCtly stated" The board has authority to
adjourn from day to day for not more than
three days to receive such corrected state
meuts If the law has been complied with
and the returns are presented in proper
condition before the board of supervisors
they are informed of the actual appearance
and condition of every ballot east as certain
| IL NJ il they themselves had counted then
Thus the statutes require the inspectors "se-
cnrvlv Ia attach to paper one original ballot
of each kind found to have been given f,r
electors with the number of ballots cast If
7 that character written onnnsite.
/ Then follows one of the most important
| provisions of the statute and one that very
| frequently is not complied with. namely.
d" hey the inspectors shall also attach to
such paper all original ballots for electors
T ri cited by them as being defective" There.
/ fore. II the law was obeyed the supervisors
would see an exact specimen of each Kind of
/ ballot that had been counted as good and they
| would have before their eyes ereyy ballot that
/ hal been rejected as defective no matter
what the number might he A. to the rest of
/ the ballots the duty Of the inspectors is clear.
" rhe remaining ball is, saws the statute
/ "not so pasted or attached, shall be de-
/ stra, ed"
After the board of supervisors has had all
/ corrections that il thinks proper. made bv the
district ward or town inspectors, ii proceeds
/ 10 estimate. state and certify the votes of
the county," but It's powers are not arbitrary
. or absolute On proper prysentment of facts
by affidavit to the Supreme Courr, showing
that the hoard Of csnvas.ers has made an
error in its work. and the facts are establish.
ed. the Court will compel proper correction
7 to be made