The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1886-05-06
pARllanENTAaY ELEorIoNs b eREAt



When neg Parliament has 70 be
assembled, the Lord Chancellor, By
order Of the sovereign, directs the
clerk OF the crown 70 prepare "a IL
sue, under the great zeal Wrils Of
election 20 the shsrifs Of counties,
both for the counties and the
b0rOughs. Each sheriff, on receiving
the writ for q county, appoints day
Tor the election 20 be held. This day
must not be less than nine, nor more
than tWenty-One days, later than his
receipt OF the writ Each county Il
divided into districts, with polling
place In each, ct which the electors
vote, and at the termination Of the
poll the return q transmitted to the
sheriff who pFoelaims the successful
candidates. IL borough elections in
England aud Ireland, the sheriff, ON
receiving the wilt, sends the order ap-
pointing election day - the returning
officer Of the munieip ality, who super.
intends the casting Of the votes ID
Scotland, the sheriff hns the manage
ment o. bOrOuRb e. well as cGunty
elections The names OF al persons
elected, both 10 counties and bOrOughB
are returned by the sheriff 70 the clerk
during q session Of Parliament they
are fiIisd BY the sane procedure un-
der special Writs Issued By authority
Of the House. Until recent years elf
elections were made ny q show Of
hands or by accIanAti0n. n no more
candidates we're brought forward than
were 20 be elected from the district,
the sheriff declared them eleeled with
out calling for any differences In
opinion, bat ~ there was an excess OF
candidates q show Of hands was called
for by this officer. Polls were not |
held unless demanded BY one side or |
the other. In 1889, test elections by /
ballot were held in Massachusetts, and |
Stafford, and as voting was found 20 !
be more rapidly and more quietly con-
Quoted by this plan than by the other, |
the ballot act aspassed Ia 1872. IN !
der this, voting by ballot has been in |
trOdnced into ali parliamentary and /
municipal elections, except parlia- !
meutaFy elections for the universities. 4
The act requires the names Of all the
candidates 20 be printed on white pa
per, and the voter must OIL up with q /
cross, Y, the blank on the right hsnd,
opposite the name he votes for. The /
register Of voters shows when an
electOf has receiveda ballot from one /
OF the officers OF election, and each 1
ballot Is marked with a number cor
responding 10 the counterfeit Of the |
paper which remains with the officer.
This counterfeit ls slso marked with /
this voters number on the register. 80 /
that the vote may be ideHtifed. II the /
poll should be scrutinized or chAl-
lenged. The voter folds the ballot 80 /
~ 10 conceal his mark, but 10 show |
the stamp to the officer, and Il is /
dropped in q box which Is locked and |
sealed. The elections are held In |
school rooms or other public places, /
and q separate compartment must be |
provided for every $50 voters. A re-
turning officer counts the ballots and |
transmits them, sealed, after the re-
suit Of the election has been declared,
20 the clerk OF the crown OF ehanceFy, /
who destroys them at the end Of the |
year. Frauds in voting, such as
using nOn-Offieial ballots, destroying q
ballot or edaeing q mark thereon, are
punishable, on the part Of officials,
with imprisonment for two yesrs In
the eOse Of voters the term lie six
months.