The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-08-03

officer offer the voter ballot paper.
From the register he takes the
voters number, and writes IL in ink
on the stub of the ballot-b book, inn
mediately below the number of the
ballot, which is printed on the stub.
Then he tears out the ballot paper.
stamps it with his stamp, aud hands
1t to the voter, who goes over to one
of the tables. There pens, ink and
blotting paper are provided. There.
as he is directed by the printed
notice above the table he marks
cross against the name of the candi-
date for whom he is voting, blots his
ballot, folds it, and returning to the
table by the railing, holds it up and
drops it into the ballot-box. Having
done this, he makes room for the
next voter.
In case an objection is made by
the agents of either candidate and
the voter insists upon casting his
ballot, the presiding officer gives
him n ballot-paper from the small
ballot-book. The procedure is the
same as though he were casting an
unchallenged vote, but his ballot is
thrown aside when the votes are
counted and the objections to il
considered later before it is counted.
If any voter is unable to read or
write it is the sworn duty of the
presiding officer to go with him to
the table, tell him the names of the
candidates and place the cross oppo-
site the name that the voter wishes,
and he must never reveal the name
of the candidate so selected.
The polls are closed at 8 o'clock
in the evening, after having been
open twelve hours. The presiding
officer is expected to he present all
the time he is allowed to be absent
not more than thirty minutes during
the twelve hours, and for those
thirty minutes he must appoint a
deputy. Immediately on the close
of the polls the ballot-box is sealed
up, all the papers and books made
into parcel, all ballots spoiled by
the voters placed together and
sealed, and an account made OF
every piece of paper used in the
polling booth during the day. The
presiding officer and his clerks, with
the agents, then take the box and
packages to the shire town of the
county, where he swears to his re-
turns, and where the votes are
counted.
When a person wishes to stand
for constituency he first secures
the service of an election agent,
through whose hands must pass
every penny spent by the candidate
to secure his return, who at the end
of the campaign must account upon
oath for every penny he has ex-
pended on behalf of his employer.
Nor are his expenses capable of
indefinite imitation. Statute after
statute have fixed what shall be paid
by the candidate for each step his
agent takes in his behalf. Although
the allowances in view of the
cheaper rate of living in England,
are calculated on most liberal
scale, yet almost any candidate in
this country who ''gets off, as cas-
lily as his English brother might con-
gratulate himself on his good for
tune.
The fees payable to the returning
officers are regulated by the "Cor-
rupt Practices" act of 1875. Under
this act, if the election is contested,
the candidates pay each pro-
portionate part of the fees; If there
is only one candidate, he pays every
thing. Some of the fees for the re-
turning officers are as follows;
6. s. d..
Preparing and publishing no.
tice of election ............ 9 9 O
Nomination papers. .......... |
Hire of rooms, not more than.
Printing ballot papers, per
thousand. >........ ...... j 10
Each presiding officer. r........ 3 3 0
lerk, polling station. /
Preparation and publication of
other than election notices,
not more than..... 20 0
Professional assistance, not
more than. n................. % U o
The candidates is allowed to pay
for his personal expenses, for the
expenses of printing (register notices
etc., } of stationary and postage for
the expenses of holding public meet
ings; he is allowed to hire in bo-
rough one committee-room, and one
additional room for every 500 voters
in excess of the first 500 voters in O
county; he may hire a central COM
mittee-room, committee-room for
each polling district, and an extra
room for each 500 voters in excess
of the first 500.
He may spend f2OO for miscella.
neous expenses, 4" so that they are
not incurred in respect of any mat.