The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-02-11
A New Election Dils.

vice Tor the seIectlOn OF Judges and
clerks of elections, and to define the
methods of conducting election and
making return thereof" The bill
is nearly a re-hash of the present
existing election laws with a few
radical changes and whether it
would eradicate the evils of ballot
box stufing and tally-sheet forging,
is very hard t tell. There are al
ready laws enough on the statute
books toinsure a free and pure cleo
ton if enforced, and it would seem
superfous to pass any more
Section 4 ofthe law provides that
every employee of any corporation
or individual shall be allowed one
hour Of time in which, in an efec-
ton, to cast his vote without being
subject to reduction of pay for the
Time so occupied.
: Section 7 provides that the fall
election shall occur on the Tues
day succeeding the first Monday in
November.
Section 8 provides for such a di-
vision Of. all election precincts now
existing that no one shall contain
more than $50 electors, except such
as cast less than 400 votes at the
last State election. This division
of county precincts is to be made by
the Judges ofelection, forthe selec-
ton of which the bill definitely
provides, who shall meet for that
purpose at the Office of the present
Township Clerks, on the first Tues
day of September, and must COM
plete their labors by the 25th ofthe
same month, and designate the
place in each precinct where the
election is to be held.
Section IA says the Judges of
shall have authority to
keep the peace and cause any per-
son to be arrested for any breech
of the peace or for any breech of
election laws, or any interference
with the progress of such election,
or of the canvass Of the ballots
Section Is says judges and clerks of
shall be of different poll
tical parties, and Section 16 pro-
how these Judges are to be
elected, as follows: In each town
ship the two persons who were op-
ponents for the Office of Township
Trustee at the last election, and
supported by the two leading poll
teal parties, shall be two of the
judges. If there were no op-
posing candidates for the Office of
Trustee at the last election, then the
three Trustees shall be the judges,
except in the event oftheir belong
ing to the same political party, when
the two oldest shall serve and select
The third judge from the leading op-
political party. In the event
Of a division of the township into
precincts, the judges, as selected
shall serve in the First Pre-
,inct, and they shall designate the
Judges for the other precincts.
In regard to the selection ofjudg-
IS for the precincts of any corpora
ion the bill provides that the OPP
posing candidates for Council shall
'e judges in the "A"precinct of any
ward, and they shall select the judg-
s for the other precincts with such
egard to their political affiliations
s is directed in the selections of
Judges for county precincts, and so
hat the two leading political par
les shall have two judges in alter
late precincts. Judges so selected
re to serve for one year, and are
tut under penalty for refusing to
erve.
Section 1Sprovides that each po-
tical organization shall appoint
watches" who shall have au-
to inspect the ballot boxes
efore voting begins, and be placed
0 as to e every ballot deposited
l the box. If this section had also
rovided that these watchers"
hould be supplied with good clubs,
18th the right to knock down every
erson who comes within fifty feet
the voting place tointerfere with
control the ballots of voters, it
ould be more perfect and better
.ished. All ballots are to be of
lain white paper without any dis
nguished mark except the words
the head of the ticket. The other
'ctions of the bill running to SO,
It out what questions shall be pro-
bundled to challenged voters
lows plainly what constitutes a
'sidence and how affected by re-
.ovals-provides how to make re-
rms and who shall make the off,
al returns, etc. {
We have our doubts if the bill {
oes pass, if it make our elections '