Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-29


ballot in the box. The change proposed
will require the elector to exhibit " his
ballot. and after it isfound that he is right
fully entitled to vote, that the elector may
cast his ballot by putting it into the box
with his own hand. This would be actu-
ally casting the ballot" 1t is difficult to
understand how this can in any way in
crease the liability of fraud; the ballot in
the hand of the voter is the preliminary
step to the exercise of the prerogative of
sovereign; the act is complete only when
he ~casts" it. Why he should not himself
deposit the ballot cannot be shown. The
difference in the acts OF casting by the
elector, and by the inspector, are great.
When the voter deposits the ballot it is
his act. When the Inspector receives and
handles the ballot he may defeat the will
of the voter, and not infrequently 1t has
been done. An adroit and dextrous man
can change the ballot, and we repeat, it has
been cone 10 tuIu W lhS OlSiho WIN
search for the register number; to accom-
plish half wheel of the body, and shift
the ballot in a manner the ordinary man
will not account as an act of moment
and in that time and action to change the
ballot for another, is not very difficult of
achievement.
In the second place, that provision legal
izing calls for primary elections it is pro-
posed to amend by adding a seventh clause
to Section 1858, providing that the call
shall be made upon the basis of precinct
voting strength, and that the representa-
ton for conventions shall be chosen by
precincts, or from clubs of not more
than $50, nor less than 20 mem
bers. This is to be given effect and
rounded out by a provision requiring the
Supervisors, whenever a precinct has cast
at any election $50 votes or more, to di-
vide it as nearly equal as may be into two
precincts.
1t will be readily seen that this will cut
down precincts to a minimum of 175
voters, and will prevent them being larger
than is represented by strength of $50
votes Thus, speed in counting will be
assured in the first place, no great weari-
ness of election clerks ard officers be prob
able, in the second, and hence the liabil-
ity to err will be reduced to the lowest
possible minimum. At the same time,
political bosses will be unable, so readily
as now, to send up to political conventions
packed ward and district delegations.
1t is also provided that all scratching or
marking out on ballots shall be done by
ink lines. This is for two wise purposes
to secure more deliberation on the part of
the voter, and to prevent what is known to
now occur, to wit, the use within the polls,
by INSCRIPTIONS election officers, of devices
to defeat the will of the citizen. This has
been accomplished by the use of a bit of
pencil lead secreted beneath the finger
nail. In the recent recount in San Fran
cisco, it was openly charged that this was
done.
A final provision requires the polls to be
kept open in all the State until 6 P. NJ. on
the day of election, instead of closing at
sunset. In November sunset takes place
before working hours are over, and, as a
result, very many laboring men are I'M
able to reach the polls without sacrificing
a portion of their days wages In San
Francisco the polls remain open until $50
P. NJ. There is no reason why they should
close earlier elsewhere in the State.
The propositions to narrow election pre-
cincts and to prevent change of ballots were
advocated in the REcoRD-UNIoN some
time ago. The other provisions proposed
are of equal merit. We cannot see why
the whole bill, as outlined, should not be-
come law. If there are any serious OBJ
jections to any of the suggested amend
ments, We have been unable, after careful
examination, to discover them.