Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-09
SUCCESS OF THE PRECINCT REGISTRY
SYSTEM.

SuCCESS oF THE PRECINCT REGISTRY
SYSTEM.
When the REcoRD-UNIoN advocated
the adoption Of precinct registers for the
voting districts of this city the proposition
met with bitter opposition 1t was said
that hundreds of men would be practically
disfranchised; that in case of removals
gross injustice would be done, and that
mistakes in the record of residences would
work grievous hardships The opposition
to the precinct registry system grew into
bitterness, and it was openly charged that
the scheme was projected to defeat the
honest and full expression of the will of
the people; and this, too. in the face of
the distinct statement by the friends of the
scheme and the REcoRDUNIoN that It's
purpose was to defeat fraud, to render cor
ruption difficult, and to make honest elee-
tions possible.
But the plan as provided by the law was
adopted, and the registers were made.
they were not free from error; on a first at
tempt to introduce them perfection was
scarcely to be expected Indeed, the Board
of Supervisors in anticipation of errors or
dered only as many registers printed as
would serve for the recent election, and it
may here be added that the Board acted,
IN ordering the system at all, in the face
of opposition from certain official as well
as other quarters.
Now, what has been the outcome Of the
adoption of the system? Instead of the
vote being reduced, and havoc being played
with the rights of men, Sacramento's vote
was absolutely increased. There were
registered in the city G, $50 voters, of these
6G06 came to the polls and cast their
ballots, leaving S63 who did not
vote for reasons, such as in
difference, sickness, removal from
the city, unavoidable absence or settled de-
termination not to vote. and to which
number should be added the deaths since
registration closed. In former wears the
percentage of registered voters not voting
has at general elections ranged from Is to
II per cent. In this case the per cent. not
voting was but little over eleven, or from
4 TO per cent. less than ever before. The
city, therefore, under the new system, cast
the largest vote in her history, and the
largest per cent. of registered voters voted
ever known.
1t Is probable that some few men were
shut out, but it is perfectly safe to say that
IN nine cases out of ten the fault was theirs
alone, and is not chargeable to the precinct
system. AS against the few who were de-
prlved of their vote by errors or their own
blameworthiness, it is fact that great
deal of fraudulent voting was prevented,
and that repeaters and vote thieves found
their occupation gone. Before another
general election the precinct registers will
of course be made exact, the voting pre-
cincts will be brought down to the maxi
mum figure required 10y the law, and thus
the registers will be relieved in some pre-
cincts of three hundred and upwards of
Names and the rapid counting of the votes
greatly facilitated.
During the rather acrimonious debate
precedent to the adoption of the system
the REcoRD-UNIoN, for insistence upon its
advocacy, was roundly abused. We said
then that this journal was willing to take
the risk of misjudgment, so confident was
it that the purpose and scheme of the law
were wise. The outcome has justified
that judgment in every partieu-
lar. Many of the most earn
est and persistent opponents of the
plan now come forward and frankly admit
that it worked admirably, and that it was
preventive of fraud and conserved honest
voting. Party workers declare that it
saved them world of trouble and en-
abled them, by checking off names as they
were voted, to ascertain precisely who had
not voted up to a given hour, and thus
gave opportunity to hunt up the negligent
and bring them to the polls. Unquestion-
ably the very large vote cast on Tuesday
is in great part to be credited to this fact.
Now that the system has been tried and
pronounced complete success, and that,
too, in the face of an opposition to it that
was almost unpardonably bitter and un
reasonable, and that proceeded from quar-
tiers where it should have had friends; now
that it has proved its great usefulness in
checking fraud and conserving the sacred
ness of the ballot, let the Registers be
overhauled with great care and after full
notice. ali errors corrected, the election
districts reduced as stated, and at the next
election where the precinct registers are
used it will be found that whoever raises a
voice against the system will be looked
upon by the community as opposed to it
simply because such person does not de-
sire fair election, but does favor fraud
and repeating.