Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-10-26

Having received his ballot the voter
enters one Of the booths where, secluded
from observation, he prepares the ballot
by placing in the blank column a cross
opposite the name Of each candidate for
whom he desires to vote; or, if he pre-
fers, by writing the names of candidates
of his own nomination in place of those
already there. If there are several can
didates for the same kind Of Office, as
co1oners in the sample ballot above, or
presidential electors, and he wishes to
vote the "straight" ticket OF his party,
he places the cross under the name OF
the party, or draws it drought the space
in the blank column allotted to the par
TVS Candidates, which signifies that he
votes for each candidate named in that
space. Thus, in the sample ballot, a
cross under the word democratic" or
through the first two spaces Of the blank
column to the right, is one vote each for
Alexander Jacobs and Harvey Sylvester.
After preparing his ballot by indicat-
ing every candidate for whom he votes,
the voter folds it in such a manner as to
conceal the face and expose the endorse
ment, and withdrawing from the booth
gives the ballot to the inspectors who
identify it by the Endorsement as official.
It is then deposited in the box and the
voter passes out at another door. From
the time he receives his ballot until he
casts it, the vorer is permitted to have
no communication with any one but the
election officers, and with them only for
official purposes; and only election off
GERS and persons actually engaged in
voting are ever admitted within the poll
ing place.
Upon proof Of inability from physical
infrmity or iliteracy, voter may call
into the booth officers appointed and
sworn for the purpose, to aid him in pre-
pairing his ballot; and when a ballot is
accidentally destroyed or defaced it must
be exchanged for clean one. AS it is
essential that ballots be printed at pnb-
lie expense and distributed by public Of
fcers, the system must include some
mode of certifying nominations to the
proper authorities a reasonable time be-
fore elections. That proposed by the
Yate-Saxton bill of New York was per-
haps as convenient as could be desired.
| Under it state nominations were to be
certified fifteen days and local nomina-
tons ten days before election; nomina-
tions of political party which at the
next preceding election polled three per
cent. of the whole vote were to be certi-
fed by party officers; and independent
nominations, if for state office were to
be certified by thousand voters and if
for local Office by a hundred.
There is reason to believe that the
Australian system of voting is about to
receive favorable consideration in all the
states where election abuses have been
seriously felt, but its adoption would so
surely dispense with machine organiza-
tions that there is also reason to fear at
tempts at essential modification. These
are likely to be in the direction of allow
ing the delivery OF ballots to parties and
candidates before election, and distribu
ton as well by workers at any time
or place as by sworn officers at the polls
A little thought will show that this
would continue the power OF political
machines and endanger secrecy. 1t were
better that the reform be delayed with
the force of public opinion pressing it
forward, than that inefficient measures
should allay public opinion by seeming