The Opelousas courier., 1889-05-18
BALLOT REFORM.
The system of Voting Under tao New
Massachusetts Law.

IL SR1Ue" Us NOSkhH
Massachusetts Law.
Under the new system of voting,
which takes effect III this State next
November, the ballot furnished the
voter will be of the length now re-
quired by law, and two or three times
such width. The ballots before dis
tribution are to be so folded in maedrk
creases that their width and length
when folded will be those of the ballot
now required. On the back and out
side, when folded, will be printed
'Oficial ballot for" followed by the
designation of the polling place for
which the ballot is prepared, the lat
of the election and a fac smile of the
signature of the Secretary Of the Com
monwealth or city clerk who has
caused the ballot to be printed. The
special ballots printed for the use of
women voters for school committee will
contain the additional Endorsement
that they are for such use only.
Every ballot will contain the names,
residence, together with the street and
number, if any, and the party or polit-
ical designations of all candidates
| whose nominations for any offices
| specified in the ballot have been duly
| made and not withdrawn. In the case
of Electors of President and Vice-Presi-
dent it is permissible to add the names
of the candidates for President and
Vice-President to the party or political
DESIGNATION. Names of candidates for
| Electors are to be printed in party
| rroups, but the names of candidates
| for all other Offices are to be printed In
alphabetical order. At the end of the
| list of candidates for each different
office as many blank spaces are to be
| left as there are persons to be elected
to such office, in which the voter may
insert the Tine Of any persons not
printed on the ballot whom he may de.
sire to vote for for that Office. There
is nothing in the law which would pre-
VEN the use of printed slips to paste in
these vacant spaces. When any con-
stitutional amendment or other ques-
ton is to be submitted to the peo-
pie, such question will be print
ed on the ballot after the
lists of candidates. A sufficient mar
gin is to be left at the right of the
name of each candidate to allow the
voter to indicate by a cross mark (x)
his choice of candidates and his answer
to the question submitted. For the
further guidance of the voter, there
may be printed on the ballots such
words as will aid him to mark proper
ly, such s ''Vote for one" ''Vote for
two" etc. This will save confusion,
and is simple but distinct Improvement
upon the system practiced in England
and Australia. The ballots, rs printed,
will be folded and fastened together in
convenient numbers in books or blocks
so that each may be detached sepa
rately. There are to be provided fol
eack polling place two set OF general
and special ballots, each of not les!
than one hundred for each fifty or frac
ton of fifty of the qualified voters reg
istered. In the case of city elections
the cost of printing the ballots is to b.
paid by each city. In all other cleo
tons the cost of printing the ballots
and delivering them to the severa
cities and towns is to be paid for b.
the Commonwealth, and the cost o
distributing the ballots to the voter
by the cities and towns respectively. =
Boston Journal.