The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-03-13
The Australian System.

I1dilOl khSoOIAuAlOli
introduced in the Legislature bill
entitled: "An act ralating to nomi-
nations and elections and to provide
n complete system of regulations
therefor" This bill proposes to en-
act what is popularity known as The
Australian system of voting and
nominations, which is in Australia,
England, Ireland, Scotland and Can
ada and will go into effect this year
/ in Massachusetts. It's principal OBJ
ject as set forth by the projectors of
the bill are to prevent bribery and
intimidation, to place all candidates
upon an equality before the law and
to undermine the dangerous powers
Of the political machine. 1t requires
that all ballots cast in elections for
officers shall be printed distributed
and all expenses incurred under the
provisions shall be a county charge
from and after July l, 1889.
Ary convention Of delegates repre-
senting a political party which, at
the election next proceeding polled
ut least three per cent. of the entire
vote cast in the Stateor local election,
as the case may be, may, by filing a
certificate Of nomination as provided,
hereafter make one nomination for
each office to be filed.
Nominations of candidates may also
be made by nomination papers sign
ed by qualified voters and properly
filed. Certificates of nomination for
State officers, Congress and the Leg
islature shall be filed with the Secre.
tary of the Commonwealth at least
twenty-one days before the election.
Certificates for all other nominations
shall be filed with the County Com
missionerS at least fourteen days
previous to election day.
Every ballot shall contain the
names and residence and the party or
political designation of all candidates
whose nominations have been duly
made, and in the case of Presidential
electors the names of the candidates
may be added. The names of candi.
dates for each Office shall be arranged
in alphabetical order, according to
surnames. At the end of the list of
candidates blank spaces are to be left,
in which the voter may insert the
name OF any person printed on the
ballot for whom he desires to vote.
in case Of death, stickers prepared by
the political party of group of citizens
making the nomination.
The ballots shall be printed on
white paper at least six inches long
and four inches wide, and containing
no mark to distinguish one from the
other. On the back, when folded,
shall be designated the polling place,
the date of the election aud a fac
simile of the signatures of the County
Commissioners who are charged with
the printing of the ballots.
PRECAUTIONS FOR SECRETARY.
Each ballot shall be attached to
stub, which is to be marked with 4
corresponding number. and they are
to be bound in books Of convent
ent size, in such manner that each
ballot may be detached separately.
The Commissioners shall provide for
each voting place two sets of such
ballots, each Of not less than one hun
dred for every fifty and fraction of
fifty votes therein, as contained upon
the assessors list. They are also to
provide cards of instruction and spec.
linen ballots. Posters containing
the name of all candidates are to be
provided by the Secretary of the
Commonwealth, and the Commits
sioners shall cause advertisements to
be made of the same.
The arrangements of the voting
places, as provided for, require one
compartment for every fifty names
on the list, with rail placed so that no
unauthorized person can come within
six feet Of these compartments or the
ballot boxes. These compartments
are furnished so that a voter can in
dicate his choice in absolute secrecy,
which is done by marking with a
cross (X) opposite to the name of the
candidate he intends voting for.
THE METHOD or VOTING.
When a voter desires to cast his
ballot he enters the room and gives
his name and residence to one Of the
election officers, who announces it In
loud voice, If it is all right another
officer who has the assessors list re-
peats the name in loud voice, aft er
which the voter is admitted behind
the guard rail. The officer having
charge of the ballots shall fold one so
that only the printing on the outside
is visible and place the name of the
voter, on the stub. He then gives
the ballot to the voter, who retires
alone to a compartment and prepares
his ballot refolding it and keeping it
! folded until he has voted He nuSt