Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-02-14


Every Intelligent voter has seen fire.
quent references in the newspapers TO the
Australian ballot law and has often
wondered what it's features are. Il is to
clear such doubts that this article is
printed. The GAZETTE is mainly in
debted to john II. Wiemore of the Boston
bsr, whose book nThe Australian Ballot
System as embodied in the legislation Of
various countries" has just been published
by Charles O. Soule Of Boston, the
preface being dated, Boston, Jan. 2lst,
1889. The Introductory sketch OF the
history OF the Australian ballet 6ys-
tenn. should be- read by every man
and woman who wishes to keep
informed on the most important
pcints In political history The father
OF the system iE Francis y, Dalton, mem
Der of the legislature of South Australia
from 1861 to 1865 and during that TINA
twice at the head of the government the
bill becoming q Law under tae Uane OF
She Elections Act, 1878. There was an
almost Simultaneous movement. IN Vie
toria, the measure being introduced by
William Nicholson and later carried
through in 1856, two years after The con
Etitution mad created representative
legislature. Since then it's good results
wherever adopted have carried it west
wssd until on May 30th, lS72 it passed
the house Of commons in England. The
English Ballot act was limited 10 expire
Decemhar 31st, 1886, bat it hes been reg
uiariy continued in force from year to
year and may now DE ragariai as a psr-
manent element OF the Eaglish elsctopal
systenI. In August last it was applied
to county elections by the Local
Government Act, 80 that tho eDtirs fsld
OF elections in ENGLAND and Wniei, il not
In Scotland and Ireland as we'll, ia nov
covered by the Australian aTstsm OF bsl.
loting. Like Rll other good THINKS il has
generally been INST by strong Opposition,
but in every case its hittctast pppcnsnta
have come to recognize is efficacy. Il
Was adopted by Belgium on duly g!h,
1877. BY the &C: OF February 24sn, 1883.
the Australian system adapted 50 ap
ply to all elections Of municipal Officer;
in Louisville, Ky, was adopted, the re
suits BEING wonderfully satisfactory. Or
reading the Law enc might think i;
cumbrous and that the returns o
tbs election would be slow. AbFan
Flexusr, writing from Louisville OF
the 81 uttino, says "the c0untipS
OF yotss proceeded apparently with per
feet ease. The results OF the election wer,
published in the pm the following
morning with the accustomed tolpess, no
did the official cplnt. so fay as l know
require more TINA than was the cas-
under the old net aoGn The l4w who!
the GAZETTE prints IN full is tina
OF Massachusetts passed last May. Bill
embodying the Australian sy ten hav
already been inttGuGcel 81 the pressn
sessions OF the legislatures o. Milne ar;
Rhode Island. Efforts TO secure iegisla
ton will doubtless be renewed in Mich
gsn, and 1t is said that similar legislatio
Is contemplated in % nthar states M
stena h2s adw FAd tae agprp7.t
taA legislatures y u b.4itz.4 .esss, u
/ 1Ees these different ldgi iasueaB : \
registered their approval OF it by varioI
snactnents, exclusive Of amend menss.
The cardinal featUres Of the syssen
everywhere so fsr adopted, are t&oi FRS
an arrangemsnt for polling by vhit
compulsory secrecy OF voting Is steage
second, an otli3ial ballot continuing Il
names Of oil candidates, psluted and di
tributed uadsr state or munieip
authority. llr. WignoEs shows tn
elective preventive legislation must ta'
one Of thsss cou.Iss; II, By making {.
detection Of the offence absolutely cs
tain; 2 BY taking away Nll Interest
its commission, or by making it prot
nbla to refraia; 3. By mag Z the oifsa
physically impoasibis." What the Az
tEslian law hiss done is 10 work these il.
q ballot law which has now slood the t.
OF third OF century OF use-frl
l556-lsS9, and The more It ID used /
n1cra popular it becomes.
THE MASSACHUSETTS, Law.
An act 10 provide for printing and d
Irritating ballots OF the pubic tx 3ea,
and 10 regulate voting ii state aud G
elections.
Do il saacted d., az yJi3iioios'
Sec. J.. All ballots cast in elections !
nstionsl. sta.s, district, aud county d
Gers in CITIES and toTol after he first 4
OF November IN the year ls5J, ned
baitots cast IA muNmpst Ulsgtiens
cities after that date, BLa,l te piiatei =
distributed at pualic exp5nss, 1 L5tt
AFTER provided Ioe priatieg Of the b
lots ard csrde OF instructions 60 yut.
snRa in muni1ipai eigsti luS il ei$ III
paid 70; by tha aeseral cite r4spsofiy \
aud 10 al oEher eleltl9as ms printlug
-Atl IPAASs1 anu NAEt45 - ! ii.s44j.4A4,
tlle delivery Of them 10 tNS ssSssAl ait
ana toms 2hsll u ptld f)r W ira 81
lnonY 5.lil. Tbs cist-ibutiln II tie {
lots 70 ysa Fo.ers saa bs pa.d Tor BY
cites sid S19na respectively. Il O.
.stase election ~ uss5 in thiz act. 81
apply to any election he.i Or .ne ia
o. nhticnal, STATE, Gis.Hcs, o. cal
officer, whether Tor fu!l fesri or ,cr
HilJgN-y. ~ IA ea 4 ~ b : i.
chicern shaii 4pgly 70 any person TO
chosen by tie 4iiaed yptass At Buch
election. The term city III s.ig y Ii
app to any ,11nicipal slss;i5o 10 i
IL q city Rna tbs term .et7 1ii9ern 81
apoly TO say person IL IS sao7an Sy
qlsli1 u voters a. such al election.
EoHiSArtoSs Of oSSolBVTrs.
Sac. 2 say convention II ds!eeo
and any caucus OK meeting q qf4n
voters, as hersinafter dehagd, gcl i
siduSi voters 10 rue pun res GgA ia
manner hereinafter satcIfisa, may ID
naie clpdiastga for public efAas. vi
nance sh.il DC piSesi upau tie la
to be furnished Is 5tsin proyic51
SEQ. 3 hey convention 1T dsieg
representing political party watcb
tho election next preceding, pulled
least 3 p5r cent OF the entire vote ga,
the state, CT in tie electoral dlslfic
division thjSE1t for WLlcb tie uo.4iat
is made, or any convent On OF tete4
Rho hsvs hoeu selscted in caupuqes IN
aud held Ia acCgrdarca With So,
atntuta providing thersIo- and any Ca
20 called aud Aela IL any sueh eiso,
district ~ division, MAJ Tor ths staj
for the 5i9rEiet Or division for whiai
convention or esHcus is hald, rs the
nEy Re By causing cart iusts OF nj
nation % be duly aled MAKE ohs
nomination for each clIiGs therein /
iilIe1 III Inc election. Every such cs