The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-16
ELECTION REFORM.
The Voice OF the Indiana Press on the
Subject.
Evansville Courier.

Evansville Courier.
The Australian election system. without state
printed ballot, would be little better thau our pres
ent methods. Everyone who has studied the work
ings OF this system in Australia, Canada, Great
Britain and the United states esdes that the state
ballot is the essential feature IL candidates and
campaign committees to be allowed to print and
limitation and the other evils OF which we now com
plain, will continue to flourish 1t is only when the
state prints and supplies the tickets that secret
ballot, in anything but name, can be secured-IE-
di0RGDOliS Sentinel
1t would be very unfortunate for the legis-
lature TO omit this feature in the proposed new
election law. THE SENTINEL is quite correct
in the opinion here expressed. The duty of
state 10 print and supply all the tickets used in
an election is the first requisite OF an efhca-
cious election law, and is absolutely essential
to a secret ballot. Only one kind of tickets
should be printed and they should have the
names of all candidates upon them. A ceTtif-
cate of any party convention, signed by the
president and secretary, that man has been
nominated for any Office TO be voted for
should be the warrant OF the authorities,
charged with supplying the tickets 10
place that name upon them. No man should
be permitted TO have his name placed on
the tickets as an independent candidate for
any office unless he brings 10 the authorities a
petition signed by, say, three hundred voters
OF the county, township or city, according 10
the election for which the tickets are TO be
voted. There must he some rule on this point
TO prevent the annoyance that would probably
result if any man were allowed 10 have his
name printed on the tickets solely upon his
own utbority.
A specific number of tickets should be
printed, and every one that is not used should
be accounted for by the officers of the election
boards. Ii voter makes mistake in mark
ing his ticket he shall, OF course, be provided
with another, or as many as he may need until
he gets his ballot right. But every ticket so
deposited must be accounted Tor by the officers
OF the election board al which it is done. Writ
ing of any kind on n ticket voted should be
sufficient cause to throw 1t ont.
No tickets should be distributed or peddled
about the polls They should be given to yOt-
ers upon their arrival in the room where the
ballOt-bOx is, and the officers of the election
board are sitting. Tickets should be furnished
voters by the inspector or one of the Judges, or
by officers appointed for that special purpose,
and no ticket not furnished by them should go
into the bailOt-bOX.
When Il voter receives his ticket, he should
retire into an apartment provided Tor that pur-
pose where no one can see how he marks IL.
After marking it he comes out OF tins apart
ment with his ticket folded, hands it to the
Inspector or judge, who puts ii into the ballot
box, and the vote is recorded by the clerks, as
under the present law.
Not more than two hundred votes should be
cas- at any one precinct, and when a. hundred
votes have been recorded, they should be taken
GrOm the ballot-bOX, counted by a second
board of clerks, recounted for verification, and
after a record of the result is made, these bal
lots should be instantly burned in the presence
of the entire board.
Some sort of penalty ought to be fixed for
legal voters who do not vote, but this feature
ought TO be carefully considered aud the pen
atty made much lighter of course, than that for
illegal voting. or attempting to vote illegally.
Ii voter is blind, the inspector or one OF the
judges should be permitted TO mark his ticket
in accordance with the voters preferences, the
other officers of the board being witnesses that
it is fairly done.
No one should accompany the voter nearer
than fifty feet from the entrance to the room in
which the ballot box and the officers of the
election board stationed.
Some of the features here suggested are not
embodied in the Australian law, but we believe
they will commend themselves 10 the iudg
ment of those members of the legislature who
favor a law that will effectually prevent brib-
cry, intimidation and other obstacles TO per-
fectly free expression at the polls of the pOpu-
lar will AT all events, the Courier takes the
liberty of presenting them for the consdera-
ton of the general assembly.