Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-18
GUARDING THE BALLOT.
Mr.. Hurst Introduces a Legislative
Measure.
An Important Election bill Pro.
posed by Rock Islands Member Of
the Illinois General Assembly.

Hon. E. W. Hurst, Rock Islands
of the Illinois general assembly,
has already distinguished himself in the
delibersuons of the lower branch Of that
body by the intro luction of an important
bill in the interesl of ballot reform. Mr..
Hurst's bill was proposed yesterday and
it provides:
That conventions or caucuses repre-.
senting q political party polling per
cent of the vote cast in the district in
which the nomination is made may nom
mate candidates and certify the fact to
the election officer, the certificate setting
out the name of nominee, Office for which
nominated, party or principle which he
represents, expressed in not more than
three words. and residence. Nomina-
tions of candidates to be voted for by the
state at large may be made by nomina
ton papers signed in the aggregate by
not less than 1000 qualified voters of the
state. For electoral districts they may
be made by similar nomination papers,
which must in no case have less than fifty
names III objections are made to these
certificates of nomination or nomination
papers, they will be considered in the
case Of state officers by the secretary
auditor and attorney general. and their
decision will be final. If city officers are
co cerned, then the board Of registers,
city clerk and solicitor will pass on them.
Up to five days before election any can
didate can, by 1ling properly written
request. withdraw his name. No nomi-
nation can be tiled later than six days be,
fore an election.
The ballots give the names of all the
candidates. their residences, the Office
they seek, and the name of the party to
which they belong, the names being ar
ranged in alpha 1etical order under each
office. Blank spaces are left so that the
voter may write in the name of an add
tionsl candidate. The ballot must be so
wide that each voter will have room to
mark on the right-hand side opposite the
name of those he favors an N" These
ballots. which are provided by the state,
are furnished to each voting place to the
number of 900 for every fifty voters
registered there There will also be
printed and furnished detailed instruc-
tons for voters showing how the tickets
shall be marked, etc. The list of all
nominations made is also to be printed
and posted prior to election. The bal
lots are sent by the secretary of state to
city and town clerks and are by them
sent to the election officers, who open the
packages and turn the contents over to
the ballot officers. Two inspectors act as
ballot clerks and furnish the ballots to
the voters.
Each polling place must be provided
with suitable 1umber of voting shelves
or compartments at or in which voters
may conveniently mark their ballots, so
that in the making thereof they may be
screened from he observance of Others,
and guard>ral shall be so constructed
and plsced thai only such persons as are
inside SAID rail can approach within six
| feet of the ballot>bOxes and of such vot>
| ing shelves or compartments. The mum
| Der of such voring-shelves shall not be
less than one for every seventy We voters
| qualified to vole AT such polling-place B"
A man wishing to vote gives his name
| and residence 20 ballot clerk, who calls
| it off and if found on the check list by
the ballot officer the man may enter the
space ipclosed by the rail, when he is
given one ballot and his name is checked
| off Then he goes alone to one of the
voting shelves and makes the Y marks on
his ballot. When done he folds the bal
| lot so that none of the marks shall show.
| and drops it in the box. No man must be
| at II vot ng shelf at the same time with an
| other, nor must he stay more than zen min
utes under any circumstances, and moi
more than five if Others are waiting to
| vote. No voter can re enter the incfOsed
space. A voter who spoiis ballot may
get another on returning the spoiled one
All cancelled and not used ballots are al
once sealed up. If a man is blind he can
have an election officer assist him il
marking his ticket. that fact being certi-
| fed on the back of it. If a voter marks
too many names for one particular office
| his ballot shall not be counted for that
| office
| A voter who shows his ballot so as tc
| let 1t be seen how he Is voting, or makes
false statemer IS OF inability to mark his
| ballot, or q man who tries to induce 9
voter before voting TO show how he has
marked his ticket shall be fined from s.
to 800. Penalties are also provided fol
persons who falsely make nomination
| certificates or destroy any that have been
made, who destroy ballots or delay their
| delivery. Public officers who willfully
| neglect to perform their duties are liable
| to fine of from 81 900 to S., 900 or I'M
prisonment 10 Jail for u year, or both.
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