The Greenville times., 1889-06-08
The Australian SIstem Of TOTlBg,

passed the bill providing for new
system of balloting at elections in that
State. The bill is based essentially on
the new celebrated Australian system
which has of late been so freely dis
eussed in many States. The bill con-
tsins thirty-eight sections and gives
the methods of the new system in de-
tail, prescribing the duties of all pub
lie officers charged with the carrying
out of the law. The Kansas City
Times thus describes the law;
@Under the bill all ballots cast in
elections for public officers will be
printed and distributed at public ex-
pense. Each ballot will contain the
names of all candidates duly nominated
by all parties, and an additional blank
space sufficient to write the name of
candidate for each Office. Thus all
ballots will be before delivery to vo-
tiers exactly alike. All nominations to
office must be made by filing certif-
cate of nomination executed with the
formalities prescribed for the execu-
tion of an instrument affecting real es-
tate. For State officers the certificates
must be filed with the Secretary of
State, and for county offices with
the clerks of county courts. A
nominating convention within the
meaning of the act is convention of
delegates Of any political party that
polled at the preceding election 5 per
cent of tho vote of State, county or
other division for which the nomina-
ton Is made. No ballots except those
issued by the clerks Of the county
courts will be counted. On the bal
lots the names of candidates of each
party shall be grouped together and
each group headed by the name Of the
party. The county clerk will deliver
to the judges Of election the ballots be-
: fore the opening of the polls. In each
voting place sufficient number of
booths or compartments must be pro-
vided to accommodate the voters.
I Only the persons actually within the
{ rail can approach within feet of the
l ballot boxes, and only those actually
Q engaged in receiving, preparing or de
o posting their votes will be allowed
i within the rail. Each qualified votel
d will receive from the judges ono ballot
> before delivering the ballot two of th'
J. Judges must write their (the judges
I, names or initials upon 1t. On receiv
p ing the ballot the voter must withou
'f leaving the polling place, retire alon
s. to one of the compartments and pre-
It pare his ballot by striking out th
d names of all candidates except thos
m for whom he wishes to vote. Afte
o preparing it, he must fold 1t so tha
a, the face will be concealed and the sig
=. natures or initials of the judges sect
n lilo must then vote before leaving th
V polling place."
n This Australian system has beel
adopted in England aud in Belgium
10 and has been found to work most sat
~ isfactorily wherever used. The ex
~ pertinent in Missouri win be therefor
pr watched with keen interest by othe
IS States, as the necessity for some gen
u eral reform In the system Of voting
,s n becoming yearly more apparent
x Picayune.
=. From the foregoing sketch we pre-
he sumo that the bill in question is muc
", like one of which the TIMES publishe
be the outline some weeks since. Apar
p from the especial problem of suffrag
IA in the negro States, the adoption {
IN vigorous provisions to secure thi
on source of popular government frol
&c debauchery and misdirection is one
~ the most encouraging features of cui
ii. rent Legislation. The committee o
on elections of the next Mississippi Legi
he lature, should hayc before 1t copies
u oil such acts and bills as propose
nd ~ guarantee that elections shall trul
ee, voice the will of the people. Fro
las these one should be prepared fittin
~, the conditions in this State. The TO
:" mality as to nominations in the Mi
. souri, act Is too rigid. While we hay
never known any local independel
- movement that was not founded upt
ont personal disappointment and ofiici
lust, and while such will ever be I
lrd garded with common distrust al
uo' ~ disfayor In negro majority comm
Md mites, q law absolutely outlawil
his them would not stand.