The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-02
at. J. c.'s" VIEWS.
A SheIbyvilIe Plan For Securing Honest
Elections in Indiana

A sheIbyvilIe Plan For Securing Honest
EIectiOnsi in Indiana
To THE EDIToR-Sir: While there are
many persons giving their views as to changes
In our electoral system, whereby the state of In
diana may redeem herself from the disgrace
entailed upon her by such men as Dudley,
Quay, Coy, Bernhamer and many others, who
move in the circles of responsibility, many Of
whom would designate as hypocrites, | beg
TO suggest to the legislature:
/. That we have a registration law requiring
twelve months residence in the state, six
months in the county and thirty days in the
precinct. Designate at what time registration
shall commence and what place or places-say
forty days before any general eleetion-and
give ten days to have it completed in, and all
persons whose names do not appear on said
register shall not be allowed vote.
>. Make II compulsory on every man whose
name is registered to east his vote under
heavy penalty unless prevented by sickness
or valid excuse-one which would be accepted
by a court OF justice.
s. Make it the duty of county commission
ers TO locate the precincts in the several town.
ships as near as possible TO not have more than
800 voters in any one precinct; TO see that
proper rooms are provided for election boards,
adjacent to which shall be an ante-room, or
booth. 10 which the voter can 90 TO prepare his
ticket.
4 At any general election, if two or more
parties present candidates to be voted for, make
il the duty of each party 10 authorize COM
mittee to make out a correct list OF the names
of its candidates 10 be voted for, and give she
same to the township trustee, ten days before
the election, whose duty ii shall be TO see that
all said tickets are printed on exactly the same
kind of paper, say plain white paper OF uniform
size, at the expense OF the county. The num-
Der of said tickets at each precinct shall be
One-fourth many more as was cast at the last
preceding general election Let those commit
tees examine the printed tickets when delIv-
cred to them by the trustee. and II correct re-
tain the same until the morning of the election,
when all tickets shall be put on a table IN this
ante-roOm or booth. and as watchers over said
tickets there shall be one man from each party,
who shall first take an oath to not divulge how
any man voted The duty OF those watchers
shall be to see that only one ticket Is used by
each voter; and in case OF blindness, or where
a man cannot rad. the voter shall call for the
kind of ticket he desires to vote. and the rep
resentative OF that ticket shall fix his ticket
according TO his suggestions, and show the
same to his brother watchers, who can see 1t
Is marked or left as suggested. Neither by
word nor deed, or any distinguishing marks
whatsoever on any ticket shall they make
known Tor whom any man voted, and any viola
ton of this act shall be deemed misdemeanOr,
and upon conviction thereof the offender shall
be fined not less than 500 nor more than $500.
}. II any tickets other than those authorized
BY the township trustee should he voted they
shall not be counted. All such tickets shall
be void, and the person publishing or printing
such fraudulent tickets shall be guilty OF a
misdcmeanOr and upon conviction thereof
shall be fined not less than 500 nor more than
$780, half of said fine to 20 TO the county treas
ury and the other half 10 the prosecuting wit
ness.
s. It shall be the duty of the township trus-
tee 10 see that in each precinct from judges
window, twenty-five feet each way, at right
angles and fifty feet in front of said window, if
no walls OF building or fences TO answer for
barriers, have rope, wire or railing OF some
kind shall designate the space, into which only
one man at a time shall be admitted to cast his
vote. and it shall be the duty OF any peace
officer to arrest any man who violates this sec
Jion or act If done Intentionally, and upon con-
viction thereof he shall be fined not less than
- nor more than SO, TO which may be added
imprisonment in the county Jail.
J. If any employer offers an emplOye money
or any other valuable consideration, or threat
ems him with discharge il he does not vote to
suit mis- employer, or threatens 10 close up his
business If particular candidate Is elected,
the person to whom such offers or threats were
made may file complaint. and upon conviction
thereof the offender shall be fined IN any sum
not less than 500 nor more than $500; half OF
said fine to 90 into the county treasury and
hall TO the prosecuting witness, and the de-
PENDANT to be disfranchised for five years.
s. Make it the duty OF the sheriff of the
county or any constable of the township to ar
rest all persons eongregated at any rendezvous
before election and put them on oath 10 testify
as TO who were the parties instrumental in col
lecting them together, which action shall be
deemed a felony anu upon conviction thereof
shall be liable TO fine of not less than 500 nor
more than 81, 600 and Imprisonment in the state
prison not less than two nor more than three
years and DISTINGUISHED for the same length of
time. I. j. c.
Shelbyville, Ind, Dec. 70.