The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-04-18

Having received his ballot the voter enters
one Of the booths back of the railing, where,
secluded from observation, he prepares the bal
lot by placing in the blank column cross OPP
posite the name of each candidate for whom he
desires to vote; or, if he prefers, by writing
the names Of candidates of his own nomlna-
ton in place of those already there. II there
are several candidates for the same kind OF
Office, as Coroners in the sample ballot above,
OF Presidential Electors, and he wishes to vote
the straight" ticket Of his party, he places
the cross under the name Of the party, or draws
il through the space in the blank column al
l0ted to the party's candidates. which signifies
that he votes for each candidate named in that
space. Thus, in the sample ballot, cross I'M
der the word Z" Democratic" or through the
first two spaces Of the blank column to the
right, is one vote each for Alanson Jacobs
and Harvey Sylvester.
After preparing his ballot by indicating every
candidate for whom he votes the voter folds it
in such manner rs to conceal the face and ex-
pose the Endorsement, and Withdrawing from
the booth gives the ballot to the inspectors,
who identify it by the Endorsement as official.
1t is then deposited in the box and the voter
passes ont al the gate marked Exit"
From the time he receives his ballot until ne
CASTS it. the voter Is permitted to have no CON-
muHicstiOn with anyone but the election Off
GERS aRd with them only for official purposes;
aud only election officers aud persons actually
engaged in voting are ever admitted within
the railing.
Upon proof Of inability from physical in
trinity or illiteracy voter may call into the
booth officers appointed and sworn for the pur-
pose to aid him in preparing his ballot; and
when ballot is accidentally destroyed or de-
faced, il may be exchanged for clean one
The importance Of the latter requirement may
not at once be apparent: but TO secure secrecy
every ballot delivered 70 voter must either be
cast or returned This explains the necessity
for iudOrsiug ballots But for the Endorsement
blank paper outWardly resembling a ballot
might be cast by voter, who would then be
able sgrreptitiously TO carry away an official
ballot. This could be prepared for a bribed
voter. the proof of its use being his production
Of second official ballot. That could be SINH
larIy prepared and used, and SO on. Such a
fraud known as the Tasmanian dodge was
successfully perpetrated IN Australia in the
early days of the system; but its repetition was
prevented by requiring ballots TO be officially
Endorsed
As i Is essential that ballots be printed at
public expense and distributed by public Off
GERS. the system must include some mode of
certifying nominations 10 the proper authorities
reasonable time before elections. That pro-
posed BY the Yates-SaxtOn bill Of New York
was perhaps as convenient as could be desired.
Under II, State nominations were to be certified
Is DAYS and local nominations 10 days before
election; nominations Of political party which
At the next preeedin g7election pOlled three per
cent. Of the whole vote were 10 be certified by
party officers: and independent nominations
il for State Office, were to be certified BY a
Thousand voters, and If for local Office, by q
hundred.