Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-07-26
The Australian System.

The Australian system OF voting has
It's advocates i'll our midst ~ petitions
for its incorporation in the Constltu-
ton show, but the plan is very little
understood 10y the people, generally,
and A brief review OF It's principal
features will doubtless prove OF interest.
As the name indicates, the plan orig
mate: in Australia, and Is designed to
secure an absolutely secret ballot. 1t
has been in operation there several
wears. and later, with notifications, in
England, Scotland, Ireland and Can
ala. 1t has likewise been adopted in
several Of the States OF our Union, and
j, said to have worked admirably
wherever given fair test.
The main feature OF the new system
is the ballot. 1t is printed by the
State or county, as the election
may be general or local, and is
distributed by public officers charged
with that duty. The system includes
method of certifying nominations
to proper authorizes reasonable time
before election. That proposed by the
bill which passed the New York legis-
lature is, perhaps, as convenient as any.
1t provided that State nominations
were to be certified fifteen days and
local nominations ten days before
election, by all parties that had at
the next preceding election polled
moro than three per cent. of the
aggregate vote. Independent nOmina-
tons for State officers were to be GER
tilted by petition of 1000 voters and
for local officers by. 100. All the
ma mes thus certified are printed on the
ballots furnished by the State and the
back of the ticket is stamped with an
endorsement showing it to be official,
and none others are received at the
polls. These tickets are not distribut-
ed, but when voter applies to deposit
his ballot, he is admitted to II rallied
passage-way fitted up with one or more
booths, where in seclusion he can pre-
pare the ballot handed to him by the
election officer. This is done by SIM
ply placing crosses after the names he
wishes to vote for, or by writing the
names in the blanks opposite the
printed name. He then folds his
ticket so as to expose the official en-
,:orsement on its back and enters The
polling place. Here his ballot is re-
ceiyed and deposited, the voter retiring
by another door than that by which
he entered By this means the voter,
from the time he receives his ballot
until he casts it, has no communica-
ton with any one but the election ofli-
GERS, and with them only for business
purposes; and only election officers
and persons aciually engaged in voting
are ever permitted within the railing.
It's claimed that under this system
the briber's vocation is virtually ended.
Bribers are not likely to invest money
on tile faith OF a bribed mans naked
assertion, and no other proof can be
given. Aside from this, there will be
no NECESSITY for raising corruption"
fund, ostensibly for printing and dis
tribution OF tickets, but in reality to
purchase votes. 1t will do away with
= walkers" at the polls.
The details of the system make what
SDeullso be ample provision for excep-
Ioif6E cases, rs of the illiterate or
blind who cannot of course prepare
their own ballots, by allowing the Off
GERS OF the election to perform that
duty under their oath Of official re-
sponsibility. The success Of the
scheme depends upon keeping the Off
cially endorsed ballots from the public
until each voter requires one for use.
It is likewise imperatively necessary
that when ballot is accidentally de-
struyed or defaccd, it must be ex-
changed for a clean one, and that all
tickets must bear the official stamp
for identification, otherwise a blank
paper resembling ballot might be
cast and the voter enabled to surrepti-
tiouslv carry away an official ballot
and this prepared for bribed voter,
the proof OF its use being the produc-
ton OF second official ballot, who
in turn would deliver another official
ticket outside the polls. This would,
OF course, open the door wide to
fraud, fer the workers" would each
time secure from their purchased
voters, as certificates OF service per-
formed, the means OF renewing the
fraud.
Doubtless this system will receive
due consideration by our present So
Ions. and if found worthy may be en-
grated upon our political system; but
it ia probable that a measure involving
60 much OF detail, and SO radical in its
changes. will be left to the legislature.