The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-04-04

distinct Roman letters, with the name
Of the officer or officers to be voted for.
&c. "The majority of the judges of
elections for the county and State, for
any voting precinct, with the registrar
of such precinct, may, if they think it
expedient to do so, rail off space
or enclosure with an opening at one
end or side for the entrance of the voter
and an opening at the other side for
his exit, as polling place. Only one
voter shall be allowed to enter said
polling place at one time and no one
except the judges shall be allowed to
speak to or interfere with the voter
while in the polling place casting his
vote, which shall be put in the proper
box or boxes by said voter or by the
judges at the request of the voter"
The railing off is discretionary with
the judges, which makes the section
of the law fexible-it may Or may
not be adopted. The judges of elec-
tions in their respective precincts are
the best judges of the necessity. That
there is necessity for such railing off
Of the polling place in some localities
cannot be questioned. Its object is to
protect the voter and to secure to him
the privilege of exercising his right to
vote without molestation or intimida-
ton and to prevent what is known in
political parlance as bulld,ziny. It
will check the crowds from getting
around the ballot box and obstruct-
ing the eiector in the free exercise of
his right to vote. How can we get an
honest expression of the will Of the
people at the ballot-box unless the
elector is allowed to vote according to
his conviction without fear or intimi
dation on the part of political friends
or bull dozers ? In some localities this
provision of the act may not be ne
cessity. This act allows the voter to
cast his own ballot or the judges at his
request. Why should the judges be al
lowed to cast the ballot of the elector,
unless requested by the voter? Is there
any more reason in this than allowing
the elector to cast his own ballot? The
judges are of different political parties,
so neither party can receive any ad-
vantage over the other The duty of
the judges is to see that n, improper
balloting is DONE If the voter cannot
see or understand where to cast his
ballot the law makes it the duty IF the
judges to show him or place his bal
lot in the proper box or boxes. Every
person under this act, whether he
can read or write, or however ignor-
ant, can vote..and have his vote counted
A similar, but separate and distinct
place may be rallied off as a polling
place for members of Congress and
presidential electors. This is left dis
cretionary with the judges 1t is
claimed that Congress has the power
to regulate the election of members of
Congress and presidential electors and
may appoint supervisors thereof. In
fact during the last campaign Fed
eral Judge in this State appointed
supervisors Of these boxes in certain
localities under powers granted to him
by Congress. In this event it maybe
desirable to have the polling places
separate, as we do not want Federal
interference in State elections, as ii
would be productive Of harm rather
than good results. The act provides
that the judges of this separate polling
place shall be Of both political parties
when possible, SO neither party will be
at disadvantage.
Section 9 amends section 1896 o
The Code and ,,only points out more
clearly the duties of the county can
vasscrs. The law, before amended b,
this act, gave the county canvasser
judicial power to open, canvass ant
determine the returns. This act lin
its their judicial functions by givini
! them authority to pass upon all fact
relative to the election, and judicial
determine tt, true results of tbs sam,
Under the law before amended the
were to judicially determine the resu
which is much broader than the new
e and in order that they may determin
the true result it gives them power an
authority to send for papers and pei
sons and examine the latter upo
e oath. 1t contemplates that the wi
of the people shall not be vitiated b
I some error in the precinct returns, bu
/ that. the same shall be corrected,
: matters not how the same may hav
| OCCuIICu, duU VIC tAuC ACSu1Io SO "
: clared.
i The Judges are to be of both polite
8 al parties and must be good, suitab
8 and discreet men, not ignorant or ii
q capable men as some would sugges
The main purpose Of the act is t. pr
e vent fraudulent registration and to 81
!. cure TO the voter the free exercise
e his elective franchise. In trying to a
n complish this result it is necessary tn.
Q all the safegua ds possible should
!, thrown around the registration bool
u and the ballot box.
, This act requires no new registr
L ton This was provided by law b
a fore amended and remains unaltere
This law is mild and democratic
conservative in comparison with th
y election laws of the New Englan
:. States, Indiana and some of the Soutl
e ern States. How can the ballot DO
i be kept sacred unless the proper safi
It guards be thrown around the registr,
II ton books to prevent fraud in regi
II tration and around the ballot-box
T secure the elector the right to vol
without molestation and intimidation
q Any one who will read the old la
and this act as amended will see tn,
r the same is necessity and that it
e eminently fair, just and reasonab
j. and that the "hue and cry" against
l. Is unwarranted, as it abridges Z
y rights of the elector, but on the CO
trary protects him in his rights,