New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-22
THE FOLDING OF THE BALLOTS.

Enemies OF ballot reform and of the Bal
lot Reform Act are endeavoring to cast odium
unon the statute by making much of slight i'm
nerfections and endeavOring to point out de-
fects that do not really exist. The attacks at
nresent are chiefly centred upon the provisions
of the law respecting the manner in which the
voter prepares his ballot. The directions for
folding the ballots have not received the same
construction from the Secretary Of State that
they have from many others who have given
TO the statute as careful study and examination /;
and much apprehension has been felt by in
teigent persons lest the conflict of opinion
! and uncertainty of the meaning of the statute
should lead to delays at least, and perhaps to
more serious difficulties at the polls.
There ought TO be no grounds for such APP
orehensons. If the ballot clerks and in
spectors are properly instructed, there will be
no danger of complications from this cause.
The statute provides that after preparing his
ballot, and before leaving the voting booth
or compartment, the voter shall fold all the
ballots delivered to him in the middle, length
wise and then crosswise but in such way
that the contents of the ballots shall be con-
cealed and the stubs can be removed without
exposing any of the contents of the ballots"
The punctuation given above is as it is printed
in the official copies of the session laws. This
language is, unfortunately, awkward and am
biguous. The Secretary of State intcrprets it
to mean that the first fold is to be across the
ticket in the centre, while the common view
and that adopted by nearly every one upon q
first reading Of the act is that the first fold
is to run in the middle from top to bottom
The second fold crosswSe'' would then bring
the bottom of the ballot up even with the
perforated line. The latter method appears to
be the simpler, and to afford greater facility
for detaching the stubs as prescribed by tho
statute. On the other hand, if the directions
Of the Secretary of State are carried out, there
might be less opportunity for n dishonest bal
let clerk to learn the contents of the ballots
cast.
The simple fact is that the law az il stands
is capable of either Interpretation. If the qucS-
ton came before the courts, it doubtless would
be held that a ballot folded in either way was
in compliance with the statute and legal. II
there is trouble from this cause, it will be be-
cause ballot clerks refuse TO- receive ballots
folded contrary to their instructions. There
ought to be no possibility of such an occur
renee. Let the Bureau of Elections direct the
ballot clerks and inspectors to receive ballots
folded in either manner; otherwise complca-
ti0nS are certain to arise that will do harm to
the cause of ballot reform. Then at the next
session of the Legislature this and other minor
defects in the act can easily be corrected and
the difficulty removed from future elections.
The Police Commissioners can scarcely do an
act more conducive to the welfare OF the city
than by timely action to prevent this slight
ambiguity in the law interfering with its suc-
cessful and orderly operation