Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-02-05
The New Election Law,


ing explanation of divers features of
the Cooper Election law, Atty. Gen.
Estabrook has prepared the following
condensed exposition of the salient
points of the law. The synopsis will be
valuable to preserve for reference at
the time of the spring elections.
Some doubt was entertained for a.
time regarding the validity of the law,
owing to a seeming defect in section 26.
| but it is thought that with liberal in
terpretatlon, as spoken of in article IA
following, all trouble can be obyiated.
The exposition is as follows:
l. The act applies to all elections.
except for town and village officers and
the city and county of Milwaukee.
z. Candidates may be nominated at
party caucuses as heretofore. Sections
3, 4 and 5.
3. Candidates may be nominated in
other modes than by political and par
ty conventions, by proceeding similar
TO what is known as "call." To au-
thor1ze and require the county clerk to
print upon the official ticket the name
OF person receiving a call there must
be at least 1000 names signed to the
paper or call in case the candidate is to
stand for state office When in com
ties or districts less than state tbe call
must be signed by at least one voter for
at least 100 voting at the last election:
III no case to be less than fifty. Sec. 6.
4. In the case of candidates for state
ofhces, or OF division or district larger
than county, the certificates of nomi-
nation are filed with the secretary of
state; IN all other cases, with the coun-
Sec. s.
5. Certificates of nomination fled
with the secretary of state must be fled
not less than twenty days nor more
than forty days before election. Ger
tlficates filed with the county clerk
must be filed not less than fifteen nor
more than thirty days before election.
Sec. g.
3; All certificates of nominations
ana nomination papers filed under the
provision of this act shall be open to
public inspection. Sec. 9.
l. NO person shall accept nomina-
ton to more than one office. Sec. 5.
8: vacancies occurring after nomi-
nations are made are filled in the same
manner required for original nomina-
tions.
8. All ballots and cards Of instruc-
ton shall be printed by or under the
direction OF the county clerk; and shall
be county charge except in municipal
electlonS; the expense for such cleo
tons shall be chargeable to the citv.
Sec. 2.
III. Ballots shall be printed and in
the possession of the county clerk at
| least four days before election, and shall
be open to inspection by candidates
and their agents. Sec. l.
| II. The county clerk shall print the
ballots in accordance with the certif-
Gates furnished him; and he must. at
least twenty-four hours previous to the
DAY OF election, supply each polling
place In his county with the necessary
tickets. Secs. Is and 81.
II. No ballots except official shall be
cast or counted In any election where
| this act is applicable. An elector NAV.
| however, write or paste upon the Off
clal ballots the name of any person for
whom he desires to vote. Sec. Sand 18.
u. No person shall show his ballot
| after 1t is marked in any way to reveal
| It's contents. No person except an in
! spector shall receive from any voter
ballot prepared for voting. No voter
shall receive ballot from any other
| person than the one of the ballot clerks
or inspectors of election Sec. % and 36.
a. Section 26 of said act, as amend
ed by chapter 494 of the laws of 1889.
contains provision to enable persons
unable to mark their own ballots to
have the same marked by an inspector.
1t is not necessary to require the in
spectors to mark the ballots, that the
voters shorlld file an affidavit that he is
unable to mark it, but it is sufficient if
such voters shall simply state such fact
under oath orally The phrase ''by rea-
son of physical disability he is unable
to mark his ballot" as used in the
amendment to section 26, is of some
what uncertain meaning, and inspect
ors are advised to give liberal inter
| probation to it, and to mark and receive
the ballots of any legal voter whenever
such voter shall state under oath that
he is unable to mark it himself.
10. The said act also applies to the
| conduct of judicial elections, except
that the name of the candidate for Judi
clal position should be printed on a
separate ticket and deposited in sepa-
rate box and the return of such votes
made to the county clerk instead of the
city clerk as in municipal elections.