Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-02
A PROPOSED NEW ELECTION LAW FOR
CALIFORNIA.

CALIFORNIA.
In announcing the full text of the pro-
posed new ballot law for California, the Fed
Grated Trades Committee has laid down the
lines upon which the entire debate of
ballot reform in the approaching cam
paign, and in the Legislature seven months
hence, must proceed.
The RecoRD-UNIoN has for five years
made careful study of all the ballot re-
forms proposed and adopted. Without
egotism it may claim to be intelligent upon
the subject. 1t was this journal which, as
the friend of ballot reform, opposed the
bill the Federated Trades and the Young
Mems Democratic League of San Fran
cisco urged the last Legislature to adopt.
The errors in the bill pointed out by the
REcoRD-UNIoN were finally admitted by
the two organizations referred to, and a
new bill was substituted with features cor
receive and unobjectionable in the main.
but the legislative session was then too far
spent to secure due consideration of the
measure.
Now, however, with wisdom born of ex-
perience, the Federates Traded Committee
has put forward a proposed bill sufficiently
far in advance of the approaching cam
paign and the Legislature for any errors to
be discovered, and all possible objections
to the bill to be advanced The proposed
law has all but two of the good features of
the New York law, and avoids all its
errors-which are simply concessions that
were made to break down the opposition
of Governor HILL 1t is better measure
by far than the Massachusetts, law, the
New jersey, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Aus
tralian or any other reform measures of
that order. With a few notifications
1t ought to be adopted bv California, and
placed upon her statute book. In short, it
is so decided an advance in ballot reform
that it may be said to stand above and
beyond all efforts in that direction. The
main features of the bill may be easily
and briefly set forth.
Conventions of political parties are
recognized that cast three per cent. of the
vote of the State or district, and their
nominations are certified to the Secretary
of State and the County Clerks Other
nominations may be made by written in
dorsement of three per cent. of the voters
of the district, but 1000 Endorsements
shall be sufficient for nomination to any
Office. 1t is unnecessary now to go into
the details of these certi6cations and IN
dorsements; they appear to guard all
rights, and to stop the way to any fraud or
wrong.
The Secretary of State is to furnish all
ballot paper, which is to be of uniform
tint, and to bear water-mark devised by
him, changed yearly, and kept secret until
manufactured All ballots are printed at
public expense, by County Clerks. They
are bound in books of 100, and have a
stub with a number. Each ballot has its
left hand inch margin perforated, and such
margin bears a duplicate of the stub num-
her. All nominees names are grouped
alphabetically under the name Of the Of
fee for which nominated, and they are
numbered consecutively.
This number greatly aids the illiterate
voter in determining whom he wishes to
indicate as his choice But it is error
that must be corrected to group all the
candidates names under the office title.
The New York plan is preferable, which
groups them not only under the office title,
but also by party designation. 1t is clearly
better for the reform and the voters con-
venience TO print each party ticket in a
space by itself, TO be designated by cap
tion, and, possibly. by small vignette, as
the party authority may adopt. This
modification will enable the voter TO vote
straight ticket easily, and will make it
possible to preserve the Story system OF
counting, as under the present law More
over, it would be wise to specify the size
OF type lawful to use.
Ii is provided that there shall be as
many blanks under each title as there
are positions to be filled, that voters may
write in any name they please, instead OF
adopting any of the nominations regularly
made. The New York paster system is
rejected, and wisely; chat was a conces.
sion made to Governor Hill, and withou,
which his approval of the new law could
not have been secured.
Il is provided that no other ballots shall
be used except the official, and that there
shall be printed and distributed three
times as many unofficial or sample ballot.
as here are regular ones. These are TO be
distributed to applicants by the County
Clerk. and bearing no water-mark or mum
ho- cannot be voted. But they will enable
,-o,a-s 10 examine the ballots five days be,
Goo election. aud to make up or mark
s.nr,le ballots, that when they come to vote
49, Nil not be confused by the great
.umber If names before them. In @dsS
ton to .his, i. is provided that cards Q