The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-04-01
FOR BALLOT REFORM.
The Bill at Last Introduced Its
Salient Features.
Special to the Jersey city Ns.es.

Special to the Jersey City Neics.
TRENTON, April J., $780, The joint COM
mittee on ballot reform last night brought
in the long promised bill on ballot re-
form. Senator Martin. the chairman,
introduced it in the Senate and one thou
sand copies were ordered printed.
This. however, does not end the agony
and when the measure comes up for dis
cussion there will be the live
llest time the Senate has seen
in a good while. There is a good
prospect that there will be a minority re-
porU, as it is generally understood that at
least three, and perhaps four, of the COM
mittee object to the bill introduced.
These held out for their pet schemes
until the last but the others seeing no
hope of settlement, and desiring to Keep
back the measure no longer, agreed to
report the measure introduced last night,
of which these are the salient features-
There shall be in each county of the
State county Board of Registry, to con-
sist of four persons, to be appointed by
the Governor every year. Not more than
shall be nominated by the State Com
mittees of the two largest parties. The
Governor shall appoint such nominees
They shall serve without compensation.
The county boards shall cause to be
made complete registration of all the
legal voters in the county. They shall
appoint in each polling district precinct
registry boards, not more than two of
whom shall belong to one party. The
chairman of the county political COM
mittees shall nominate the precinct
officers.
Vacancies in the County Boards shall
be filed by the Governor, and in the Pre-
cinct Boards by The County Boards.
Each Precinct Board shall appoint two
registry clerks-one from each party.
The Registrv Board shall rneet annually
on Tuesday, four weeks before the gen
eral election, and organize, and they shall
then proceed to obtain the names and
residences of all the legal voters in their
districts by actual inquiry at every house,
or of the head of every family residing
therein.
They shall continue their enumeration
until their work is done, provided that
not more than four days shall be con-
Sumed in such enumeration. They may
divide up their work SO that not less than
two of opposite political faith may can
vass together.
On Tuesday, three weeks before cleo
tion, the precinct Boards shall revise
their books. They shall register such
persons as have been skipped Copies of
the registry shall be posted up in cop-,
spicuous places. The second revision
shall take place on the Tuesday before
election.
At both of these revisions the voter
must appear III person, or shall show by
written affidavit his right to vote.
Notices Of the meetings of the Registry
Board shall be published by the County
Clerk for one week in the newspapers.
Meetings of the boards shall be open to
the public.
The Election Boards shall consist of
the four members of the Boards of Regis
try, together with the two poll clerks.
Both poll clerks shall keep poll lists
Any person registered in one district,
who shall move to another district, must
secure a certificate of removal signed.
On Tuesday, before election, the Court
of Common Pleas shall sit for the pur-
pose of revising the registration Of voters.
They shall proceed in a summary way TO
erase improperly registered names, pro-
viding the person affected is present
Where municipal elections occur before
November the Common Council shall
appoint the precinct bounds.
There shall be the same enumeration
and revision as for the State election.
All ballots shall be printed and distrib-
uted at public expense. The nominations
shall be made by petition. They shall be
certified by chairmen of political conven-
tionS on oath.
The Secretary of state or county clerk
as the case may be, shall select names or
tltleS lOf ldCtlOnS.
Nominations by petition for any Office
except State office shall be certified to
by at least one per cent. OF the vote cast
at the last election.
Nominations for State officers shall be
signed by at least eight hundred voters.
Party nominations shall be arranged in
groups under the name or title Of the
party and shall be printed on plain white
paper with a water mark thereon.
The county or municipal clerk shall
provide for each political party two
hundred and fifty ballots for every pre-
cinct. there being five for every voter in
the precinct All ballots shall be stamped
on the back "Official Ballot and shall
be printed at public expense.
Ballots may be secnred from the
County Clerk by any voter, upon pay
ment of cost five days before the cleo
tion.
Ballots will not be marked or punched.
Each party shall have separate ticket
Names may be written on ticket and
pasters used.
Booths and polling places shall be
arranged the same as they are In Massa-
chusetts.
Persons unable to prepare their ballots
without assistance are permitted TO take
friend into the booth with them.
Severe penalties are provided for intim>
idation, false registration, false returns,
etc, etc.