The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1890-05-24

IAlbanY Argns.l


ALBANY Argusl
The new ballot law, signed yester-
day. win go into effect on July l. Its
chief provisions and changes from ex-
isting law and custom are as follows:
F'irst-Nominaticns: Hereafter the
chairman and secretary of political
convention must make out a certified
list of every office for which the con-
vention has made a nomination with
the name, residence and place of busi-
ness of each nominee, and a copy of
its platform, with the name of the
party. If the candidate is to be voted
for only in one county, or part of
county, this certificate must be filed
with the county clerk not more than
80 nor less than 20 days before the
election. Party nominations for men,
Der of Assembly this fall must accord
ingly be made not later than October
Is. If the candidate is to be voted
for in more than one county, the cer-
tificate must be filed with the Secreta-
ry of State not more than 40 nor less
than 25 days before the election. Be-
sides these regular party nominations,
any 1000 voters may sign petition
nominating candidate for State
office, and 250 voters may nominate a
candidate for an office for which less
than the whole State, but more than
an assembly district mustvote, any 100
votes may nominate for the assembly,
and 80 officers for a town, ward or
village office. Each voters signature
to such a petition must be aceompa-
MED by notary's certificate. Such a
petition for any office, to be voted for
only in one county, must be filed with
the county clerk, not more than 80 nor
less than IL days before election, and
for State office, must be filed with
the Secretary of State, not moro than
40 nor less than Is days before cleo
tion. After all the nominations are
made the county clerk must publish
the same in newspapers for six days
before election and must also cause
them to be posted up at each polling
place, substantially as election notices
are now published.
Second-The ballots: All ballots
shall be printed by the county clerk,
and they shall be open to inspection
four days before election. The candi-
dates for each party shall be grouped
on one ballot, and there shall be as
many ballots as parties in the field,
with one blank ballot in addition.
Each ballot is to be six inches wide,
and in length three-eighths of an inch
is to be allowed for each printed line.
For example, if there are eight offices
to be filed the ballot will be six inches
long. A stub one inch wide shall be
at the top of each ballot, and these
stubs are to be numbered SUCCESSFULLY
The ballots for each election district
are to be marked for that district de-
scribing 1t. There are to be printed
200 of each kind of ballots for every
so voters. These ballots the county
clerks, on Saturday before election,
send out to the town clerks or city
clerks, and the latter shall send them
TO the inspectors of election in the
morning before the polls are opened.
Third-The secret booth: In every
election district for every so voters a
wooden booth SIX feet high and three
feet square must be provided.
Fourth-There are 10 be five inspec-
tors instead of three for each district.
The two new inspectors are called
ballot clerks. They stand outside the
booths and have charge of the ballots
before they are used.
Fifth-Method of voting: The vo-
ter comes up to The ballot clerks and,
unless challenged SUCCESSFULLY, receives
one Of each of the different kinds of
official ballots. The stubs are marked
with Inspectors initials. lie goes into
the booth where he must stay three
minutes and must not stay over ten.
lie can bring in with him an unofficial
ballot printed on colored paper or any
other memorandum to refresh his
memory If IL is weak. lie can also
bring in pastors for whole ticket or
any part of it, and he can write in
names. When he has prepared his
ballot, he steps out of the booth, and
gives the ballot he wants to vote to
tho inspectors. Unless be is challenged
they tear of and destroy the stub and
deposit his ballot In the one ballot box
which we are TO have hereafter instead
of several. The remaining ballots
which he does not vote, given to him
by the ballot clerk, the voter then
hands over to the inspectors, who tears
of the stubs and puts them into a
waste ballot box. OF course all these
ballots must be folded SO their contents
cannot be seen. The voter then goes
on his way rejoicing, if he has cast a
straight Democratic ticket. If the
voter is blind, has lost both arms, is
paralyzed, or physically incapable OF
voting, he can make oath to that effect,
and then he can select anyone to help
him. No other person is to receive
any aid.
Sixth-Minor details: Before Sep
tember /, the proper authorities shall
divide up election districts SO each
shall contain about 800 voters. There
are now 2,146 election districts in the
State, each with three inspectors. The
number of districts will be increased
to about $500, each with five inspec
tors.
No one Is permitted to electioneer
within $50 feet of the polling place.
Every employe who notifies his en-
ployer on Monday before election shall
have two hours OH election day with
out loss of pay III which to vote.
These are the main provisions of the
new law arranged in their logical or
der. The law itself would fill nearly
two pages of the Argus.