The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-11-06
HOW IT wOGES.

New York, Nov. 5.-Oae OF the best
positions from which to study the work.
ings Of the new ballot law yesterday, as
well as to learn something OF the recent
tricks of the average voter, was the place
Of the ballot clerk. .5!s l,I
While the Inspectors were busy in de-
posting the ballots or tearing off the
stub thereof and squeezing them
through narrow apertures in tho boxes
provided ior them, and while the poll
clerks were engrossing the checking and
copying the name OF the votes, the bal
lot clerk was comparatively at ease and
able to watch carefully the actiops OF un.
usually embarrassed persons Who had
become intent Of exercising the right OF
an American citizen. 55
With this idea in mind reporter sue.
ceeded in being appointed ballot clerk,
and yesterday had chance to observe
all the points Of the ballot reform law,
AS conclusion, in general, it was per-
fectly evident that, though embarrassed
by manysuseless technicalities, the new
method of voting is a success. The 80.
crecy OF the ballot was preserved COM
pletely, there wasan absence OF the usual
hangers.on at the polling place doors,
with their solicitous putting forward oi
Crooked" or party tickets, and there
was no such delay in the voting as had
been foretold and encouraged by the
enemies Of free ballot. W
In the particular election district at
which the reporter served there had
been great eclat on the part Of the Board
Of Elections in regard to the placing OF
the booths in which the voter was TO
prepare his ballot. These littls compar-
menta, when the: Board OF Inspectors
arrived at the polling place, were folded
together by means OF the hinges at the
angles OF their construction, and lay in a
heap in corner Of the room. The poll.
ing place itself was a small and
| poorly ventilated tailor shop, with
the usual long cutting table stand
ing in the middle OF the
room, and had been, ut the hour for
opening the polls, absolutely unpre.
pared for the uses Of the day. This diff.
Guilty, however, was very coon overcome,
all hands speedily putting things to
rights and distributing in their places
the voiuminous amount of stationery
and instructions to voters, and placing in
charge oil the ballot clerks tile ballots
themselves, which were OF five different
kinds Republican, Democratic, Social
istic Labor Party, Probibitioniss and
blank, and 1900 Of each. n li5
There were only 2lS voters registered
in the district, and it will therefore be
seen at once that, allowing for liberal
amount Of spoiled ballots, there were
more than enough to 60 around. The
election officers very soon became ex.
perts iu surmising just what the voter
would do that was wrong, aud instruct
ing him what was right; SO that the
rapidity OF voting was Increased to n
point that riyalled the old system Of
voting, and was really much more
easily done. During the first hour the
polls were open over 20 votes were re.
ceived without any confusion. The
next hour 36 came iu and the third, be.
tween $3.50 and $3.50, was tho heaviest
hour in the day, 81 votes being polled.
This was at an average OF a little more
than a minute 10 voter, while in two
cases it was as little as 30 seconds from
the time the voter appeared at the poll.
ing place until ho LETT. Out of the mum.
Der registered there were but 10 who did
not vote, and three OF them had moved
out Of the district since registering.
But two sets OF ballots were spoiled
one Of them by the merest accident, ns
the voters hand slipped and tore his
ballot across. The other set OF ballots
destroyed was the result Of tho densesi
kind Of stupidity on the part Of the
voter, who insisted on sticking a pastel
on the outaide Of the ballot, covering ur
the official Gignature. But one man took
the oath prescribed for those sulIerin,
from physical disability, aad be was old
and blind. He had a friend with him
who went into the booth and assisted
him in the preparation Of his ballot as
prescribed by the law. i,5 ssi.,Il