Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-09
AN ELECTION BOARD SCHOOL.

Registrar Smiley of San Francisco has
adopted the suggestion recently made by
the RECORD UNION, and is about to open
a school of instruction for the newly APP
pointed officers of the election boards in
that city. We believe such plan carried
out here would be of infinite value. The
new method of counting and tallying bal
lots and announcing the results of the
election is not understood as it should be.
1t is something SO different from past sys-
TENS, that it is unreasonable to expect
some sixty election boards in this or any
other county to at once carry the new
method into successful operation. A very
considerable number of them will certainly
make serious errors unless they are previ-
ously specifically instructed.
Every conscientious election official
wishes to do his duty faithfully and count
and tally the votes precisely as the law
directs. But desire is by no means assur-
aaee of success, for there is not time
enough on the day of election to sufi-
GENTLY study the law and exemplify its
operation.
Now it would be matter of no special
inconvenience for the Supervisors to have
at least two members of each of the Boards
of Election meet on a given day at the
Courthouse, there to be instructed thor
oughly in the modus operandi of conduct
ing the election under the law. The plan
adopted by the San Francisco Registrar
can scarcely be improved upon. On the
day set for the opening of his school of
instruction he will have a ballot-box
placed at the door of large hall. Tickets
of various party shades will be provided,
and as each of the election officers arrive
he will be asked to cast ballot. When
all are in the box will be opened and the
exact process required by the law be car
ried out in counting and tallying and an
nouncing. In short, the plan is to exem-
plify by an object lesson.
The whole thing can be done in an
hours time, and the officers, or enough of
them from each Board, be initiated into
the particulars of the new method, so that
they will come up to their Boards in No
vember perfectly clear upon all the min
utge of the process of the Story law. This
aalaI r. .II,,r..o4;o,, ,,,ll ;,sura aon,,0l;
ance with the statute, prevent blunders
that might involve the validity of the
election in several cases, and will expedite
the whole business of ascertainipg the re-
suit of the balloting. II will thus prove
a matter of economy, and is therefore
worthy the serious consideration of the
Supervisors.
The Democratic party in San Francisco
is SO well satisfied of the value of the in
struction suggestion that it has anticipated
the action of the Registrar, and has al
ready opened in that city q night school,
where the Democratic members Of the
Election Boards can call and receive full
instruction in the new law, and every
evening see it exempli6ed. Let US hope
that something in this direction viii be put
on foot here, and every precaution taken
to insure strict observance of the law. If
the coming general election under it can
be successfully carried on, there viii be no
difficulty in all the future. for the people
will be made familiar with the new
method, and the hundreds Of officers serv-
ing on Election Boards this year will, be-
fore another election, so instruct citizens
upon the system that there will be no
difficulty experienced in securing judges
and inspectors for future elections who
are fitted for carrying out the provisions
of the law.