Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-10-24
WISCONSIN'S ELECTION LAW.
Information as to Its Principal Re.
quirementS.
VOTERS SH0UTD READ.

The Cooper election law will be used
for the first time at general election
Nov. 4. and it is well for the voters
to thoroughly inform themselves of
| tbs method of voting, that they may
go to the polls with an intelligent I'M
derstanding of what they are required
to do under the new law.
a description of the booths may
enable the voter to better comprehend
the plan of balloting The room is
divided by guard rail or partition
into two portions, the public being
KEPT outside the rail, which is re-
quired to be not less than five feet
from the ballot-box and voting shelves.
Inside the rail are tables at the right
and left. That at the right contains
the ballots. and is in charge Of the
ballot clerks. That at the left holds
the ballot box, and is in charge of the
inspectors and clerks. Arranged
against the wall are a series of com
partments provided with pencils, in
which the voter can prepare his ballot
screened from all observation.
1t is to the method of voting that
the suffragist should devote consider
able attention. He steps to the
polling place and going inside the
guard rail an official ballot is handed
to him marked with the initials of
the clerk giving it to him. He
is given but one ballot and cannot
have another unless he spoils the first
one and returns it to the clerk from
whom he obtained it. Thus no ballot
other than those which the initials of
the clerk show to be official can be
used and all others would be thrown
out because not conforming to law.
Receiving his ballot the voter goes to
one of the compartments, opens the
ballot and proceeds to mark a cross
opposite the name of the man for
whom he wishes to vote. Do not
scratch out the names of the persons
for whom you do not wish to vote, as
was done in a number of instances at
the last election. This will avail
nothing. Simply make cross with a
pencil in the space to the right of the
candidates name. This is sufficient,
and it is not necessary to demonstrate
your dislike of any other man whose
name is on the ballot by effacing
that name with a vigorous use of the
pencil.
The cross indicates your choice and
enables you to go into the booth and
vote in secret for the man whom you
believe will best fill the position to
which you seek to elect him. If you
desire to vote for any man whose
name is not on the ballot, write that
name in the blank space provided for /
such contingency and mark a cross
at the right. Or, put a "sticker" in
the blank space. But in any event do
not forget TO make cross (X) opposite |
the name of the person. There is a |
probability that many might forget to
make the cross after taking the pains /,
to write in name other than those on |
the ticket but it is absolutely essential /
that you heed this warning. You are
allowed five minutes in which to pre- |
pare your ballot. You may, if you |
desire, take an unofficial ballot, printed |
on colored paper, into the booth to use
as guide in marking the paper, /
but this ballot would be refused by the |
inspectors if presented by the voter, |
as it is the duty of the inspectors to |
see that none but official ballots go !
into the box, therefore no ballots except |
those containing the initials of the |
ballot clerk will be received.
After marking the ballot fold it so
that the inside cannot be seen, but so |
that the Endorsement of the ballot |
clerk may be visible to the inspectors. |
Leave the compartment and proceed |
to the table on which the ballot box