Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-12-30
A MIGHTY CLEVER PLAN.
Almost Human InteIiige nco OF a MA
chine That viii Not Allow N Voter
TO Make "a Mistake In Marking His
Vote.

u
Vote.
Letters patent have been recently
issued to X. Dougan of Missoula,
Mon, for an invention that promises
to revolutionize the manner of mark
ing and oanvassing ballots and en-
tirely do away with the present OBJ
jections of the Australian system.
Undor the present system the ballots
are generally very largo in order to
have plenty Of room for crosses OPP
posite tho namos Of the chosen candl-
dates, and still many men mako the
crosses between the names or cross
out the names of the candidates they
do not desire to vote for, thus fire.
quentiy DISTINGUISHING themselves, in
part at least, and giving grounds for
disagreement among the judges.
Mr. Dougan's invention obviates all
these difficulties. The ballot is small,
private booths are not needed, the
vote of the largest precinct is tailed
as the votes are cast and may be read
from dial minute after the polls
close; the ballots are perfectly secret,
and the count correct. And still this
result is accomplished without any
innovation on our present system, SO
far as the voter is concerned, save
that he makes psrforation in his
ballot whore he now makes cross,
and is prevented from making it any
whore except opposite a candidates
name.
In order that voters may easily and
accurately make these perforations
each polling place is provided with a
number of devices called ballot hold
ers, consisting simply of two perfor-
ated strips of wood, between which
the ballot is held whilo being perfor
oted These strips are about one
fourth an inch thick, an inch wide
and of any longth rsquired-as II o.
Is inches. They are hinged togeth-
or a few inches from ono end, the
part back of the hinge forming the
handle by which it is held, while a
the other end there is fastening fol
holding tho strips together while tbs
ballot is between them. The perfor
atoms in tho ballot holder cores
pond with the names on the ballot
and each holder is provided with al
instrument for making the psrfora
tons.
When tho voter has made GU
his ballot, he hands it, in the holder
to one of the judges who places it in
the vote registering machine. Fol
each perforation IN the ballot holde
thore is in this machine correspond
ing vertically moving needle, eaot
needle having an independent move
ment. These needles are Of about
the size and length of common sew
ing machine needle and are formed
on the lower ends of strips of stee
about II inches long and of about
the width, thickness and temper of al
ordinary case knife. The ends of the
needles instead of being sharp ART
blunt They have a movement o
about one and one fourth inches, anC
for each needle there is a correspond
ing registering mechanism. The,
are raised and lowered by the turning
of crank, half turn allowing then
all to go down and another half turf
bringing them all up.
When the ballot, in the holder, i
placed in the machine, the perfora
tions in it are directly beneath thu
needles. The judge turns a oranl
and each needle having a perforatior
beneath it goes down, while the 9th
ers remain up, supported by the bal
lot. When the crank has made hal
a turn there are needles down for al
psrforations in the ballot, or, in other
words, for all candidates voted for
and needles up for all candidates not
voted for. The further turning Of
be crank forces the needles that are