Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-02

ihSefuction low 10 prepare Dallots snail be
posted, and one shall be placed promi-
nently in each voting compartment
Ten days prior to the election the
County Clerk is required to advertise in
/ two papers of the county, representing the
chief political parties, the certified lists of
nominees. If there is no newspaper in
the county he gives the notice by posting.
There are to be two classes of ballots
General" and Municipal" That is to
say, State, District and county nominees
will be named upon the general" and
town and city nominees upon "munici-
paf ballot. Thus there will be occasions
when the elector will take into the voting
booth two ballots, and returning will cast
two votes. but in such cases the colors of
the two must be strongly contrasted. 1t
is provided in the bill also that these
two classes of ballots shall be cast into
separate ballot-boxes.
If there are errors or misprints in the
publication of the names of the nominees
the Superior Court is empowered, on APP
plication, to order the necessary changes
and corrections to be made
There are to be, in addition to the
Judges and Inspectors of Election, as now
provided, two Election Clerks for each
election precinct. They are to be of diff
fering politics and are to deliver the bal
lots at the polls to the voters as they
apply.
The ballot-box is to be in plain view of
those assembled at the polls, but behind a
guard rail at least six feet distant. Be-
hind this no one must pass except those
appointed to aid the Election Board and
the officers detailed to preserve the peace.
Beyond, but also in plain view, there are
to be voting booths, compartments with
SHELF paper and pencils, at least one booth
for every fifty voters in the precinct.
The process of voting is as follows: The
elector passes the guard-rail and goes up
to the ballot-box. His name and residence
are given, and if on the register are en-
tered upon the poll-list opposite number
after the name is called out loudly. The
ballot clerk then tears from the stub-book
the ballot of the same number. The elector
retires to ballot compartment, and there
alone marks an X opposite the names of
those ne wishes to vote for. We think it
would be wise to provide that if he desires
to vote straight Understanding the
nominees to be classified according to po-
itical nominations-he can do SO by strik-
ing line across the face of the ticket, or
by some SIMILAR device render it unneces-
sary to mark each name.
The voter may occupy compartment
five minutes. If he spoils ballot he may
procure another, as in the first instance
an entry being made of the fact. If he
cannot read, or is blind, or cannot use his
hands, he mayi on making oath to the fact,
choose one or two clerks from the Election
Board to aid him, and under heavy penal
ties they are prohibited from revealing
how his ballot was marked. The elector
having prepared his ballot, returns with it
folded to the ballot-box. If the number,
which shows on the outside, tallies with
the ballot given to him, the perforated
margin bearing the number is torn off and
destroyed in his presence, and the identity
of the ballot being thus eliminated, it is
cast.
In the New York law it is provided that
if one spoils ballot he may receive from
the ballot clerks another, but the process
cannot be repeated more than five times.
In the proposed California law there is no
limit. The New York provision is prefer
able.
Then follow the provisions for punish
ing the crimes of forging ballots, voting
illegal ballots, prohibiting the use of any
but official ballots, defacing or destroying
certificates of nomination, forging official
Endorsements, destroying or removing the
supplies of voting booths, showing
marked ballot, disclosure by election off,
GERS of any knowledge of how an elector
votes, marking ballot SO as to identify it,
and so on. Some of the offenses are de-
clared to be felonies, and for all Of them
the punishment is very severe.
These are the general features OF the
bill. There may develop, as it is debated,
necessity for several changes, but these will
be of minor Importance. While approx
ing all its general features, with the
amendments suggested, we may find it
wise to propose still others.