Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-12-19
NEW YORK BUREAU OF ELECTIONS.

to Attend to About Election Time.
General Theodore L RodenbOugh,
chief of the bureau of elections at po-
lice headquarters, may be said to run
il single handed. and with his left hand
al that. He left his right arm with
army surgeons in September, 1864. at
Winchester The bureau was estab-
lished in the police department in 1872.
d. b. Hasbrouck was the first chief,
John J.. O'Brien the second and he
was succeeded by the present incum-
bent. While the work of the bureau
has increased. its clerical force vet con
sists of five patrolmen detailed to cler-
zeal duty at patrolmen's salaries. Pc
liceman Henry Hildenbrand, Of Che
central Office squad, supplies the right
hand that the amiable chief lacks.
The bureau takes charge Of the ma
chinery and personnel of elections,
from the hiring of district quarters to
the swearing in Of the election officers
Dreary routine -characterizes the labors
of the chief and the clerks from Janu-
airy TO August, and it is Mechanically
active the rest of the year. When these
eruptive periods are on. no one in the
bureau has "a si~necure.
Among the labors and duties Of the
bureau are To provide all the station
cry for the election oficers-iuspector~
poll clerks and ballot clerks; to give
them the special and ordinary instruc-
tions 10 enable them 10 steer clear Of
trouble and To- perform their duties sat
isfactorily 10 prepare the lists of cleo
tion officers for the action of the board
Of police, examining into the personal
fitness and character of each iudivii
ual to provide certificates for tLoss
who are selected and To- qualify
them or swear them into Office. to
ascertain on days of registry and
election If all the election officers are
present az each polling or registration
place, and 10 see that all vacancies are
promptly filled; 70 receipt for an re-
ports. register, and returns filed after
the registration O., completed % pre-
pare lease, for polling places 10 see.
after election. that all registers and re-
tur' s have been filed up iu accordance
* the law tp summon those who
nave erred 10 r.. rml>rakeS C
stamp the c.r. such election
officers whir. r duty and
are thereto Jury duty
10 record C.. dee persons
over TWEEN record o..
conviction 20 aid IN
tabulariu- on cleo
ton night. employ
ment is mo- 10 the de
sire Of the .. e. police com
missioners C. results than a
duty No count mus made has any
legal or otE ;ial weight or value.
The bureau has also 10 be prepared
to make diagrams of the city for cleo
ton purposes, and to scrutinize the
registry from aach house so as 70 be
prepared to furnish information for re-
districting in order TO keep the voters in
each election district down 10 the limit
prescribed by law. The pay rolls OF
the election officers have 70 be prepared
Tor the comptroller.
An idea of what the bureau has 10
do when it is busy with live election
work may be had from the statistics Of its
operation under the ballot reform law.
In 1890 there were 1856 election Off
GERS who did duty, and about 500 per
SONS chosen 10 such Offices resigned.
As each officer is named ten times on
and in other ways, some so. 900
names were written Oh this ccoun
alone.
There were Is, 900. 900 ballots pre-
pared. corrected. received. checked of.
lone up into az packages and dis
-ributed, and at least 90. 900 packages
IF stationery. ink. pens, mucilagc.
books and forms. Oaths were admin
stored 70 more than 5000 election Of
icers, "a per cent. Of whom served, and
he characters and qualifications of
{, 75l persons were inquired into and
exported ou.-New York Times.