The record-union., 1891-11-10
THE BALLor-BooTH PLANS.

The Trustees yesterday opened three
bids and plans for election booths. They
all contemplate placing the stalls and
guard rail in rented room, and they
range from S. to SIS each in cost. Two
are contemplated to be of wood and one
of steel frame.
No action was taken and the settle
ment Of the matter is postponed. Posi-
bly, there is some confusion in the minds
of the officers as to the reconciliation OF
two sentences of the law, which at first
blush may appear to be contradictory of
each other. In fact they are in harmony.
One sentence of section 2203 reads: 'Shall
also provide a sufficient number of
places, booths or compartments, at, or in
which, voters may conveniently mark
their ballots so that in the marking
thereof they may be screened from the
observation of Others"
Later in the same section there occurs
this sentence: "The arrangements shall
be such that neither the ballot-boxes nor
the box-booth or compartment shall be
hidden from the view of those just out
side of said guard rail.'
Now what;is the obvious meaning and
intent of these sentences? Clearly that
the people may look across the guard rail,
see the ballot-boxes, election board and
the stalls or compartments, and who en-
ters them, but shall not see the voter. so
that by his handling of the ticket any
one can telEhow he is voting. Certainly,
then he must be screened from observa-
ton in his process of marking his ballot.
If the stalls are open-front and the
guard rail not more than ten feet away, a
boss, or his striker who buys a vote or
coerces voter, who can look into the
booth and see to which column the voter
moves his arm on the blanket ballot
when there are several columns, can COM
pei delivery of the goods, or carry out his
threat to coerce.
OF course, therefore, it is intended, not
that the work of the voter in marking
shall be open to view, but that the booths,
the ballot-boxes and the election board
shall not be hidden"
In New York, where the first sentence
we quote also appears in the law, the
screening of the voter in the stall or COM
partment is accomplished by an interpos-
ing board or plank, sometimes by a swing
ing half-door, between the public and the
stalls. But this simple screen hides only
the upper part of the body, so that all can
see that there is no more than one
person in each stall.
There is no conflict in the law and it is
easy to screen the voter and still leave
the compartments in plain view of the
public. One reason for "screening'' is
this, that early in the experiments of the
law it was found that the voter could be
compelled by the party coercing him to
fold over all the columns of the ballot
when there were several columns, but
one, while marking, so that the spy could
observe that the victim marked as he was
directed.
The whole purpose of the law is to give
perfect freedom to the voter, freedom
from observation, cow, threat or inspec-
ton of his ballot; and to secure absolute
secrecy as to how he votes Also. to
make it as nearly impossible as may be
for the vicious and venal voter to prove
that he voted as he promised for coin, so
that vote buying will become unsafe in
yestment and be abandoned.
Let the Trustees see to it then, as we
doubt not they will, that the voter in the
stall is Screened" from observation in
his work of marking or stamping his
ballot, even if no more than strip oi
cloth intervenes to prevent the eye of the
outsider penetrating to the shelf.