Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-10-21
NEW YORK BUREAU OF ELECTIONS.

The Department That Has a Good Deal
10 Attend to About Election Time.
General Theodore F. Rodenbough,
chief of the bureau Of elections at po-
lice headquarters. may be said to run
Il single handed. and with his left hand
at 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
ID. 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 yet con
sists Of five patrolmen detailed to cler-
zeal duty at patrolmen's salaries. Pc
lieeman Henry Hildenbrand. of the
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 70
the swearing in of the election officers
Dreary routine ~characterizes the labors
VI AAAN EAAAN anu NANE AtNA ms LOAA4 J4AANA
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 % sinecure.
Among the labos and duties of the
bureau are. To provide al the station
cry for the election omcers-inspectors
poll clerks and ballot clerks; 10 give
them the specia and ordinary instruc-
tons 10 enable them TO steer clear Of
trouble and 90 perform their duties sat
i~sfactorily 20 prepare the lists of cleo.
ton officers { r. the action of the board
Of pslice, eX mining into the personal
fitness and laracter of each iudivid
ual 70 pr ide certificates for those
who are lected and 70 qualify"
them or veal them into office, to
ascertain on days Of registry and
election Il all the election officers are
present az each polling OF registration
place. and TO see that all vacancies are
promptly filed; 10 receipt for all re-
ports. registers and returns fled after
the registration is completed; 70 pre-
k1At Nt"NF ~ L1AAAAAA NAAAAEoH W SCI
after election, that all registers and re-
turns have been filed up in accordance
with the law TO ummon those who
have erred 10 correct their mistakes; 10
stamp the certificates of such election
officers which have done their duty and
are therefore exempt from jury duty;
to record the deaths Of all male persons
over twenty-one; 70 keep a record of
convictions for felony, and TO aid in
tabulating the election returns on cleo
ton night. The last named employ
ment is more Of a courtesy to the de
sire Of the public and the police com
missioners 70 know the results than a
duty. No count thus made has any
legal or Official weight or value.
The bureau has also TO be prepared
70 make diagrams of the city for cleo
ton purposes. and TO scrutinize the
registry from each house so as 10 be
prepared to furnish information for re-
districting in order 70 keep the voters in
each election district down TO the limit
prescribed by law The pay rolls Of
the election officers have to be prepared
for the comptroller.
An idea of what the bureau has to
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
son chosen 70 such offices resigned.
As each officer is named ten times on
reports and in other ways, some so. 900
names we're written on this account
alone.
There were Is. 600. 900 ballots pre-
pared. corrected, received. checked of,
done up into 947 packages and dis
tributed, and at least 60. 900 packages
of stationery, ink, pens, mucilage,
books and foEQs. Oaths were admin
TO o than 5000 election Of
hcers, "a per cent. of whom served. and
the characters and qualifications Of
10, 751 persons were inquired into and
reported on.-New York Times.