Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1891-11-28
NEW Yoak BUREAU of ELECTIONS.
The Department That Has Good Deal
10 Attend Ia About Election Time.

The Department That Has a Good Deal
10 Attend to About Elecfion Time.
General Theodore r R0denbough,
chief oi rhe bureau of elections at po-
lice headquarters. may be sad TO run
il single handed. and with his left hand
Al that. lie left his right arm with
army surgeons In September. 1854. at
Winchester The bureau was estab.
lislied in the police department in 1872
ID. b Hasbrouck was the first chief.
John J. O'Brien tile second and he
was succeeded by the present incuIn
bent While the work of the bureau
has increased. its clerical force yet con-
sists Of five patrolInen detailed to cleF-
heal duty at patrolnen's salaries. Pc
Iieeluan Henry Hildenbrand. of the
central office squad. supplies the right
hand that the aIniable chief lacks
The bureau takes charge Of the ma,
chhlery 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 10 August. and it is Mechanically
active the rest of the year. When these
ernpfivr periods are on. no one ia the
bureau has "A sinecure.
Among the labors and duties of the
bureau are To provide all the station
cry for the election officers inspectors,
| poll clerks and ballot clerks; TO give
them the special and ordinary instruc-
tiOis To enable them TO steer clear of
trouble and to perform their duties sat
isiacinrily: 20 prepare the lists of cleo
ton officers for the action Of the board
Of police. examining info the personal
fitness and character OF each indiyid.
ual: 10 provide certificates for those
who are selected and TO qualify
them or swear them into office. to
ascertain Oh days of registry and
election II all the election officers are
present AT each polling or registration
place. and TO see that all vacancies are
promptly filled. TO receipt for all re-
ports registers and returns filed after
the registration is completed; TO pre-
pare leases for polling places; to see,
after election. that all registers and re-
turns have been filled up in accordance
with the law. To summon those who
have erred TO correct their mistakes: 10
stamp the certificates OF such election
officers which have done their duty and
are therefore exempt from jury duty;
TO rr,ord the deaths of all male persons
over twenty ONE; TO keep record OF
convictions for felony. and to aid in
tabnlating the election returns on elec.
ron night The last named employ
nirnt IL more of courtesy to the de
sire OF the public and the police com
EnIssiuners TO 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
60 make diagrams of the city for cleo.
registry FROM each house SO az to be
prepared TO furnish information for re
dIstrlcting in order To keep the voters in
t,ach election district down TO the limit
prescribed by law. The pay rolls OF
the election officers have TO be prepared
im the comptroller.
An idea OF what the bureau has 70
do when Il is busy with live election
work may be had from the statistics of its
operation under the ballot reform law
Ia lSgO there were 1855 election Off
Gers who did duty. and about 500 per
so,is chosen TO such offices resigned,
AS each officer is named ten times on
reports and in other ways. some $1,000
names were written ON this account
alone
There re I5.0OO. 900 ballots pre-.
pared. corrActed, received. checked of,
done up into 947 packages and dis.
! trbuted. and at least $4,000 packages
OF stationery. ink. pens, mucilage.
books and forms Oaths were admin
istered to more than 5000 election Of
ticers "a per cent of whom served, and
the characters and qualifications ol
i0.75l persons were inquired into and
reported ON. New York Times