The record-union., 1891-01-11
THE PROPOSED NEW BALLOT
LAW.

Federated Trades and drawn by Judge J.
G. Mcguire, is now, by Introduction in
the Legislature, before the people for con-
sideration. 1t is not, as it should not be,
the Australian ballot system proper, but
Is an Improvement upon it. Just what it
is it is well to state.
Section provides that the ballots shall
be printed at public expense, as also cards
of instruction to electors. Section pro-
vides that political Conventions repre-
senting party that cast per cent. of the
vote of the State or district at the preced-
ing election may nominate.
Section 3 provides that such nomina-
tions shall be certified under oath. Sec
ton 4 provides that candidates may also
be nominated by request of per cent. of
the voters, on the basis of the last preced-
ing election. One thousand request sig
natures of electors shall be sufficient for
nomination for State office. The certi-
fication of nomination is made to the Sec
retary of State or the Clerk of the county
or city, as the case may be. But no party
or petition shall nominate more than one
candidate for one office. The Clerk with
whom a certificate of district nomination
election, certify the lists to the other
Court Clerks in the district.
Section provides that no certificate
shall contain more than the name of one
nominee for the same office, and those
who act in Convention cannot sign for
nomination by the other method. Sec
ton directs the preservation of the orig
inal certificates of nomination.
By Section s, certificates to the Secre-
tary of State must be filed not more that
sixty nor less than forty days prior to
the election; to County Clerks, fifty and
twenty days. Conventions or their dele
gated authority, may certify the filling of
vacancies in nominations. At least twen-
ty-five days prior to election the Secre-
tsry of State certifies the lists of nomi-
nees to County Clerks, and by Section 8
the Clerk must, at least, ten days prior to
election, publish in two papers twice (the
last, the day before election), the lists of
nominees, with all details of party, resi-
dence, etc. The publication shall be in
the order and form to appear on the bal
lots. If no newspaper is printed in the
county the lists must be freely posted at
least ten days before election.
All these provisions relate to nomina-
tions and are intended to enable any citi-
zen, without cost to himself, to freely
present himself for office, if he can secure
reasonable Endorsement of his ambition.
This gives the poor man equal opportu-
nifty with the rich, and the neglected
or boss prescribed man, equal OPP
portunity with the man who has
ftn ~,
policy must tend to give us better Con-
ventions, better nominations and to break
the power of the boss to sell nominations
and manipulate caucuses and Conven-
tions. 1t conforms to the substructural
principle of free government, which as
sumes that any citizen qualified by the
laws may aspire for any office. 1t gives
to the people the opportunity, of which
political chicane has robbed them, to
make selection between candidates of
their own choosing, and to reject party
Convention nominees on both sides if
they wish, instead of being compelled, as
now, to vote for one or the other of two
possibly equally Objectionable candidates.
1t will be seen, too, that full publicity is
given to the lists of nominees, thus OBJ
Chronicle has sought to make much of.
Sections 10 and IL are merely directory
concerning designations and voting on
constitutional amendments. From this
on it will not be necessary to name the
sections. Coming to the election-the
ballots are to be officially printed, and no
others shall be cast. They are to be
on tinted paper provided by the Secre-
tary of State, and it is to be ''water-
marked" after design of his own that
can be plainly seen when the ballot is
folded, and the same design shall not be
used at general election more than once
in fourteen years. Any voter may write
on his ballot the name of any person he
may wish to vote for.
Ballots for elections of officers in con-
solidated cities and counties, are to be
separate ballots and to be designated
Municipal" }" while others are to be desig-
mated General" On each ballot is the
plainly printed instructions make cross
tAl in the square at the right of the name
you wish TO vote for.'
Half an inch from the right-hand edge
of each ballot, they being designated by
color, from top to bottom is a perforated
line. On the back of this margin is to ap-
pear the number of the ballot. SO as to
plainly appear when folded, and the cor
responding number is to appear on a
stub. When the names of candidates ap-
pear in separate columns, the columns
Nhall be four and half inches wide and