The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-05-13
The New Election Law, or How
to Vote in Ohio.

The New Election Law, or How
to Vote in Ohio.
The Australian system of voting will hereafter
be adopted in Ohio. The full text of tn meas
ure is very voluminous. Shorn of its legal YER
biage and condensed into practical English. that
part of the enactment applicable to Portage Co,
reads as follows;
A Bill to provide for the mode of conducting
Elections, to insure the secrecy of the ballot
and prevent fraud and intimidation at the
polls.
The Secretary of State shall prepare and fur
nish forms for the guidance of the County Boards
of Election. for all the blanks, cards of instruc
tion including polling books tally sheets. GER
tifcates of nominations and designs provided for
the conduct of elections.
The Probate Court must appoint, on or before
July 1st. 1891. County Board of Elections con-
sisting of four persons. two for one and two for
two years. and annually thereafter shall appoint
two members for two years. One long and one
short term member must be from the party cast
ing the highest number of votes. and two from
the party casting the next highest vote. All va
cancies and appointments to new terms to be
made from the party to which the vacating mem
Der belonged. unless some third party has in the
meantime cast q greater vote. in which event the
new member must be selected from said third
party. A member may be removed for good and
sufficient cause. The Board meets at the County
Commissioners Office 50 days before the Novem-
Der election and organizes by selecting Presi
dent and clerk the latter to be chosen outside of
the Board. The clerk is salaried not to exceed
500 per year. amount to be fixed by Commission
ers and members. of Board receive So day of
service. not to exceed 20 in one year. aud cents
mileage each way. Election expenses to be paid
by the county. In local elections the expense is
borne by the political division in which the cleo
ton is held.
The printing of ballots goes to the lowest re-
sponsible bidder in the county. upon ten days.
notice published in two papers. The ballots
when printed are sealed up By the printer, who
also endorses on the package. in the presence of
the election board clerk, the number therein,
and delivers the same to the Board. The board.
not less three days before any general election.
is required to deliver to the presiding judges of
election precincts. their necessary blanks.
Atleast ten days before the annual Move mber
election. the county board of elections shall ap-
point in each precinct, judges and 2 clerks of
election. to be selected. equally. from the two
highest parties. In municipalities. the Council
men shall be officio judges of election. but if
more than two councilmen reside in one precinct
the county board decide which shall serve. In
township precincts the township clerk is clerk of
election and the trustees are judges. Where all
belong to the same party. tn two whose terms
expire in one and two years shall be the judges.
Avacancy occurring at the opening of the polls
shall be filled by electors present. from the party
entitled to such vacant office. Judges and clerks
are sworn to secrecy concerning any knowledge
they may obtain to how an eIector votes
Two challengers may be selected by the com
&c. 4.
challenged for cause. by either of the challengers
judges or clerks. or any elector of the precinct
may challenge voter by writing to the judges.
over his own signature. giving therefor.
Any conyention, caucus meeting of qualified
electors. or any primary election held by such
electors. any central executive committee
representing a politicali party, may make one
nomination which must be certified to the county
election board. Nomination. of candidates for
State, county or city Offices may also be made by
nomination papers. signed by not less than 500.
100, and SO voters in the State. county and city
respectively. Nominations for other Offices may
be made in the same way. the paper to be signed
by not less than out of every 200 voters at the
preceding election.
The ballots must contain the names Of and the
party, or political designation of all candidates
to be voted for. print ed in parallel columns. On
the back shall be printed "Official Ballot" the
date of the election, and fac SMILES of the sig
natures of the members of the board which caus-
ed the ticket to be printed. The tickets are all
printed together. that is, in parallel columns
one sheet. and are bound in books with double
stub. one book only being used by each precinct.
the book being required to contain at least twice
as many ballots as were cast at the preceding
election. The board of elections are required to
provide voting shelves, for each IS voters. at
which they may conveniently mark their ballots.
The booths are so constructed as to screen them
from observ alton. and guard rails prevent only
those inside thereof from approaching nearer
than six feet to the shelves ballot boxes, which
are not to be hidden from view of those outside
the railing, except by authority of the election
officers for the purpose of keeping order and en-
forcing the law. A person desiring to vote gives
his name and residence to the officer having the
ballots, who writes the same upon the main stub.
and the name upon the secondary stub. The
ballot. with one stub. is then given to the voter.
who is then admitted within the railing. The
officer must give him one. end only one ballot.
He must then retire alone to one of the voting
shelves and:prepare his ballot by making in the
appropriate margin cross mark. Y, Immediately
preceding the name of the candidate of his choice
for each Office. In case he desires to vote the
entire ticket of either party he has only to make
the X before the name of that party. If for any
reason a voters choice for any office can not be
determined his vote shall not be counted for that
office. He may vote for candidates of his own
choice whose names do not appear on the ballot.
by writing the same thereon and putting the Y
bsfore them. Thus it will be observed tn at the
SCRATCHED ticket is preserved in substance but
not in name.
Before leaving the shelf he must fold his ticket
without displaying the marks thereon. except
the endorsements and the fac simile of the sig
natures of the election board. He then hands his
ballot to one of the election officers and leaves
the enclosure, his act of suffrage completed. He
must not occupy a shelf already occupied by an
other voter, or remain longer than five minutes
when others are waiting to vote. must not speak
to anyone while within the railing except in case
he is unable to mark his ballot. in which case he
receives the assistance of two persons. one from
each party, appointed for the purpose. In case
he does not vote his ballot it must be returned to
the ballot officer. Provision is made for obtain
ing another ballot in case the first be soiled or
mutilated, but no person is permitted to carry
away or have one in his possession outside the
guard rail.
A fine of not less than SO nor more than $500.
or Imprisonment not more than six months is the
penalty for purposely showing his ballot to any
one, or making false statement concerning his
inability to mark his ballot.