Smyrna times., 1891-05-06

WHETHER they might have been bet
ter or less partizan or legalizing even
and more exact justice or not, the fact
is apparent that a great change has
been made for Delaware Legislature,
Ostensibly on the road to political re.
form. The voter will find a radical
change, at the next election, such
change as will daze some of the old
"MOOsbackers." The provisions of the
Five Commissioners Act for New Cas-
tie county, which is now a law, will be
found Oh our first page. The
other important bills have not been
fully enacted and enrolled yet, but
probably will be this weed. One after
another of the methods to reform the
ballot have gone down and now it
looks pretty certain that what is called
the "WOlcOtt Ballot Bill" will be en-
acted. 1t is considered the most con-
else and simple, and provides that
every polling place shall have a rallied
space in front, mot less than 6 feet in
length, 8 feet in width and 5 feet in
height, in which there shall be q gate"
Within this space stand one challenger
representing each of the two political
parties. When an applicant to vote
enters the gate, one of the challengers
shall announce his name and inquire
of the inspector whether he is a legal
vOter' in that district. If the answer
be in the afirmance, the applicant
shall be allowed to enter the room if
it be ascertained that he is not a legal
voter he shall Immediately retire from
within the railing. When the qualified
voter passes tia challengers and enters
the voting room, the inspector shall
give him a ticket of each political
party. These tickets are Official prin-
ted under the supervision of and dis
tributed by the clerks of the peace.
They are to be Uniform in size and
color and one inch longer than the
ballots now in use. This is to make
room for the party emblem at the top
OF the ticket, which each ticket must
bear. All tickets must be stamped by
the clerk of the peace, on the back of
the ticket, with the word official" in a
style of letters to be changed with
every election. The disclosure of the
style of letters to be used, in advance
OF the election, is punishable by a fine
of from 5000 to 81 600; and the same
penalty is attached TO allowing apv
OF the tickets to go into the bands Of
or be seen by any unauthorized per-
son.
The voter, having received his tick
cts, retires to a voting booth within
the room, of which there is to be one
for every 200 voters, and there selects
MS ticket and makes with pen and ink
any changes therein he may wish
but no name shall be inserted or sub,
siituted upon any ticket that does not
represent a person who is qualified TO
vote or to hold the Office for which he
Is voted" lfa voter sDOils a ballot he
may IeJu-" and receive another.
HaF41s -4o4 up ais ballot to his no.
tlOn, be folds it so that the stamps,i
word official" shall be on tn, cn,.id.
he also folds the unused balints IN H..
same manner. He then cOmes our ot
Inc booth, hands the ballot h.. !as -.
lected 10 the Inspector, who G; ns fh.
the same into the ballot box, and then
hands the unused ballots to H., insnee
tor, who deposits them in ,p..r.,t,.
box. No ticket shall be received or
counted which does not bear the off.
cial stamp. If the voter cannot read.
or Is blind or cannot write, or cannot
distinguish enc ticket from another. he
shall call to his assistance ia the
booth, both judges Of the election. who
shall alter or change his ticket in ae-
cordance with his suggestions or de-
sires." The tickets shall be delivereS
in sealed packages, by the clerk of the
peace to the inspectors on the dav be.
fore the election; the seals not 10 be
broken until the time of opening the
election. This act shall not apply to
the constitutional convention election
OF the third Tuesday Of May next. Pro.
visions are made tor various details
and penalties prescribed for various in
fractions Of the act.