The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-27
THE BALLOTREF0RM BILL
REPRESENTATIVE GLIB zRTS MEAS
IRE PRETTY SURE TO Pass.


Regulating the App 1intm ent of Elec-
ton Managers and Fixing the Man
ner of Making Returns.
The Gilbert ballot reform bill, which is
now in the hands Of the judiciary commit
tee OF the House Of Representatives., and
which Is expected to be reported favorably
and passed this week, is meeting with gen.
eral Gpproval.
The full text of the bill was furnished the
MORNING News yesterday by Representa-
tive Clifton, who is one Of its stanchest sup
porters. II is as follows:
a BILL to be entitled an act to promote secrecy
of the ballot; to enforce uniformity OF the
same; to provide for the appointment Of
managers in all public elections. and to fix
the manner Of making election returns,
SECTION /. Be IL enacted by the general as
sembiy, and it is hereby enacted by authority #
the same, that all ballots cast in elections for
public Office within this state shall b. OF uni
form size, color ami yl3 Of type follows:
Ia all municipal elections the ballot shall be
prescribed and approved by the city clerk; IN
all other elections the ordinary Of each county
snail prescribe the ballot TO be used, which
must be the same quality and tint OF pap-r,
style Of type, and black ink in each precinct
Of his respective county.
SEC ?. The ballot shall contain no caption 70
designate any political party. Whenever can
| didates are not named for ali the places on the
ballot the space shall be left blank with only
1 the name of the office printe thereon.
SEC 3. Whenever proposed constitutional
| amendment or other question is TO be submitted
| TO the people Of the state for popular 70 e. the
secretary Of stat shall duly, and not less than
| thirty days before election, certify the same to
| the ordinary of each county, who shall require
| the same printed on all ballots to bs used al
| that election.
The BALLOTS.
SEC. 4. All ballots to be used in mnnicral or
] q or plaptiOu shall Ia deli n q ri Y
clerk or ordinary of the respective city or county
| at least five days prior TO the election CITY
| clerk or ordinary, as tho case may be, shall
| have printed stamped on the bAck of each
| ballot the Enforcement, Official ballot for
! - and after the word for shall follow
| the designation of the county or city for which
| the ballot is prepared, the date OF the election
| and the name of the ordinary or city clerk
| SIC. g. No manager of election shall deposit
! in ballot-Dox. or permit any other person to
! deposit in a ballot-oox on election day, any
| ballot which is not properly Endorsed.
! SEC. 8. The ordinary Of the various counties
! in the state shall, prior to an election, cause TO
! be delivered to the managers of each Of the
| polling places within the respective counties,
| the proper number of ballots provided for the
| use of the voters of said precinct at such cleo
| ton, and In a. municipal elections this shall De
the duty of tho city clerk.
SEC. Z. II from any cause the official ballots
shall not be ready FOR distribution al any polling
| pace, or if the supply OF ballots shall be eK-
| heu ted before the polls are closed, unofficial
| ballots printed or written, made nearly as
possible IN the form of the official ballots. may
| be used. Whenever a candidate for any Office
whose name is printed the official ballet
shall have died. shall be or become Ineligible.
shall have withdrawn before elect ion day
voters may use unofficial ballots in vo'iDg TO
I'LL the office for which such deceased Ineligible
or withdrawn candidate was nominated, and
the name OF the deceased, ineligible or with
drawn candidate shall DO considered as having
been erased from the official ballot the name
of the person voted for may be written or
printed over or under the name of the de-
ceased, ineligible or withdrawn candidate.
THE VOTING BOOTHS
SEC s. All officers, upon whom is imposed by
law the duty OF designating polling places, shall
| provide in eacl polling place designated by
| them sufficient number Of voting booths or
| compartments, and the expense OF the same
suall be paid by the county, and guard rail
| shall be 80 constructed and placed that only
| such persons as are inside of said rail can APP
proach within six feet of the ballot boxes, and
| OF such voting booths or compartments. the
! arrangement shall be such that the voting
| booths or compartments N only bs reached
by passing within said guard rail. They shall
! be in plain view of the election officers and
| both they and the ballot-b boxes shall be in plain
| view OF those just outside the guard rail. Each
| OF said booths or compartments shall have four
| SIDES incloSed. One side in front TO open and
! smut as a door swinging outward. Each side OF
| each booth or compartment snail be at least six
| feet high, and the door shall extend to within
| two feet OF the floor. Each booth or compart
| ment snail be at least three feet square. No pBr
| son other than the election officers provided by
| law, and those admitted for the purpose
| OF voting as hereinafter provided, shall
| be permitted within said rail. except by
authority of the election officers to keep order
| aud enforce the law, and except in the contin-
| gency mentioned in the first sentence of section
| Is of this act The number of such voting
! booths or compartments shall not be less than
! one for every $50 voters who voted at the Lost
| preceding election in the district Tue officers
who are charged with the duty Of providing
| booths or compartments shall also furnish for
/ each polling place q ballot box which shall bt
large enough to properly receive and hold the
! ballots to be cast for candidates for office ia
| conformity with the provisions of this act.
THE DUTY OF MANAGERS.
| SEC. O. 1t shall be the duty of the manager.
/ to deliver ballots to qualified voters, Eacn
! qualified voter, before receiving his ballots from
! the managers, shall announce his name to the
! election officers, His name shall be noled and
numbered consecutively by the poll clerks with
the number upon the ballots delivered to him.
| and in the order OF the respective appl
cations for ballots to the ballot clerks. The
ballot clerks shall thereupon deliver to the voter
! and the voter shall receive and take with him
! into the booth or compartment one of each kind
/ of ballots which snail have Leen furnished for
use at such polling places. If the person so ap
plying is not entitled to vote no ballot shall be
/ delivered to him. Any person may be chal
lenged. as now provided by law, when he shall
offer his ballot TO the manager.
! reasonable number Of chalengers, representing
each political party, shall be permitted to re
main Just outside the guard rail where they eau
plainly see what is done within the polling
place, except within said booths or compart
ments. The said polling place shall be so ar
ranged that every part thereof except inside of
said booths or compartments may be in full
view of SAID challengers aud watchers. And
no ballots shall be delivered in any way other
than prescribed in this section
SEC. 10. On receiving his ballots, the voter
! shall forthwith, and without leaving the in
/ closed space, retire alone 10 one OF the voting
booths or compartments so provided and shall
select his ballot. After selecting his ballot and
before leayiny the voting booth or cOmpart-
m mt, the voter shall fold ali the ballots deliv
cred TO him in such a way that the contents OF
the ballot shall be concealed and shall Ike o the
same so folded until he has delivered the
ane to the election officers as in this section
| provided He shall then vote in the manner
| provided by law forthwith and before leavin Z
the incloSed space; but before his vote shal
be received the voters name and the
number Of his ballots shall be called out
and the number shall correspond with the
number noted against his name by the pol
clerks as hereinafter provided. TIE manager
Of election shall, without unfolding or dsclos
ing the contents of the ballot, deposit the SAINT
in the ballot box The voter shal thereuaor
deliver to the manager the ballots not voted By
hin, but folded in precisely the same manner
as the ballots voted, and the unvoted ballots
shall be deposited in a box which shall be pre-
pared for tnat purpose, and which shall be kept
/ locked until after the canvass of the votes bu,
which shall be provided with an aperture for
depositing the ballots therein, and after tho
/ votes cast are ell canvassed, all the ballots
which were so deposited in such box shall De
burned by the managers of election without any
examination Of their contents
| ONLY ONE PERSON AT A TIME
SEC II Not more than one nercon shoU no