Telegram-herald., 1891-11-01
HOW 1HE BlLLOIISCAS
A Description Of the New System
OF Voting.
EFFECT OF THE NEW ELECTION LAW
fiain Directions for Voting NJ the Polls
Al 6Aiiots Mast be Accounted for by
shs Ina spseters both Ussd
and Unused,


system, Will be tried for the first time
In Michigan. The snares and pitfalls
which have heretofore beset the way
OF the voter have been almost en-
trely removed, the ward hummer and
the enthusiastic patriot who peddied
slipped tickets for a consideration,
hre out OF a job. While the plan OF
voting is greatly simplified, ii may
be well To describe just what the
essential points oi the law are, and
10 inform the voter what he must
do TO express his choice at the polls.
The Official ballot is printed by the
State and contains the names OF all
the candidates to be voted for.
Only one ballot is issued 10 each
eleetor by the inspector at the time
and place OF voting.
The voter takes the ballot into the
booth and marks ii according 10 his
choice OF the candidates and after
foiding il. he delivers IL to be placed
I'm the ballot box.
The practical question Is: How does
the elector prepare and cast his bal
lot under the new system? The ques-
ton Is easily answered.
The voter enters the polling room
through the entrance gate. He APP
proaches the inspector who has charge
OF the issuance OF the ballots He is
handed an official ballot. marked on
the back and in the upper left hand
corner with the initials OF an Inspector.
The elector then retires TO one OF the
booths for the purpose of marking his
ballot.
Here he enters upon a new phase
OF his duties. He has before him a
blanket ballot containing the name
OF every candidate nominated by any
party. His freedom Of choice is un-
limited. He is alone and uninfluenced.
There is before him a rubber stamp
m he desires TO vote STRAIGHT ticket
he marks the ballot with the rubber
stamp in the small white square inn
mediately underneath the name of
the party for whose candidates he
wishes to cast his ballot. Nothing
more is necessary. He then folds his
ballot so that the initials of the in
spector are in full view on the out
side of the ballot, but go that no
names OF candidates are exposed, and
leaves the booth. Approaching the
inspector who receives the ballots,
he publicly hands in his ballot, with
the customary announcement. of his
name. The latter is audibly an
nounced by the inspector, and II found
upon the poll list. the ballot is de-
posted in the box. The elector de-
parts by the next gate, and his duties
are concluded.
Tn n general city or State election
voters might want to scratch their
party ticket, but in the present in
stance there viii be no spl:t ticket.
All that Will have to he done Is to
Tut the cross mark under the demo-
cratic vignette. or in the small square
just IN front OF Mr.. Lawrence's name
Will do as well. and that is all there
Is to it. Some may prefer to put their
mark under the people's beehive or
the prohibftionist seal. and some even
may want TO vote the republican
| ticket. The process Is the same. Tho
mark under the v'gnette or aga inst the
candidates name "a all that is neces-
| sary. IL a.voter desires to vote for
| somebody whose name is not on the
| official ballot he Is entirely at liberty
TO do so. and the process is to scratch
| OIL the name OF one OF the other candi-
dates and write IN the blank the
voters choice.
Other provisions relative to the
| duties of electors are as follows:
The elector must not leave the poll-
ing room with his ballot. He must
retire Immediately TO a booth.
He must not expose his ballot tc
publ,c view on pain OF disfranchiso-
mcnt.
! The elector must vote the ballot
after marking II. He cannot leave
the polling room with the marked
ballot on pain OF immediate arrest
| He must rot carry away a rubber
stamp OF pain OF immediate arrest.
II the ieector votes for more thar
one person for the same office, hi.
vote. as to those persons. Is void.
II tho voter by mistake spolls hi.
ballot he may secure another from
the inspectors nv returning the spoilei
ballot.
The electo- may remain IN the bootl
such tine as may be prescribed bv th
election board. but not more than fiy,
minutes.
The elector must mark his ballo
without assistance. exceut in case q
| inability 10 renf English. or physica
disability TO mark HIS ballot.
The rules above given VII goverr
the vast majority of electors. The,
fully cover his dntsee 90 far as tn
mere matter Of voting is concerned
Exceptional cases. however. newt
ably arise. which are covered by tn
appended provisions.
n the eiector - challenged the oatl
II adnfnistered in the usual form. an
his ballot "a depo-itai. II found to h
an unqualified voter his ballot shal
be marked in the manner prescr'bei
bv law arri then deposited
n the eirctor caruct real English
or bv reason OF physical debility can
not mark his own ballot. tho ballo
sh All Be marked for hin, hv an inspee
tor desgnatei for that purpose. 4
the presence ~ two other inspectors
Briefly Summarized. IL is the husi
ness Of the eieetov:
| I. To procure an official ballot from
the snspec tor.
.. To ress-e wsth r. 20 booth.
2. To mark the ballot with the ruh
Der STAMP Fn the proper sDacns-
4 To harf TIRE ballot properly feide'
~ the 'rrp4rto-.
Th~n he viii have votrf :, eoTnpli
srce with The new hallct law.
The rsw also p-~scrshes thst 20 hal
fos. shail b neyidfed o. hanfled ont
30 ~ the hoard ~ Inspectors. 9n'
evp~v ballot serosted nvSt bar -
initials ~ inc inspector who hs7as !
ont. al ballots rusf n steeunte'
fo- At me close Of tse dar
Hear Hs-. r. r. Allen at Hartman