The record-union., 1891-02-13
A NEARLY PERFECT BALLOT BILL.

A NEARLY PERFECT BALLOT BILL.
The Senate Committee on Elections de-
serves warm praise and public approval
for its work in the field of ballot reform.
1t has framed bill, drawn from many
others offered upon the subject, and from
the experience of other States, which,
if it is adopted, will give California a
better election law than any State i'll the
Union is yet favored with.
1t will be infinitely superior to the
New York ballot law with its pastors,
paster ballots and outside tickets; it will
be more practical and simple than the
Massachusetts reform law with its ballot
Endorsements and much machinery; it
viii be better by far than the Indiana
law, which is superior to that of Massa-
chusetts. 1t will give us system for
the conduct of elections that viii be the
product of the experience of New York,
Connecticut, Wisconsin, Indiana, Massa-
chusetts, kentucky and several other
States, and the result of the operation of
a similar law in Australia.
1t not only avoids all the errors of other
statutes on the subject, but it introduces
some new features, simplifying the
method of voting and of preparing bal
lots, and making the whole matter so far
removed from complexity that even a
child could understand the system by
single reading of the bill.
The Senate committee has done so well
that we undertake so much of prophecy as
to forecast that this bill will become the
first of models for all subsequent legisla-
ton in the United States upon the sub
ject. Yet there is not much in the bill
that is original with the committee-very
little indeed. Its work is found in the
happy blending of the better features
proposed in many bills, and the exclu-
sion of the complex and crippling charac-
teristics of all such measures before the
houses, and also in modifying propositions
most likely to provoke antagonism.
Under the committee bill, the candi-
dates names will not all be ranged to-
gether upon the official ballot, but will be
grouped politically, SO that the ballot
will resemble a number of party tickets
printed in parallel columns. This is
clearly the intention of the committee,
and it is wise. But the suggestion is
offered that the committee has not re-
moved all ambiguity in the expression of
the intention. Indeed, it has so left the
expression that it may give rise to mis-
construction. Now, in law-making the
language should be so clear as to admit
of no doubt. Section 13 of the bill,
page Z, line %, reads: "Where the names
OF candidates are printed in separate coll
umns," etc. Why not make it perfectly
lucid and impossible of misconception
by thus phrasing it: 1.-THE names of can
didates shall be printed in separate col
umns, under the heading of the party
convention nominating them, and all
others under the heading Independent
and such columns" etc? Thus stated,
no possible question can arise concern
ing the separate-column system.
Again, in the same section, page 8, line
E, it reads: 'At the head of each ballot
shall be printed, in separate lines, the
names of all political parties which have
filed certificates of nomination of candi-
dates in accordance with Sections IlS6
ad 1lS7 of this. code, thus: Regular Re-
publican nTicket-GStraight).'
By this it'll is meant that each coll
umn of party nominations and the
column of independent nominations
shall be headed by the proper title, so that
one may, by marking opposite the title,
indicate a straight vote. But it will clear
away all cause for doubt if the committee
will make the lines quoted begin thus:
"At the head of each column of candidates
shall be printed" etc.
Finally, we think it will be conceded
that the law should provide for the polit-
ical designation of candidates being
printed in abbreviation opposite each
name, in addition to the political caption
Of the columns. This is done in New
York, Massachusetts,, Indiana, and, in
deed, in all places where ballot reform
prevails. 1t viii remove all possible OBJ
lection that might be raised that in long
list OF candidates, with some names SIM
Jar or the same, the voter might be con-
fused as to their politics or identity. The
insertion of seven words in line 40, page
5, of the bill, after the word may will
clear the matter. The line would then
read: .City, or town in which each cam
aidate resides may land the political des-
gnation, in abbreviatlon, shall be