Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-03-10
THE NEW BALLOT BILL.
Blanks for Putting the Law into
Operation Issued.
A SPECIMEN BALLOT FOR THE NO
yEMBER ELECTION AND THE OF
FICIAL BALLOT BOX SENT TO
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

The county commissioners have lust
received from Secretary of the Common
wealth Harrity copies of the forms of
blanks provided for putting the new
ballot bill into operation, sample of the
official ballot box and copy of the new
ballot law. The blanks consist of n
certificate of nomination, "a nomination
paper, specimen oi an official ballot. a
Iettor 20 the county commissioners and
sherlus, certifying nominations, with
letters of transmittal TO the Same officials
and a watchers certificate.
The most interesting OF the blanks is
the specimen ballot which will be voted
at the November election. 1t is 10 inches
long by Is inches wide, divided into four
columns. The first column contains the
names of the Republican candidates-32
for Presidential Electors, two for Con-
gressman-at-Large, one for Judge of the
Supreme Court, one for Congress, one
for the Senate, one for Representative,
one each for Sheriff, Recorder, and the
other county offices to be voted for. The
second column has the names of the
Democrats for the same offices, the
third column the names of the Prohibi-
tionists, and the fourth column is left
blank to permit the voter to write the
hahiSo VI llOb printed on IDG
ballot. Alongside of the name of each
candidate is a small blank space for the
voter to mark the cross, which indicates
his choice. If citizen desires to vote
for all the candidates of one party he
can do so by placing a cross alongside of
the title of the PARTY, at the head of the
column containing the names of the
candidates of that party.
Attached to the spepiman ha Hot iS q
stub which is to be bound in book form
and numbered consecutively, and from
which the ballot is to be separated when
it is given to the voter. This stub con-
tains, besides the number, the inscrip-
ton that it is the official ballot of a
certain election district, the date of the
election given and the names of the
county commissioners. On the back of
the ballot is the same inscription, which
is TO be exposed when the voter presents
the ballot to the election officer, to pre-
vent the voting of blank piece of paper
and the carrying away the ballot. The
upper corner has Il gummed edge, to be
pasted over the number of the ballot.
The certificate of nomination is a blank
to be filled out by the presiding officer
and two secretaries of the convention
nominating candidates for office. 1t
certties that the candidates were named
at convention representing the party
whose title is given. Then follow the
names of the candidates with thei:
business, places of residence and the
title of the office for which they were
nominated. On the back is the form of
affidavit subscribed to by the presiding
officer and secretaries of the convention
that the nominations are valid.
The nomination paper is blank to be
signed by electors desiring to place in
nomination candidates for flee without
the medium of convention. These
papers have to be signed by one-half of
one per centum of all the electors in the
State if the candidate is nominated for
State office. In the case of all other
nominations the number of signers shall
at least be 3 per centum of the largest
entire vote cast at the preceding election
in the district in which the nomination
is to be made. When this is complied
with the secretary of the commonwealth
is compelled to put the names of the can
didates thus nominated on the official
ballot.
The watchers certificate is a blank
filled out by the county commissioners,
giving authority to citizen to remain in
the voting room. Each party is entitled
to three watchers in each division, but
only one watcher of each party is en-
titled to be in the room at one time.
The sample ballot box is of oak, about
2S inches each way. 1t has ponderous
appearance, although neatly made. A
patent lock holds down the lid, which is
made overlapping, like that of trunk.
The slot in the top, through which the
ballots are to be inserted, is guarded by
an iron lid, held in place by cam and
spring latch. 1t can only be removed to
admit the blanket sheet" by unlocking
the box and springing it from the inside.
The idea of this is to keep the box intact
until the time for voting arrives; then it
will be opened in the presence of the
election officers and watchers, and the
shield removed. When the polls are
c,osed the shield can be snapped into
place, thus sealing the box.