Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-09-12
ABOUT THE NEW SYSTEM.
Ex-JUDGE KNAPP EXPLAINS PART OF
THE BAKER BALLOT LAW.

In an Address Before a Scranton Repub-
1ican Club He Advises Citizens to Study
the New Method Thoroughly in Order
to Vote Properly.
At meeting of the Central Republi-
can club of Scranton few evenings ago
the members were entertained by ex-
Judge Knapp, who delivered an interest
ing address upon the workings of the
Baker ballot law. He said that he had
become pretty well acquainted with the
measure while acting as counsel for the
| county commissioners. OF one thing
he was positive and that was that the
new law made necessary great amount
of arduous labor for the county commits
sioners. 1t is lengthy law, compli-
Gated law, and it introduces great
many novel features in voting.
II shall speak upon but four points of
speaker, "and they are, first, the ar
rangement of the voting rooms; second,
the form of ballot; third, the duties of
the election officers; and fourth, the
duties of the voters themselves"
Let us, for instance, he said, imagine
that we are voting under the Baker law.
We enter a room divided into two parts
by guard rail, and having a gate at
each end of the rail, at one of which the
voter steps in and at the other steps out.
AS we come up to the guard rail we meet
an election officer who ascertains if your
name is on the registry list. If it is he
permits us to enter, and we meet with
another election officer, who tears off an
official ballot from book of them, Just
as you tear off a bank check, and folds
it up for us.
We take this ballot and go into one of
the booths, of which there are at least
three in every election precinct. Oppo-
site the name of each candidate on the
official ballot we see blank space. The
law provides that if we want to vote the
straight ticket, all we have to do is to
put cross opposite the name which re-
presents our partisan belief at the top of
the page. However, if we want to vote
for one man or more of the other party,
we VIII have to set a cross opposite the
name OF every man we vote for.
There are several things we must
guard against in this matter of marking
the names of the men for whom we in
tend to vote. If we intend to vote a
straight ticket with one exception and
mark the top name of one party list; and
then half way down the list of the other
party If we mark name, we invalidate
our ballot. If we mark out one of the
printed names with lead pencil, as |
understand il, we also invalidate our bal
lot, as we only vote for the men whose
names we indicate with cross.
There are as many specimen ballots
issued as there are official ones. The
specimen ballots are for free distribution
among voters for the purpose of instruc-
ton. There is clause for the number
ing of each ballot, but it is also provided
that the corner which contains the num-
Der is turned oyer and pasted down, so
that 1t may be ascertained in case of
contest, but not detected by the election
officers while the vote is being counted.
| do not think that this makes the vote
absolutely secret as you may hold the
ballot up to the light and catch the num-
Der through the two thicknesses of
paper.
These ballots must be sent through
two different channels at different times
to the judge of each election district.
On the morning of election the first
thing the election officers have to do is
open one set of these ballots. Then
they must post up cards of instructions
and specimen ballots. The new law
makes no change with regard to voters
whose names are on the registry list.
Not over fourteen waiting men may
be allowed within the voting room at
one time. Not over four may wait with
in the guard rail and not over ten may
wait on the outer side of it. If there
are voters in waiting, man is only al
lowed three minutes in which to fix up
his ballot. If there are no voters in
waiting his time is not limited.
In case a ballot is spoiled we take it
back to the man we got it from, and we
get another. The spoiled ballot is not
destroyed but is cancelled and sent back
to the proper authorities with the other
papers. When the election officers come
to count the ballots, they first ascertain
how many men have voted, and then
see if that number corresponds with the
number of votes in the box. If man
is unable to prepare his ballot, he may
select qualified voter of the district to
assist him.
Judge Knapp said he would give fur
ther explanations at some future time,
and promised to do all he could to en-,
tighten voters upon the new methods.
he stated there was a great deal more
about the system, and many of it's feat
ures are likely to be misund derstood
unless they are thoroughly discussed
before election day.