, 1892-11-08
A QUIET ELECTION.
Heavy Voting But Uncertainty as
to Results.

The New Election Law Makes
Everything Absolutely secret.
Description of the Manner OF
VOting--An Early Roundup.
Better weather could not have been de-
sired for an election than was enjoyed by
the voters Of Thurston county today.
Bright sunshine, a cloudless sky and
balmy atmosphere conspired to put all
persons in a pleasant frame of mind.
Good humor abounded on all sides.
ELEoTIoNEERING.
Carriages for the accommodation of
voters were in readiness long before the
polls opened, and the fluent takers in the
different parties were out upon the streets
at an early hour doing all the electioneer-
ing they could while they yet had a chance.
A manner of quiet yet intense vigilance
was maintained by the acknowledged
leaders. Care was taken that everybody
should have fair show.
VOTERS IN LINE.
When the polls opened at 9 O'Clock voters
were in readiness all over the city and they
continued to vote in a steady stream until
after the noon hour. A hush
prevailed similar to that incident to a
funeral. At each Of the polling places an
officer guarded the entrance to the voting
place and allowed just enough men to en-.
ter to fill the booths. A booth was pro-
vided for every fifty registered voters.
The officer in each instance was sta
toned at a point fifty feet from the
ballot box and it was arranged so that the
voters would be compelled to pass him in
Ordnr n III final alaafinpnariner
took place outside this limit. The only
persons allowed inside the polling place,
besides the regular officers, were represen-
tives of the different political parties who
acted as challengers. Sample ballots we're
posted outside the building in conspicuous
places, together with printed instructions
for voting.
MANNER OF VOTING.
After gaining all the information he
could outside, and bidding adieu to his
political advisers, the voter passed through
the door and reached the rear where was
stationed the pharaphernaila of the cleo
ton. During the journey of fifty feet it is
presumed he has had time to become COM
posed enough to know his own mind.
Those in doubt about the proper manner
of voting asked the inspector who prompt
ly furnished the needed instruction, to-
gether with ballot. The next move was
to step into one of the booths.and mark the
ticket. A copy of the election law appear
ed on the wall directly in front of the voter.
A board was provided for laying the ticket
upon while marking it and a lead pencil
with an eraser on the end dangled from a
string within easy reach. Each voter was
allowed five minutes in which to mark his
ballot. He then folded it into convenient
form with the names of the candidates in
side and the endorsement stamp in plain
view on the outside. Leaving the booth
he hor cd fha ballot 70 "a h.
deposited it in the box, while the clerks
took down the voters name. The voter
then departed, giving place to others.
THEY ALL KNEW HOW.
AS a rule, the voters all knew how to
prepare their ballots without special in
structions. More trouble was occasioned
by the constitutional amendment than
anything else on the ticket. 1t was a
question of honest doubt in a number of
minds, and to avoid a general misunder-
standing the sample tickets were marked
and attention called to the marking.
Voting was steady and at 10 O'Clock one
sixth of the voters Of the city had voted.
AN EARLY ROUNDUP.
A TRIBUNE reporter visited most of the
polling places between $3.50 and IL o'clock.
The greatest center of activity was at the
/ Third ward polling place, in Union block,
where voters stood in line waiting as pa
/ tiently as they could for theirturn to come.
| Peoples party men were prominent.
Residents of the Fourth ward cast their
votes in Byrne's building, across the street.
There was no rush. although the voting
was steady. Quite a crowd had congre-
gated in front of Columbia hall building,
where the Second ward voting was in pro-
! gress.
The First ward polling place was in the
basement of the court house. The
] voting vuac afQQnu the hOnfhu hnfnu f1ll
nearly all the time. Challengers with their
little red books we're right on hand. Fifth
ward voters assembled at the corner of
Main and Thirteenth street, where voting
took place in a dwelling house. A rope
was stretched around in front of the build