The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-07-26
how TO VOTE UNDER THE PRESENT LAW.

HOW TO VOTE UNDER THE PRESENT LAW.
The ensuing presidential election will
be the first held in this State since
the passage of the Australian ballot law.
The changes made by that law In the
method of voting are so radical and the
chances of invalidating or the pretexts
for rejecting ballots are so numerous
that it is of the firstimportance that ev-
cry person entitled to vote should be
we'll instructed in the mode of voting.
This is the more important. as far as
Republicans are concerned, from the
fact that the Democrats control a con-
siderable majority of the election boards
and will not hesitate to take advantage
of this to reject every Republican ballot
that offers even slight pretext for such
action. In close election the rejection
of an average of one or two votes in a
precinct throughout the State would
turn the scale. and experience has
proved that the Democrats know very
we'll how to use their power in this re-
gard. 1t is, therefore, highly important
that Republican clubs and newspapers
should use every means to inform Re-
publlcans voters how to vote without
incurrlng any risk of having their bal
lots rejected.
In the election this year there will be
two ballots, one containing the State
and national tickets and the other the
county tickets. These must be stamped
and folded separately. as the law re-
quires them to be deposited in separate
boxes. 1t is important to understand
that the choice of the voter is expressed
by the stamp. and there must be NO
erasing or interlineation of any name.
and no tearing or mutilating of the bal
lot in any way. Anything of this kind
constitutes a distinguishing mark Or
which the ballot may be rejected. The
stamp is positively the only means by
which the voter may express his choice,
and he must use it intelligently and
carefully.
An important feature of the law is
that by which a person wishing to vote
straight party ticket is permitted to
indicate his choice by stamping within
the square surrounding the device at
the top of the ticket. With Republicans
this means the square surrounding the
eagle. The stamp need not be in any
particular part of the eagle square, but
it must be in OF on some part. Ii it
touch the square the vote counts, but
otherwise the vote fails. The instruc-
tons in many of the State papers are
not explicit on this point. Some print
the eagle above the ticket without the
surrounding square, while others print
the square without instructions as to
voting. The best plan is to print the
device surrounded by a square, rs re-
quired by law, with brief and explicit
instruction, like this: ITO vote
straight Republican ticket, stamp some-
where within the square surrounding
the eagle, at the head of the ticket"
The two ballots, one containing the
State and national tickets and the other
the county ticket, should be stamped and
folded separately, care being taken not
to blot either, and to fold each so the
name of the poll clerk on the back may
appear on the outside. These instruc-
tions may seem unnecessary. but they
are not. The number of persons who
do not yet know how to vote under the
new law is surprising. and it must be re-
membered every year brings in large
number of first voters who have had no
experience. This is an important matter
and should receive the prompt attention
of the Republican clubs and newspapers
throughout the State.