The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-10-15

The last session of the Ohio legisla-
ture made several important changes in
the election law. Some of these changes
were in relation to the conduct of cleo
tions and do not interest the voters in
dividually, being in regard to the form
alities necessary in filing nominations,
to the duties of boards of election, etc.
But there were also important modifica-
tions in the design of the ballot and in
the way it shall be marked. The
amended law provides that all ballots
shall be printed on the best quality of
No. 2 book paper. The shape of the
ballot will be the same as it was last
year, but instead of there being space
before the name of each party in which
to place the mark in voting a straight
ticket, a circle will be printed under
meath the party device and above the
party name for that purpose. The cir
Gle will be defined in heavy black lines,
and will be surrounded by these words:
''For a straight ticket mark within this
circle" There will be square space
to the left of the name of each individ-
ual candidate in which to place mark
in case the voter desires to split his
ticket. The diagram printed above
shows the general form and design of
the ticket.
The section of the new law giving in
structions in regard to the preparation
of the ballot is as follows: 1t should be
carefully read and digested by the citi-
sens so that there may be no danger of
any man wasting his vote by improperly
marking his ballot.
WHAT THE LAW SAYS.
"If the elector desires to vote q straight
ticket, or, in other words, for each and every
candidate of one party for whatever office nomi-
mated he shall either (a) make a cross mark in
the circular space below the device and above
the name Of the party at the head Of the
;icket; or (b) make cross mark on the left of
and opposite the name Of each and every candi-
date of such party in the blank space provided
therefor.
"If the elector desires to vote mixed ticket;
or, in other words, for candidates of different
parties, he shall either (a) omit making q cross
mark in the circular space before the name of
each candidate for whom he desires to vote, on
whatever ticket he may be; or (b) make a cross
mark In the circular space above the name of a
party, some of whose candidates he desires to
vote for, and then make cross mark before
the name of any candidate OF any other party
ior whom he may desire to vote in which case
the cross mark in the circular space above the
name of party wiz cast the electors
vote for every candidate on the ticket
of such party, except for offices for
which candidates are marked on other party
tickets, and the cross marks before the names
OF such candidates will cast the electors votes
for them; provided, that where two or more
persons for the same office to be voted for in
any precinct (as in the case of justices of the
peace at the coming election), and the names of
several candidates therefore appear on each
party ticket grouped under the office for which
all are running, the eleCtor who has marked q
ticket In the circular space at its head and
marked one or more OF group OF candidates
for such office on another ticket or tickets,
must in addition TO marking the ticket in the
circular space at it's head also make cross
mark before each one Of the group of can
didates for such office for who he de-
sires to vote on the ticket thus marked; or,
instead of marking the candidates for such
office as he desires 10 vote for on the ticket
marked by him, he may erase the names of can
didates for such Office whom he does not desire
to vote for on the ticket thus marked by him to
the number Of candidates for such ONCE marked
by him on other party tickets, in which case his
vote shall be counted for the candidates for
such office not erased; and provided further, If
an elector who has thus marked party ticket
In the circular space at the head thereof and
marked one or more candidates on another
ticket or tickets for an ofilce for which there
ticket fail or neglect to indicate either by indi-
vidual marks or by erasures, as aforesaid, which
of the several candidates for the same office on
his own party ticket he desires to vote for, then
and in such event the vote shall be counted only
for the candidate or candidates for that office
that have the distinguishing mark before his or
their names
"If in marking either q straight or mixed
ticket as above defined, a cross mark is made in
the circular space above the name OF party al
the head OF ticket, and also one or more cross
marks made before the name or names OF can.
didates on the same ticket for offices for which
candidates on other party tickets are not indi.
vidually Marked such marks before the names
of candidates on the ticket marked shall be
treated as 5urplusage and ignored and the bal
lot be counted for all the candidates on the
ticket thus marked for ofices for which no can
didates on other tickets are marked; but this
provision is subject to the exception in the pro
viso in the last paragraph, where two or more
persons for the same office are grouped on party
tickets
"If the eiector desires to vote for any person
whose name does not appear on the ticket he
can substitute the name by writing II In black
lead pencil or black ink In the proper place
and making cross mark in the blank space al
the left OF the name so written.
"If the elector marks more names than there
are persons 10 be elected 10 an ONCE, or If, fol
any reason, IL Is impossible 10 determine the