The morning call., 1892-01-02
EXPENSIVE SYSTEM.
Why the Cost of the Coming Elec.
ton Will Be Heavy.
Registrar Brown Explains How the Number of
Precincts Was Reduced for Economy.
Australian Ballet Booths.

"Voters can scarcely imagine the magni-
tude of the work of my Office this year,
said Registrar William A Brown yesterday.
''for the reason that everything must be
figured out on new basis. AS stated in
The CALL, the Board of Election Commits
sioners approved the reduction of the num-
Der of precincts from 80 to 276 Under the
new law it will cost $500 to conduct each
precinct. First, there is a Board of Pre-
cnct Registration, the members Of which
receive IS day for five days. There must
he a Board of Election Officers, consisting
of twelve men, who receive SO EACH An
increased expense will also be incurred in
the rent of polling places and the fitting up
of booths. The economical plan will there
fore be understood when it is known that
for every precinct cut out the city saves $500.
IN THE NEW PRECINCTS.
Figuring on the $1,000 voters upon the
rolls, there are over 200 and less than 800 in
the new precincts. The law requires that
in each precinct there shall be 200 voters, or
as near that number as practicable. In eS-
tabiishing the new precinct boundary lines
the work was done with a view TO economy
as well as convenience. As it is the next
election will cost the city from $4,000 to
100000 The additional cost is due, in the
first place, to the increase Of the number of
men at each poling-place from eight to
twelve. The guard rails In each place viii
cost about S. There must be booth for
each fifty voters which means five in each
voting place. The estimated expense OF
each booth is about SIS.
MORE ROOM REQUIRED.
"The new ballot system makes it neces-
sary that there be left space OF SIX feet
between the outer door and the guard rail,
and four or five feet between the ballot-b0x
and the booths. Much more room IS there
fore required and will naturally cost more
than formerly To properly equip room
or place its dimensions will have to be 20
or % feet by ii to 10 feet. During the past
elections the average rent OF polllng-pl ces
was $50. This year the rent OF each place
will be about $50. Probably in one-third Of
the precincts houses will have TO be built
for voting purposes, as 1t VIII be very dill
ficult to rent places that are large enough to
answer all requirements.
Here are additional causes for an in
creased expenditure: 10 comply with the
new law there must be entirely new para
phernalia for registration and voting pur-
poses. There must be new blanks, books
and IN fact everything is calculated and con-
Quoted on a new basis Then again. the
Registrar has to supply the election officers
with the ballots. as provided by the Aus
parties save the cost Of printing and dis
tributing tickets. 1t is much easier on the
party nominees, but causes an additional
expense to be borne by the Registrar
GREAT CHANGES.
"All must know that great changes were
made in TediStrIcting San FranclccO, as pro-
vidpd by the last Legislature. There is an
entirely different arrangement The AS
Sembly districts now extend from the
Twenty-eighth TO the Forty fifth, inclusive,
and the Senatorial from the Seventeenth to
tie Twenty fifth. inclusive. BY this means
The city loses two Assembly districts aud
one Senatorial. 1t is not owing to decrease
Of population here but to an increase in other
portions of the State The work OF eStab-
fishing new precincts was accomplished
with considerable labor. 1t was done with
the greatest Of care, and 1t required the
work of eight men for several months to
complete it. Lii many instances clerks were
sent out through various suburban streets,
in order that there might be no mistakes
The new districts and precincts are ar
ranged more conveniently than formerly
and in very few instances do precincts eX-
tend across Market street.
INCREASED EXPENSE.
"The eight extra clerks allowed me by
the Election Commission have been selected
and will begin Monday the work of making
seven copies of the assessment rolls. Dur
ing the registration OF voters at the new
City Hall.from fifty to sixty clerks are to be
employed; but the expense in that respect
will be no heavier than during previous
years.
sit cost S12s, 900 to conduct the last cleo
tion, and as explained, the Increased ex-
pense this year is due 10 the elaborate ma
tGre OF The new voting system"