The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-02-10
Proposed Changes In the Ballot Law.

2NOPVsSu OAauSes AZ sAe Oa4a0s law
Ma,.y and important changes in the
Baker ballot law are proposed in bill
prepared by the Pennsylvania Ballo,
Reform Association. which also drew
up the original bill The bill propos-
ing the amendments, which are sweep
ing and important, was presented in
the Senate BY Senator Jesse NJ. Baker,
to whom had been accorded the honor
of presenting the original reform bill.
The amendments proposed begin
with reducing from ) to the percen.
tage of the larges, vote cast for any
State officer which must be cas-, by
any party before it can be recognized
as political party which may certify
its nominations. Parties polling less
than 1 per cent. must get the names
of their candidates on the ballot by
nomination papers. For State. Con.
gressional and Legislative nomination
only 500 signers are required. Only
ten signers are required for nomna
tons to other offices.
THE DATE OF FILING NOMINATIONS
For the three higher classes Of Off
GERS the certificates Of nomination.
and the nomination papers must be
filed thirty-hve and twenty light days,
respectively, before the election, in.
stead of fifty-six and for,y-nlne coun
ty and municipal twenty eight and
twenty-one. instead Of forty two and
thirty.hve For boroughs and town
ships the time is unch 'nged.
The time for filing objections in the
three classes is extended from thirty
to thirty-nine days; twenty to twenty
four, and three to five respectively.
The Secretary of the Common
wealth must certify nominations 70
the Sheria and Commissioners twelve
days before the election instead of the
ten now required.
MARKING THE BALLOT.
The method OF marking 4 ballot IS
changed to require a cross mark oppO-
site the name OF each candidate voted
for except Presidential electors, where
one mark opposite the party name
votes for all The number Of official
ballots to be furnished is unchanged,
but only sufficient number OF specl-
men ballots are required and the
County Commissioners may require
the election judges to come to their
Office on the day before election and
receive and receipt for all ballots for
their districts.
One voting com Dartment TO be fur
nished for every seventy FIVE voters in
stead of for every fifty. and a curtain
or door must be placed across the up
per part to screen the voter from OBJ
servation while marking his ballot. The
name and residence of a person vouch-
ing for an unregistered voter must be
indorsed on the ballo, check list oppo.
site the voters names. Reasonable
compensation for party watchers shall
be included in the proper election ex-
pcnses of candidates and election
committees.
VOTERS DISABILITY.
The paragraph on the Disability"
of voters is greatly changed, making
the amendment the most important
one suggested. The new section is:
..If any voter, before receiving his bal.
lot, declares to The judge OF election
that he cannot read II, or that for any
physical cause he is unable to read il
or that for any physical cause he is
unable 10 mark, the Judge shal, require
him Except in cases of NANTES. phys
ical disability TO make oath or affirm.
alton TO the fact, sta ing it specifically
and then shall permit him to select
one qualified elector Of the district as
helper, who shall be permitted to
enter 4 voting compartment with him.
The said helper shall hrst declare on
oath or affirmation that he will not at
tempt 10 influence the vote OF said
voter, but will only give him the help
he may desire, and that he will not
disclose the contents of the ballot to
any one except when required so TO
do in any legal proceeding. The in
specror in charge of the voting check
list shall in any such case note thereon,
opposite the name of the voter helped,
the wo.ds HELPED by manning the
helper on account OF Stating the
cause). A public count is also speci-
6cally provided for.