The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-18

steps inside, the voter sees before him
an enlarged blanket-ballot. with the
names of candidates arranged vertically
in party columns. each column printed
in a different color. and to the right of
each candidates name a small knob to
be pressed. That is to say. the demo-
cratic ticket appears as a long yellow
card. the republican ticket as a red one
and the prohibition ticket as a blue one.
BY pressing a knob at the right of a
candidates name. he moves a number
ing device which registers one vote for
that candidate on the other side of the
steel partition. and at the same time
locks all the knobs for other candidates
for that particular Office, so that no one
can vote for more than one candidate
for any one office. II he is an ilnterate
man. and wishes to vote a straight party
ticket. he need know only the color Of
his party ticket in order to vote intelh-
gently. All he needs to do is TO press
in all the knobs OH that ticket II he is
an intelligent voter. and wishes to vote
for candidates on various tickets, he can
very easily do so by making his selec-
tions upon all the ballots as they are ar
ranged side by side before him. All the
knobs pressed in remain in that position
till the voter leaves the compartment
by door other than that by which he
entered. This door can be opened only
from the inside The opening of It re-
leases all the knobs. restoring them to
their original position in readiness for
the next voter. and at the same time
unlocks the entrance door. As the out
going voter closes the exit door behind
him. a gong sounds and the machine is
then ready for the next occupant.
The speed with which voting is done
by this method is surprising. In an cleo
tion in the town Of North Tonawanda, in
April 1898. there We're three machines
in use in a total poll Of 1853 voters
There were three party tickets. with a
grand total Of ninety candidates. Not a
single mistake or failure was made. The
shortest time occupied by any one elector
in recording his vote was FIVE seconds,
and the longest one minute and forty
five seconds In small towns in which
only one machine has been necessary,
like Brighton with sol votes forty-four
candidates and two ballots, the result
has been announced within six minutes
after the closing OF the polls. One ma
chine will take the place Of ten or twelve
voting booths required by the Australian
system. The merits of this method of
voting are obvious. In the first place.
the vote is absolutely secret. The voter
can leave no trace whatever Of the kind
Of ballot that he has voted. for nothing
is recorded except the figures. In the
second place. there can be no tampering
with the count, for it is made automat-
icalIy and with unquestionable accuracy.
In the third place. there is greater speed
i'm ascertaining the result than is posi-
BILE under any other system. All ex-
pense for ballots is eliminated. The use
of colors makes unnecessary the grant
ing Of aid to illiterates within the COM
partments.
The chief objections to the machine are
that no opportunity is given for the cor
rection of mistakes if the voter chances
to press the wrong button; that it en-
courages the voting of straight party
tickets and that it affords no oppov-
tunity for voting for men not named on
any Of the tickets. The first objection
is one that lies in greater or less degree
against any system yet devised, for
even with our own Australian ballot law
a man has but one chance to correct
his error if he stamps in the wrong place.
The second objection does not appear at
all serious. for the men who scratch
tickets are usually those who have suffi-
cient intelligence to scratch where they
want 10, no matter what the system of
voting. The third objection-that
voter may not name some candidate not
on either tickets purely sentimental
one. for a vote cast for anyone not
named on any of the legal tickets-es-
pecially under the Indiana law-would be
merely vote thrown away at best.
The machine system of voting is one
that seems likely to more and more COM
mend itself to friends of honest elections
as time goes by and the genius of inven-
ton brings the machines nearer perfec-
ton.