Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-03-17
THE AUSTRALIAN gBALLOT.

The so-called Australian ballot uf
law recently passed by the Virginia pl,
Legislature and known as the t"ai- -
TON Bill is one OF the most outra-
reous measures ever enacted by any Ii
state for the Acknowledgement OF the 4,
colored man,-the amendments TO
the Constitution of Mississippi not L
excepted. d
Vrhe measure viii go into effect
July /, 1894, and the election OF
congressman next fell will take 3
place under It's provisions
But let us consider this hyold
measure, which is but an adjunct TO q
the scandalous Anderson-McCor-
mick Electoral Boards Law.
Any person can be candidate Tor
: any Office, state or national, and
Q have his name entered on the official
. ticket or ballot by notifying the Sec
rotary of the Commonwealth, not
more than thirty nor less than TWEEN
2 ty days before the election.
= In the case of person, being a can
is didate for any other office not speci-
he fed, notice must be given the clerk
y of the county or hustiDgs court.
d The official ballot will contain the
d. names of all the candidates and
I'd there is no designation OF any |
I'd of them by Party, they being all
~ nrinted together. This makes 1t es
ok pecially difficult for an illiterate vo-
We fer tell who not to scratch out.
1t provides for compartment or
booth In which the voter must go to
mark his ballot, being allowed two
nd and one half minutes In which so to
Of do. A name must be scratched three
nd fourths of the length of the line
mo- Should person fail to scratch all
ev but the name of one person for a
Mi particular office, the ballot is VOID
,. or useless go far as that office is con-
cerDed.
No one is allowed to bring away
an official ballot; neither can a vo'
AP- ter see it until it is given him by the
list. Judge of election.
gnt This is doae in order to keep any
the Republican from becoming familiar
the With the ballot ard thus be able tC
D. vote it promptly.
srm, Anv person who remains In tn
.S I booth longer than two minutes an'
mia a half will be required to return th'
aaIl- ballot to the Judge of election an'
tual not be allowed to vote unless tn
that Judges decide to give him anothe
true true trial and no one else desires TO vots
.tion The Electoral Board of each coun
ty and city shall appoint for eac
voting precinct therein one specis
4 the constable, who shall be allowed on
l nmg dollar per day,-the judges an
TEN. clerks receive five dollars per day.
posi- he shall have the power to arres
= 'fu to- any person upon the verbal order
epre- warrant of the judges of election.
can This special constable NAY assi'
'esore any voter who is physically or ed
! and cationally unable to prepare b
oa~ty ballot.
n the He can point out to person wi
ainst is unable to read or write t
eey can an names of the persons he may desi
to strike out.
The use of the word "may" rel
ders it optional with the speci
'0iaSe constable as to whether he "
onest assist an illiterate. voter or not.
n the He may take a longer time
nrsc. show him what names to strike @
ltages than the law allows and thus +
unre him of his vote.
,hades Persons cannot assemble witt
'annot one hundred feet OF any of the volt
of alb
.tions places.
8 here 1t will thus be seen that the spec
quare- constable, where there is a large
resent. literate vote decides the election,s
sferred where there Is not the bourbon d.
ocratic electoral board, with C
1es as rupt Judges get in it's work.
The voter is to be subjected to
be just Iold time system Of chaiieDgint
10 aooa gray headed men being asked If
ire will are 81 years of age, and then fol
evisiDg to run the gauntlet of ballot WI
Il aa DC rS- is puzzing even TO the educated.
ops' re- The law will enable the macl
man OF to count our white men with
in the the same facility as colored ones.
Under the Anderson-McCorn
est the law all of the members of the .ele
.lleviDg raj boards are democrats and
Iumph. three OF the judges OF election
n poll be democrats.
The democratic special col
BILE is an anomaly. BE could
his illiterate white ward or cou
heelers spotted, and when they c.
lere is a him into the booth hand the
Virgin marked official ballot previously
as been taIned and take the unmarked
" under from the voter, mark it and be r
for the next innocent"
erected This the method of these bou
ire seek democratic who have for more
twenty years yelled about feder
success reference in the elections in
ding for sootion