The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-07
THE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT.
A Plan to Simplify 1t Without Dimin-
ishing Its General Usefulness.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
1 think all intelligent and conscientious
citizens agree in approving the spirit and
purpose Of the new ballot law In this State,
and certainly all must feel interested in
promoting its successful operation. IL Is
undeniably still very defective. the main
fault resting with the machinery Of ballot
ing.
In the recent election In this city $500
votes were cast out OF a poll of 1900. OF
this number 1900 $50 were lost through ig-
norance or carelessness in stamping ballots.
The writer served as election judge in one
precinct. and took some observations. In
this precinct 26 votes were polled. twenty
one of which were badly stamped and
thrown out. Fully nine out OF ten of the
voters in this precinct asked for instruc-
tions-usually with an apologetic air. IL
was a reasonable inference that the twen-
ty-one who committed fatal plumbers were
of the number who were too proud or too
self-confdent to seek information from the
board. The voters in this precinct were
among the most intelligent in the city, and
the peculiar character of the mistakes made
In stamping convinced the board that they
were not necessarily the work OF Miterate
voters.
All this goes to prove that something 10
radically wrong in the method OF voting. 1t
is clear that the main difficulty lies In the
loON thoN tHC CNC -
Der two or more sets OF instructions refer
ring to the same act. The great need. there
fore. is simpliication. Tn act of voting
should require but one instruction. The fol-
lowing plan offers a solution of this diff
Guilty:
Print the tickets as heretofore, on a sin
gle sheet, with the emblems at the heads
where they belong. respectively. but not In
closed in squares or brackets. Let those en-
blems stand for nothing beyond their orig
inal purpose-to assist in designating the
ticket for which they enjoy the high dis
tinction as trade marks" Under them
print the respective party headings. Follow
with the names OF the candidates. placing
hollow squares in front of each. Omit from
these squares the usual authorizations,
Dem" REP" PRO" etc. These abbre-
~viations are not needed. and they unques-
many voters. The average .uninstructed
elector instinctively avoids blotting any
printed matter found on his ticket.
We now have a ballot with no places to
of the candidates names. IL is obvious that
only one instruction is necessary, as fol-
lows:
STAMP the squares i'm front Of the names
OF candidates for which you wish 10 vote"
This instruction should be printed con-
spicuously somewhere on the ticket. II the
voter wishes to prepare a straight ticket
he will, OF course, stamp in every square
shown on his party ticket. II he desires to
vote a mixed ballot he Will know exactly
what TO do under the same instruction. A
note might be added. directing the voter TO
fold his ticket IN the booth and in such
form as TO show the clerks initials. This
additional instruction, since IL does not re-
late to stamping, will not tend in the least
to confuse the voter.
/ think the plan here suggested would OBJ
viate all confusion and at the same time
serve the original purpose of the Australian
ballot law. In view Of the startling number
OF votes lost at each election. a move to
simplify methods is certainly in order;
Marion, Ind. May s.