The sun., 1894-04-25
FLOWER ON BALLOT REFORM.
TEE GOVERNOR SENDS A MESSAGE
10 THE LEgIsLATURE
ne WAKE. srrr..ton. .. 20 what ~. rre

In my annual message 10 tho LeRlslhtufe.
transmitted on Jan 2 last. l said:
Repeated experience with the recently
enacted ballot law has suggested several de-
sirablo changes to promote simplicity In vot-
ing. The most important change needed is
one to avoid the multiplicity Of ballots placed
in the hands OF the yoter The present system
leads to confusion. mistakes. and annoyance.
/ recommend the adoption OF so-called
blanket ballot. with the names upon II so
arranged and printed that the elector can
easily vote for tho candidates Of his choice"
Although nearly four months have elapsed
eince the transmission OF the recon m en- dalton
no bill incorporating the suggestion has yet
been presented for Executive approval This
delay is unfortunate. for. had = bill been passed
earlier in the session containing any provi-
sions which the Executive did not approve.
there would have been ample time 20 permit
the adiustme ent OF any differences between the
executive and legislative branches OF Gov
eminent with reference to the measure, and Q
law could have been placed on the statute
books which would have given general salts
faction to the public.
So desirable do I consider the enactment Of
a measure which will simplify the present
method OF voting that. considering the late
ness Of the session and the apparent radical
differences between the Senate and Assembly
upon this subject. am induced to offer some
suggestions In advance relative to two bills
now pending In the Legislature. to the end
that wise and good ballot law may be passed
and receive my official signature.
The essential difference between the Senate
bill and the Assembly bill. as the two now
stand. is that the Assembly bill makes no pro-
vision for any kind OF n paster ballot. while the
Senate bill permits the use OF n single paster
for each Office voted for. so far rs the aim of
a simple ballot is concerned. the Assembly hill
with the recommendation OF my annual mes
sage but the enactment Of such a bill is out
Of the question.
The controversy as to the constitutionalty
Of such ballot is finally closed hy the opinion
York. published in to-day's newspapers. hold
Ing such ballot law to be unconstitutional.
features which any ballot law should possess
In order to be constitutional that | quote II
lawyers who promulgated 1t:
fIr.t-Any duly quAined eisetor ha. right 70 vote
ST s%y 10 pc at M =" n w. iS. Ren M de-
sire. 10 vote WHETHER or not suo persoa for whom he
printed upon the oiical ballot Any ballot act which
opportunity and reasonable facilities for voting for
such person /. uneon.,it utonnl
bnl9, does not permit the voter 70 write upon the Oa
name borne upon the oicial ballot or to
@ S.s rI5 % GG M :SSs DS
tionaL
reason OF Ignorance or phy.icaI di.abiity. cannot
ws nsys Or hs me- S. p
ps5,sn % not born. ap'n H. but for shon they ds,Is
an extent and IN such manner that the lterate OF
,s n:
ballot. otherwise Il Is uneonstitu utionat
SF@saE 4 iid.,:;av,, n.i:s J9"S i T,I.. r1.Ss.
Es.sc, Ilys / { COR sT,or 5S.syn 55%g fGoI e Jno.r.
guished amthortty, preeiudes from considsra-
tion any bin which does not permit the use, Of
some kind Of Taster ballot The dissussion s
tion as to the kind Of a paster ballot which 10
lie, lest adsptedM M to securing tm secrecy and sim
else Of franchise by the ignorant or physically
disabled voter.
shefileid provided originally for certain ofi-
cial raster ballots to be furnished in the poll
ned to their pISsisiai disability or 70 their IL
ltteracy and prohibited al other persons from
This "1 intter 'iTT proVison % would Be uncon.ti.u
tonal according TO that part Of the opinion
quoted above. which says that, II secret
not permit tho voter TO vote by paster placed
uIon such ballot the act IS Unconstitutional"
or illiterate voters is cumbersome and COM
plicated. anil would, for this and other reasons.
actual ono. The worst feat.re Of it, however.
Is the opportunity II would AFFORD for bribery
sons s. with them Into the polling 6oot6s
man who Will sell his vote will commit
perjury. and /. is well known that the pIoyi:
to physically disabled voters has been util-
lied at times 10 bribe voters BY wholesale.
lot are substantially as follows: '''
ANY voter may use one or more pastors.
office to he filled and tho name Of ono person
whose name Is not already printed upon the
for whom the voter may desire to vote. No
single paster shall contain the name OF more
shall ha naStAl uDOn the blank mar0in a tha
manner that no ore q them shall project be;
be counted as vote for the perscn whose
name name aEpears upon any such pester for the
sires to vote for names other than those on the
for each cies sepsratsy in the BLANK m naaGia %
at the foot OF the ballot IL he desires to vote
ballot. as is often the case in adepsndent
movements. ne has constitutional right to
S but To This eGre h he
on different pasteT for each ofilce voted for.
APPLY one blanket paster, Including ali the
names he desires 10 vote. the operation would
be niue much ai simpier ana there could be no rea-
Indeed. II pastinE is to be permitted at all.
tion. the same reasons exist for blanket pas
ter as exist for n blanket ballot. We desire to
use. but We should not make Independent vot-
ing more difficult by compelling a multiplicity
OF phsteTs.
a simpler ballot Is what We all want and
nothing can he simpler than blanket ballot
with tho use OF the blank paster permitted.
The question OF secrecy Is not in yolved In this
issue so long as assistance to illiterates in
side the booth Is not permitted, for identihca-
ton OF ballots cast by bTihed voters is no more
liable when those ballots contain blanket
pasters than when they contain Individual
pastors; and the present law wnulifiOs ballots
marked Ia any way for Identification.
The lAnket paSter Is not essential 10 the
illiterate Rlono-that Is u minor considsTA-
tiOn, although Of course the illiteTate should
he protected in their right to yOte-but the
blanket Paster is essential alike to the Hitter
ate. the incom petent. ana tho independent.
The blanket pRster. Offering as it does the
opportunity OF making com hinatiOn OF names
chosen from tho candidates nominated regu-
larry or by petition or not nominated at all.
secures to the independent voter his only
weapon against the tyranny OF caucus and
conventions.
We all desire a simpler ballot The blanket
ballot and the blanket pasteT would give the
desired Simplicity and would receive my ar
proNal II the remaining provisions OF the bill
were proper simple Paster for each name