New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-03
HOW TO VOTE CORRECTLY.
DANGER THAT BALLOTS MAY BE LOST BY
LACK OF THOUGHT.

sTRUcrIoNs CAREFULLY CARRY BLACK
LEAD PENCIL INTO THE BOOTH on
TUESDAY AND NOTE WHERE
HE MAKES HIS MARK.
While voting with the ballot November
8 In this city should be easy and rapid. If the
voters use ordinary care and intelligence in vot-
ing 1t is absolutely necessary that there should
be both care and intelligence If the election is to
express the will OF the citizens Of this city Voters
must be careful in the marking Of the ballots,
because the law explicitly declares that ballots
which marked improperly must be thrown
out and not counted by the inspectors Of election
when they count the ballots after the polls are
closed Section ST. of Chapter 10 Of the Laws Of
1895 declares that ANY mark or erasure on this
ballot except as above indicated, makes this
ballot void and it cannot be counted"
The directions on the top of the ballot are pre-
eumed TO be ample to guide man Of ordinary
Intelligence in the marking Of the ballots. but
the directions must be followed carefully. In the
first place 1t is necessary to use only pencil
having a black lead in marking ballot. To
mark with pen or with pencil marking blue.
red, green, purple other color. would cause
the ballot TO be thrown out The reason for hav
ing the ballots marked only with black lead
pencil was TO prevent the mark showing through
the paper ana allowing an eIectlOn OInceT 10 ten
what ticket was marked for voting 1t is neces-
gary that the ballot should be secret ballot.
There have been reports that Tammany bench
men In many Of the election districts would
carry into the voting booths and leave there
pencils which make an apparently black mark,
but which have leads chemically treated so that
the mark will change from black to green after
q short exposure Other voters who entered the
booths and found the pencils conveniently handy
might use them, 1t was said. and thus have their
ballots thrown out later. Members OF the Re-
publican Campaign Committee said yesterday
that there might be no truth in such reports.
but the safest way would be for every to
provide himself with pencil having black
lead and use that pencil IN marking his ballot.
ONE MUST NOT SCRATCH" IN THE OLD
WAY.
Every voter should use sufficient intelligence
in voting to vote for the right candidates. If he
wants 70 vote straight ticket he can hardly
make mistake, for he has only to make a mark
In the circle under the party emblem. but If he
wants to vote for of the candidates and
scratch" others he might easily lose his vote by
drawing line through the name OF candidate.
That old manner Of "scra tching' is sure to in
validate the entire ballot and cause II to be
thrown out No marx ~ any kind except the
cross marx UltHtlOHtu IN the QlrectlCnS, Is al
lowed on any ballot. If Republican does not
want 10 vote for one particular candidate on his
party's ticket. and does want to vote for
candidate for the came Office on any OF the other
tickets, he may write any name he chooses under
the title Of the Office in the blank column at the
right OF the ballot ana make cross mark In the
space 10 the left Of the name at the same time
making cross mark In the circle under his
party emblem. In that way he votes for all OF
the candidates he wants to vote for and does not
vote for the candidate he does not want 10 vote
for. He also accomplish the same thing in a
different way By emitting to make a cross mark
in the circle under the party emblem and making
separate cross marks in the spaces to the left OF
the names OF the candidates for whom he desires
TO vote and making mark at all opposite the
name Of the candidate for whom he does not
want 10 vote.
To make any erasure Of name on a ballot
would have the effect 10 invalidate the entire
ballot. The o. emblem would have
the effect Voters who do not make the
cross mark in the circle under the party smhI"m