The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1895-01-10
VOTING MACHINERY.
A New Mechanical Device for Re-
cOrding Votes.
ELECTION EXPENSE IS LESSENED.
The Exact Vote Cast for Every Candidate
Indicated by the Machine.
Suffers 0utdone.

the ballot system of voting altogethe
and to substitute in its stead mechani
cal devices for recording VOTE if tn,
Legislature shall SO direct.
The amendment permitting the ust
of voting machines was inserted blythe
Constitutional Convention, which hat
in mind tie successful trial of such {
voting machine at several town and
village elections in the western part Of
the State.
Mr. Jacob II. Myers is the inventor
of this new device for registering votes,
and has been trying for many years tC
get it used at elections. AS the Con.
stitution stood in the way, requiring al
it did that elections be by ballot, il
was found necessary to amend the fun
damental law of the State before the
machine could be used at all elections
This has now been done, and a descrip
ton of Mr.. Myers mechanical device
which will become part of the voting
system of the State if the Legislature
shall SO direct, may be of interest to the
voting citizens who may be called upon
to use it.
To all outward appearance the ma.
chine is nothing more than sheet iron
box five feet square and seven feet
high. 1t has two doors in the front,
one for the entrance of the voter and
the other for his exit after he has re-
gistered freeman's will. On enter.
ing the box the voter finds himself fully
inclosed from prying eyes. for there is
roof over the booth, which is lighted
from within. At the back of the booth
the voter sees several rows of knobs in
parallel perpendicular rows occupying
almost the entire back wall. Each of
these rowsssis reserved to the candidates
of particular party who are to be
voted for. The party designation will
be found at each row of knobs, and op-
posite each knob will be found the
name of the candidate to be voted
for. If the voter cannot read, he can
recognize his party candidates by
the distinctive color of the paper on
which the names are printed. Provis-
ion is made for the strict party man
who wants to vote the straight ticket,
which is the easiest thing to do in the
Myers voting machine. as it is by any
mode of voting yet devised. By pull
ing lever at the top of column of
knobs one vote is cast for ever candidate
of the party. At the same time all the
other levers and the knobs are locked,
and if the voter should remain in the
box all day he couldn't cast another
vote.
The machine would be the delight of
the Mugwump. He could pick out
individual candidates nominated by all
parties and split his ticket to his hearts
content. In voting for individual can
didates the pressing in of the knob op-
posite the name of the candidate for
mayor, for instance) would lock the
knobs of ever other candidate for
mayor. so that there would be no dan
ger of anybody voting twice for mayor.
When the voter leaves the booth by
the exit" door all of the levers and
knobs are released by the action of the
door, and the booth is ready for another
voter. There has been some talk to
the effect that the voter might be con-
fused by multiplicity of candidates.
but the provision of the Constitution
separating State and national elections
from those for municipal offices has
disposed of that adverse argument
Outside the booth the voter will find
chart representing the position of the
knobs and their relation to the candi-
dates, which will assist him very mater
tally in recording his desires when he
gets inside. Similar charts can be
used by the political poll workers in
instructing their. friends. Only blind
man would be incapable of voting
with the machine, but he might have
assistance, the law so providing.
In an actual village election, where
it is true there were only few candi-
dates in the field, more than one thous.
and votes have been registered by
single machine. and the inventor claims
for it capacity which would permit
OF greatly reducing the number of cleo.
~ "o'AAooS III 'nis Guy, were III used
here, thus greatly lessening the ex-
pense of elections.
So much for the voters part. The
machine does the rest. Back of those
long rows of levers and knobs is a shall.
low box fitted into the back of the
booth, which contains the counting
machinery, which is worked when the
levers are pulled or the knobs pushed
by the voters. This automatic count.
ing arrangement is similar to that of
the automatic cash registers; or a bet
ter comparison, perhaps, would be the
counting machines which register the
number of newspapers run off by a
printing press, or the fare registers on
/ street car.
This counting machinery is protected
" door which cannot be opened ex.
ept by the inspectors}of election after
he voting is done, and then the can
ass Of the vote is practically com.
leted. The exact vote cast for every
andidate will be indicated by the ma
hines. Should the tally of voters who
inferred the booth kept by the election