The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-10
CHANGES IN THE ELECTION Law

giug for the leglsHAtutCs LAG N"'''& '
amendments will be made to the election
law, and he will propose returning boaros
to canvass the returns, such boards 10
be composed OF members of each party.
He thinks that when voter is chai-
lcnged the cause of challenge should be
specified under oath He will make
other suggested changes which his ex-
pcricnce with the present crude laws
are necessary
While considering such changes rs the
Republican managers will suggest the
members of tho General Assembly viii
he called upon 90 adopt other amendments
that the people. not the politicians viii
suggest,
There are three things Tint are neees-
snry; /. That every citizen shall be per
mitted to cast secret ballot; :. That
every voter shall be free from intimida-
ton by "heelers" or suggestions from
poll-holdcrs: 8. That some method, fair
to all, be devised to exclude illegal voters.
There are other matters in regard to
the election law that will suggest them
selves To the lawmakers who ought to
enter upon the task in a purely non-parti-
san spirit. We are led to make these
suggestions by what occurred in the eiec-
ton in Raleigh on Tuesday of last week.
A gentleman of Northern birth, Repub-
lcan. went up to the polls to vote. The
poll-holder took his tickets, unfolded
them, read the names ON them, and
deposited them in the proper boxes. ANY
bystander could see how the gentleman
voted. 1t made him indignant. He said
that he felt he had been insulted, that
he had right to vote as he pleased, and
that nobody had the right to know how
he voted He was told that under the
election law, the poll-holders were re-
quired to put the ballots in the right
boxes, and that they could not be certain
to do so unless they examined the baf-
lots He said he would agitate for the
passage Of an Australian ballot law so
that every voter would be protected in
his sacred right to cast a secret ballot.
In another ward, a negro voter went to
the polls to vote. His name was called
out and he handed up his ballot. 1t was
a straight Republican ticket except that
the name of n. b. Broughton was printed
on it in place of Jas. III. Young for the
Legislature, and Edward w pou in
place of William f. Stroud, for Congress-
Ill
ticket and called out in loud voice: 1Do
you want to vote against Jim Young in
favor of Mr.. Broughton?" That was ex-
actly what the negro wanted to do as
was evidenced by his presenting the
ticket, and no law ought to permit an
election officer to ask such a question Of
a voter. But the negro, knowing the
persecution that would follow him if it
was known he had voted that ticket
stammered and hesitated, and voted the
straight Republican ticket which the Re
publican poli-holder virtually forced him
to take by publicly telling how he was
voting. In other parts of this city and
in other cities eE-convicts and sixteen
year-old boys were permitted to vote be-
cause two Of the three poll-holders, both
belonging virtually to one party, decided
they were eligible. 1t is believed that
there were enough of these to elect Judge
Russell Govrnor.
We do not cite these instances for the
purpose of criticizing individual poll
holders and voters, but to show the de-
fects and wrongs in the present law,
either crudely or dishonesty drawn, and
to call public attention to the necessity
Of proper amendment to make it fair
election law. There will always be men
in all parties who will take advantage of
any loop-hole in an election law for parti
san advantage, and it is the duty Of the
legislator to use the experience Of other
commemorative to make the law so that
it will be as difficult to defraud and to in
timidate as human ingenuity and human
experience can suggest.
There is another reform that ought to
be Incorporated into the law. The State
should furnish all the tickets as is done
in every State in the Union except five, |
and then the evil of duplicating tickets |
win be at an end, and the ballot viii be
protected. We hope that the wisdom Of /
the Legislature win be concentrated upon
this important subject. For many years !
we have had complaints about a dis
honest election law Our laws have |
all been imperfect, but none more crude |
and capable, as shown in the late election, !
of being used dishonesty by dishonest |
men. A new law ought to be drafted by |
non-partisan commission, charged with |
no duty but to make a law that will pre-
vent Illegal voting and fraud, and will I
preserve the secrecy of the ballot. +