Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-10-31


While we all know that the ballot
i'm West Virginia is strictly secret and
! that tits impossible to find out how the
voter casts his ballot. we have received
many inquiries from across the river,
where. il appears, the impression pre-
walls that the secret ballot system of
that state provides for the marking of
ballots by the clerks so that it is pos
sibIe TO identify each voter and how he
voted.
This story. which is being spread
through goldbug agencies among the
worhngmen across the river, has no
foundation whatever. In fact, the
ballot i'm Ohio is as secret as it is in
any State in the Union, and it is i'm
possible for any one TO find out how a
voter cast his ballot, unless the voter
himself tells.
The official ballot in Ohio has at
tached to it two stubs. The main stub
is numbered consecutiyely. When
The voter enters one of the officers
asks him his name and residence and
writes it upon the main stub. The
other officers examine the registration
books. find him properly registered,
and announces his registration num-
Der. That number is written on the
/ secondary stub. The ballot is detach-
ed with the secondary stub attached,
The primary stub with the voting num-
Der and address remaining in the
book. The voter takes his ballot to
the STALL marks it in secret, folds it
according to directions so as to leave
nothing but the writing on the secon-
/ dairy stub visible. and hands it to the
: election officer The officer examines
/ the stub 10 see that it bears the voters
registered number. detaches it and
/ drops the folded ballot in the box. The
secondary stubs are preserved until
the close of the POLLS, when they are
destroyed before the ballot box is
opened.
Suppose John Smith was registered
}l and was the twentieth man offer
ing TO vote The primary stub left in
The book of ballots. would bear the
number 90. and Join Smiths nam
and residence. That would be evil
dence that John Smith had voted. and
i'm what order of succession. but would
throw no light whatever on the nature
of his vote. The secondary stub re-
manning ON the ballot handed him
would bear the written number 40,
I corresponding with the number on the
/ registration book and corroborating
1.-The check placed against his number on
1.-The registration book showing that he
had voted. thus preventing repeating
I or representation. Smith marks his
/ ballot i'm secret the official tears off
. the stub and the ballot goes into the
box with no possible means of con-
| Meeting it when counted. with either
7 40. 400 or No. 90
But suppose the election officer
. should put a secret mark on the bal
. lot itself 90 identify it with stub 20 or
/ stub 400 That is the question put by
one inquirer There is the law. the
I Official oath and its penalty. the cleo
I ton officers of opposing politics on the
watch. and the voter himself. whose
duty and interest it is to scrutinize the
ballot and demand another in case he
finds a mark on it, He himself is not
permitted to put any mark other than
/ prescribed by law When the ballot
box is opened all ballots are rejected
that bear a distinguishing mark of any
| kind. There is not on record a case
I where a ballot has been identified in
] any way as having been cast by any
! individual
I No employee across the river need
be afraid that his employer will know
how he has voted. unless he gives it
away himself to some one. No one
has a right to exact the information.
/ There are laws to protect the voter in
[ the free exercise Of his electoral fran
chise.
Vote as you please, keep your mouth