New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-19
PREPARING FOR ELECTION.
BUSY DAYS IN THE OFFICES CT THE
ELECTIONS COMMISSIONERS.

CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BALLOT
Laws SELECTING THE VOTING PLACES
CANVAS VOTING BOOTHS TO BE USED
INSTEAD OF WOODEN ONES.
Preparations arc already under way at the offices
of the Commissioners of Elections, In Smith-st.
for The election in November; In fact they may be
aid TO be already well advanced. The work OF
this branch Of the city government is condensed
into about four months but during that period
the building In Smlth-st is one OF the busiest
hives of industry within the city limits
The work this year. however. will not be so
difficult In many respects as was that OF last year.
when the blanket-ballot law put into opera
ton for the first time Moreover the four Com
observation-disclosures Mouton, Blair, Erreger and
Edwards-are more familiar with their duties than
they were q year ago They were appointed IN
May 1872 by Mayor Schieren for terms OF hve
years ard by law not more than two of them can
belong to one party Beginning at the top there
fore. the election machinery is equally divided be-
tween the principal political parties.
The number OF election districts this year VIII
be the same as last, with the exception that three
districts nave been added TO cover the Ihiity-
second Ward which until the beginning or
this year the town OF Flatlands. and not under
the Jurisdiction OF the city election officials. Inc
total number OF districts is now 62s The Commits
sioners are at present engaged in selecting polling
places for all these districts This in itself is no
inconsiderablc task. They nope to find stores or
other suitable places thai can be used for TINS
purpose and are anxious to avoid the trouble and
expense OF putting up small buildings to be used
for voting places. In some parts of the city II Is
not cnsy to find just what they want
According to the amended ballot law, a copy of
the register OF voters must he kept open for the
inspection of the public at each polling place from
the time registration begins. On this account the
Commissioners of Elections are DESTROYS OF getting
the Of occupied stores and avoid the expense
Of watchmen, which would be necessary If unoc-
cuped buildings used or special voting places
erected.
This is the only change made In the law this
year. A number of other amendments were adopted
by the Legislature, and. In the opinion or the
Commissioners the law has been greatly improved.
Indeed. not few of the suggestions made by the
Brooklyn election officials the result Of their OK
perience last year accepted by Senator Raines
and incorporated in the bill amended by the
last Legislature. As passed last year there were
certain crudties i'm the law. due PROBABLY to the
haste with which 1t was prepared and the purpose
OF the amendments was to remove many of
these possible. The law is now more consistent
and simple than formerly. and 1t Is uniform in its
application throughout the State.
For one thing, the number Of election officers in
each district has been reduced Last year there
two registrars, two inspectors. four canvass
ors two ballot clerks and two poll clerks. The
number now has been reduced to eight. and the
four selected canvassers will also
inspectors and registrars. To fill these places
men of considerable ability and fair education
needed. and the Commissioners are experiencing
some difficulty in finding just the sort Of men they
want
The difficulty, one OF the Commissioners
planned yesterday arises from three causes One is
that in some parts of the city there are few men
properly qualified to do this work. In the second
serve In the third place there Is prevalent idea
among the politicians of both parties that appoint
ward FOR party services or that mon should be as
pointed who out of job and ought to have work
provided for them.
cants for appointment TO a simple civil service ex-
animation to determine their qualifications. The
result on the whole was good though the rejection
OF men whose names had been regularly submitted
by the leaders OF he political Organizations gave
rise to some i-feeling This year il Is felt thai the
n.n who served last year Satisfactorily do NOT need
TO be examined again as their dIallfica ions are
known. As to others The Commissioners have not
yet fully determined what is the best course to
pursue.
Ry the changes I'm the In y tho work of canvassinp
Will le rnat.riaI, lDhtoned this ,.ar I, u,.e found
so troublesome to count the votes last fall~the drst
,tme tho blanket halo, was usedN that some mon
who had served "a eact,on otraIs for veaTs aIrns.
made up their minds that they would not UNDERTAKES
m. work again Tho Law nov prascrihss a forn,
OF tally sheet that viii facilitate the work of the
ballots which consumed so much time on Tn" night
If last election dav and carried The work IN MAN.
cases over into the early morning hours
ono change of ronsiderable im1ortance has hoer
docid.d an Nv Tho Cnmmissjoners 1hat l. ,ho s,,I
stitution Of canvas Voting booths for the wooden
49, IN, h,, - Fe 49, ~. ,b 'V W tri
,stn, o. ,o irto ,,eo IN ,h So n,,nohr , ~
tSSsc we're useJ exncrmenfally last year and rho
U.s. WI ISL "a ,a, anu w
thern that tbny have made contract For o cam
booths. The wooden booths hand Will
not bc thrown away. however a. the contractor
for the canvas ones h Is agreed TO take them off
The canvas booths will answer every purpose.
anu i nh ni ~ o - - Ii - r'I "at ,t
the shelf arranged that 1t cannot get lost or mis-