The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-13
VOTING MACHINES USED.

Voting machines were used at two
places In the United States during the re-
cent election. and while some serious de-
fects developed. 1t also became clearly
apparent that with these defects RENEE
died the machines win be an enormous
Improvement over the present method.
Tho piaces where the voting machines
wera tried were Rochester. N. r.. where
the Meyers patent was used. and Worces-
ter. Mass. where the McTammany ma
chine was given trial. The local news
papers in each OF these places have de-
the manner In which the machines oper-
ated. This lis the severest test to which
tho machines have been subjected. and the
experiment has brought out weak points
which VIII have to be remedied before
either wili come into general use. When
their accuracy and trustworthiness is
demonstrated by further tests. after the
patent defects have been remedied. there
viii probably be general demand for
their use With the Meyers machine ev-
cry vote is recorded IS cast. and when
the closing hour comes the totals are re-
vesied by opening the machine. There are
no hours OF time spent by tired and sleepy
clerks and judges Ia recording figures and
casting up long columns. with the ahso-
lutte certainty Of the commission OF more
or less errors.
Az 10 the machine. tho Rochester Her
"a Sin. "a tn ha
thu machines during the day gave great
satisfaction. Where there was no trouble
everybody was delighted with the new
method of voting. Many men registered
their vote In ten seconds. and some claim
ell even better record. No great diih-
Guilty was reported or any trouble on the
part OF any ore to vote as he wished
without undue delay, One result Was UNI
doubleday accomplished b. the machine.
owing 20 the novelty ~ machine voting.
a great many men who had not Informed
themselves as 10 the machine did not Try
to split thesr tickets. fearing 10 lose their
entire vote. Tia fear was groundiess. as
IL Ia Impossible TO imagine an easier way
in which 10 spkll a ticket laan By the use
% the machine
This was while the machines were work
ing we'll. Unfortunately. however. the ap-
paratas got out OF order In several booths.
Voters were Imprisoned Because the doors
40, out OF order for ten or sifteen minutes.
ana In enc case Tor hag an hour. IN break
Ing open the door after IL became Jammed.
10 one booth. the recording apparatus
must have been injured. for II appears
that there were 90 more voters used tho
booth. according TO the register on the
door. than were accounted for in the total
sese as recorded in other parts OF the
machine.
The MeTammany machine. used at
Worcester. MAss., worked all right as far
as recording The Sets VAS concerned. eu;
the counting was no faSicr than under
tha old method. In THIS machine the rec
ord is kept by ho,ss punched in a paper.
ana these have to ee counted after the
polls closed. AT enc machine Ill men
sosei tn thirty minutes.
Taking tire tests rrase ~ Is quite AZ
parent THAI the voting machine Is destined
before iong 10 replace the Australian bal
/ ios In the states whtca ere earliest "a
adept reforms VITA machines of the
Meyers patent in soumen use. the exact
result Of a presidential election could BE-
learned wsshsa So hour or Two after the
| rolls close there wewla Re 30 danger OF
clerical nsis9akss. ant 30 subsequent
''efyctai eeans'' Weula vary the result an
nea-ce~s az the ttrae thu polls rIcse.
In the bong san II = quite probable that
the machines ~oNie 10 more eoonerns cal
than she present system. When tney are
In usa there viii - 40 tatiasS To Print. the
services % clerks in tire polling places can
be ass~en$sSs With. ard the remaining on.
eers win not have any work TO Go after
the polls close, esyond Simply certifying
she result OF tAe eassos, as Shown sy TIA
record KEPT by TIE machines