The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-09-26

list. he shall make a cross opposite the
name of every candidate for whom he
desires to vote: in case of q ballot con-
tanning a constitutional amendment or
other question to be submitted to the
vote of the people, by marking an X
opposite the answer of the question or
amendment submitted"
Some have sought to construe the
above provision to mean that a man
can mark the head OF his ticket and
then some other candidate in another
column and by so doing vote his party
ticket straight except on the Office for
which he prefers the candidate OF an
other part ": and all by the two crosses.
The reading of the law, however, would
indicate that except in cases where a
straight party ticket is voted it will be
necessary or at least safest to mark
each candidate.
The voter who hasn't intelligence
enough to mark his ballot properly this
wear will find it difficult to express his
choice. There is only one exception
to this rule. and that is in the case of
the man who from blindness OF other
physical disability" is unable to mark
! his ballot. The new law reads on that
\ point:
ANY elector who declares to the
Judges of election or when it appears
to the iudgessof election that by blind
ness or other physical disability he is
unable to mark his ballot but for no
other cause, must upon request, receive
the assistance O ftwo of the judges, who
shall represent different parties in
the marking thereof, and such Judges
must certify on the outside thereof
that it was so marked with their assist
anc and must thereafter give no In
formation regarding the same. Inc
Judges must require such declaratlon
of disability to be made by the elector
under oath before them and they are
hereby authorized TO administer th7
same, No elector other than n who
NAV. because of his blindness or ply.
steal disability. be unable to mark his
ballot, must divulge to any one in the
voting place the name of any candidate
for when he intends to vote, Or ask OF
|, receive the assistance of any person
!, within the polling place in the prepar'
alton of his ballot"
; There is another class of voters fol
, whom some provision was made by the
new law. That is the class that find:
out from some one before going int
the polling place just who he is to vote
: for. This class must have a knowledge
5 of the English language sufficient tx
enable him to read. at least. He vii
: be known as the memorandum voter.
! The law relative to this class says:
s "Any vote may take with him int
the polling place any printed or writer
memorandum or paper to assist him Il
S marking or preparing his ballot. excep
: as otherwise provided"
v Another class will be known as tn
Sample ballot voter. as provision ha
b been made tor him also in the follow
ing provision Of the law:
I'm marking a ballot any eiector
e at liberty to use or copy any Unot1lcla
sample ballot which he may choose t
mark or have marked before enterln
" the compartment OF booth, but n
J. elector is at liberty to use or bring int
n the polling place any unofficial sampl
ballot printed in the exact style, ma
IS ner, width Or character of paper OF tn
vt official ballot"
IS 1t will be observed that the law doc
t. not allow a voter to use a sample ba
Re lot OF the exact size or width as tt
to official ballot, as a Ia who didn't u
O. derstand English could by the use
,e such a device make the ballot he vote
an exact duplicate OF his sample !
laying the latter underneath al
I'd marking the official ballot by followir
crosses as they showed through Il
III white paper.
at twill require either a quick intel
Ii gence Or some such device as referr'
nv to above to enable the voter to ma
re his ballot in the time allowed by la
to The law in regard to this reads:
n mo more than m person must
he allowed 10 occupy any n booth at .
tie time and no person must remain in
occupy a booth longer than may
he necessary to prepare his ballot, and
no event longer than five minutes,
II. the other booths Or compartments
lte occupied"
as Incidentally it may be we'll to KIN
re- that: "No person other than elect.
lie. engaged in receiving or depositi
he their ballots, or a person present
Oh the purpose of challenging the vote
he an elector about to cast his ballot,
permitted to be within the rail-
EN- WILL NOT MAKE THE RACE.