The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-06
THE ELECTION BILLS.
TW0 INTRODUCED ~ THE HOJsE
CONSIDERED BY COyyTTrEE.
The Three Measures Presented by MI.
Craig and the One Introduced by MIR.
Coles Explained by the Patrons.

The House Committee on Privileges
ana Elections met yesterday AFTERNOON
at ociOck IN Room No. - on me upper
floor OF the Capitol building, Tor the pun ID
pose OF wrestling with the various cieeuoh
bills before that body. ar. HARRISON
OF Lynchburg. prcsiacu. thc hlst meas
ures considered were thfcc cltcuoh biilS
introduced by Mr. craig, OF isochofidsc.
The patron. VINO was present explained
the three measures. me nfat one hv
said provided that the Genera As
sembly shah elect As members Of ,ho
various Electoral Boards three lualiieo
voters. one cacn from the TWO political
parties casting the highest number OF
votes at the preceding &uoernatof'ai
election. ana PROVIDED ne as recommends"
by The chairman Of the state Executive
Committee OF mis- party. The selection
OF the third member is left TO the 1cn-
cral Assembly, and Ia TINS manner me
party in power Is always TO be represent
Cd by two members on each Doaiu.
The second measure IS TO amend sec
ton 1i1 OF the Code OF Virginia. and
provides that the Electoral Board 81
each city and county is TO clect thfc'
competent Judges OF election each one
OF whom is 10 he able 20 rcad ana write,
and two OF whom are 10 belong 10 iii
fcrcnt political parties, and have 10 nc
recommended by the respective county
chalrmen.
THE THIRD BILL.
The third ban introduced by Mr.. craig
seeks TO amend sections !, . >. ana ~
OF the Walton law. II provides that
the ballots shall be- delivered by the sec
rotary OF the respective Electoral boafus
10 the sherlm OF the county or sen gcaht
OF the city. instead OF TO the JUDGES, a.
provided unocr the present law. tach
ballot shall have parallel columns ior
the various political parties ana caiul-
dates. and The order IN when they are
10 be- printed shall De the same Tor All
ballots The sheriff Is TO deliver me
ballots to the judges OF election Here
tOfore the latter were expected 10 30
after them, but inasmucn as they did
not receive any pay Tor this part Of the
work they often neglected IT, and the
result was that no election couid be hau.
A voter who is unable TO mark the Off
cial ballot nm the prescribed manner may,
under Mr.. Craigs bill be assisted 10y
one of the judges of election an preparing
his ballot, but this has 10 bee done I'm
the presence OF tne other judges. Ine
special constable Is abolished 10y the bill.
After explaining his bills Mr. craig
said he thought the time had come when
II was necessary 10 change the existing
election law and the manner OF voting.
A great apathy was shown among The
people. which was caused by the present
election law. The Democrats ia ms
county demanded a change. and the law
ought 10 be so altered as 10 90 away
even with the suspicion that fraud might
be perpetrated.
General Hundloy thought the existing
MIR. COLES BILL.
The next bill taken up was the one m
PRODUCED by Mr. Coles. OF NOrthumbCr-
land That gentleman also spoke Of tn
Necessary of bringing about "a change IN
the election law. The bill presented by
him. he SAID. was framed by the confer
snce committee Of the members OF the
General Assembly who called themselves
the opposition only as far as the election
law was concerned.
The bill had been submitted 10 some
OF the best lawyers in the state, and
everything political had been eliminated.
one OF the FIRST changes intended by the
bill was in regard TO The electoral boards,
which at present were very often the sea-
Of the existing evil. The members OF
these boards. under Mr Coles hli. are 90
be appointed by the county judge, who
are 10 represent three different political
parties. provided the latter have goiled
at least 10 per cent Of the entire vote at
The last general election. la the case of
fusion. no more than TWO judges OF
election shall belong 20 one political party,
ana one clerk has 10 be selected from
each party. Appeals from the registrar
the peace. instead OF the county court,
which will lessen the expenses ana hasten
LIKE THE ONO BILL.
The ballot selected IS the same one as
used in Ohio, where 10 has been endorsed
by both political parties. 1t is OF the
blanket form. and has OF its top stun,
which is numbered and gives name ana
residence Of the voter. The stub Us de-
tached and handed IN at the same time
as the ballot and its number corresponds
with that on the POLLOCK. The baliot
is provided with cmhlems OF the various
political parties and T. divided IN columns.
Three or five copies OF the Official ballot
have to be posted on elecuon-cay al
certain distances from the polling places,
and a penalty is fixed for the removal
Of these "A
read or write are to go to some justice
OF the peace 10 be assisted by him IN
the preparing Of the ballot ana 'he
constable feature has been done away
with.
All ballots are 10 be printed i'm the
same order and type, ana they an nave
TO be OF tho same size. number OF
amendments are also made in regard 10
the challenging of votes, and Illegal NOt-
inE f. 10 bo punished like perjury
I'm closing. Mr.. Coles assured the com
mittec that the minority was ready TO
cooperate with the Democrats i'm securing
an honest election law and If the Demo
Gratis should prepare a bill that appear
ed fair TO the minority they would sup
port II.
TO CONSIDER TIE APPROPRIATION
BILL.
The Finance Committees Of the two
houses OF the General Assembly met last
evening at o'clock. ana made some
preliminary arrangements IN regard TO
the consideration Of the appropriation
bill.
The Finance Committee of the House
has declined TO report faVOrably an APP
Precipitation for a Virginia exhibit at the
Nashville Exposition.
NOT TO REMOVE THE COURTHOUSE
The House Committee on Counties, |
Cities. and Towns held a session last !
night, and considered a bill providing !
for the removal of the courthouse of |
Wise county. A number of Interested |
persons were heard. and il was finally |
decided 10 report the bill adversely.
To CONSIDER MILITARY AFFAIRS. !
an'yhc House Committee on Military and |
u xyuf.tl meet This evening at O'Clock !
er some of the military bills /
,ral"ei Per- ems Interested ina the mea- |
peilee- e invited 10 be present.
ester "
DESERTED HER HUSBAND.
10