The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-28
INSTRUCTIONS TO JUDGES.
CIRCULAR LETTER GIVING RULES
REGARDING THE ELECTION.
Issued Yesterday by County Attor-
ney Whittemore-Defect Bal
1ots-The Count VIII BE u Tedious
Job.

County Attorney Whittemore yesterday
issued a circular of instructions to cleo
ton judges, each of whom will be served
will a copy. The document in full reads
as follows:
Salt Lake City. Utah. Oct. %. 1896.
To Judges of Election of Salt Lake
County. Utah:
Conference.-The county has supplied
each of you with the proper blanks. tally
Sheets. registry lists, election laws, and
various other forms and instructions; 1t
IS absolutely necessary that you familiar
lie yourselves with all the details pertain
ing to the manner and. form of conduct
ing the election on the 3rd day of No
vember next.
The first requisite of a judge of election
is thorough knowledge, of the law re-
lating TO his duties as such judge 1t is
incumbent upon you TO read and study
most carefully the election laws as sub
mitted TO you. Examine carefully the
blanks, and, in connection Herewith,
study the law defining their use.
your attention is specially directed to
Sections % and 81 Of the election laws
(pages 81. 80 and $50 and. in order to en-
full:
Section elf voter marks in ink
more names than there are persons to
be elected to an Office, or if. for any
reason, it is impossible to determine the
choice. of any voter for any office to be
filled, his ballot shall not be counted for
such office;. provided, however, a de-
fectfve or incomplete cross marked on
any ballot in ink. in a proper place, shall
be counted II there be no other mark or
cross in ink on such ballot indicating an
intention to vote for some person or
persons or set of nominations other than
those indicated by the first mentioned
defective cross mark; and where a. cross
is marked in ink against a device indi-
eating vote for the entire set of can
didates, and also another cross in ink
against one or more names in another
list, such ballot shall only be held invalid
as to any Office so doubly marked No
ballot without the official endorsement
shall, except as provided i'm Section q
of this act, be allowed to be deposited
in the ballot box, and none but ballots
provided in accordance with the provfS-
ions of this act shall be counted. Ballots
not counted shall be marked Defective
on the back thereof, and shall be pre-
served until the next general election,
when the same shall be destroyed by fire
by the clerk or recorder having the Gus
tody thereof.
Sec. 31-As soon as the polls at, any
election shall have finally closed, the
box and proceed to count the votes polled,
and the counting thereof shall be com
menced and continued until finished be-
fore the judges and clerks shall adjourn.
ballots in the box. If the ballots shall
be found to exceed the number of names
on each of the poll lists, the judges of
election shall then examine the official
endorsements on the outside Of the bal
lots without opening the same, and If,
in the unanimous opinion of the judges,
any one or more of the ballots in ex-
cess of the number on the poll lists be
dorsement, it or they shall be put into a
separate pile by themselves, and q
separate record and return of the votes
in such ballots shall be made under the
Ar16 f<&e T1.rrx %Ia hill 20
and the poll lists agree. or, as above
provided, have been made to agree, the
board shall proceed to count the votes :;
each ballot shall be read and counted
separately, and every name 1ncluded In
a marked set or list of nominations. or
separately marked as voted for ON each
ballot, where there is no conflict to OBJ
scure the intention of the voter, as afore-
said, shall be read and marked upon
the tally list, before any other ballot is
proceeded with; and the entire number
of ballots excepting excess ballots shall
be read and counted and placed upon the
tally lists in like manner, and when all of
the ballots, excepting excess ballots
if any have been counted as herein pro-
vided, the board shall estimate and pub
lish the votes"
In every instance write the word
voted across the name of each elector
as it appears upon the official register.
and then check the same on the official
list. The instructions as to folding ballots
must be carried out in order TO avoid
exposing marks. on ballot. See latter
part of section IS, page f.
1t is your duty to see to it that the
laws relating to offenses against the
elective franchise are rigidly enforced.
See sections 80 and IL inclusive.
The county attorney, or any of his as
sistants will cheerfully give advice to any
judge or judges of election who may de-
sire ony other Information for their
guidance. On election day the county at
tcrney will be. in his office to answer
all questions submitted 20 him which may
arise where there is doubt in the minds
of the judges as to the correct view of
the election laws. Telephone to No. 100.
| Again, we admonish you to read and
study the election laws carefully. 1t is
extremely unfortunate if voter Dracti-
cally DISTINGUISHES himself by making his
ballot unintelligible. Hows much more
serious it would be for the voter to lose
his choice for any candidate or cand.-
dates through an error of the judges OF
election than through an error on his
part Very respectfully yours.
c. o. WHITTEMORE,
| County Attorney.
| NTON County