Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-10-15
The New Election Law.
Some Notes Defining Provisions
Not Contained in the
Former Law.

late General Assembly of Maryland will oc-
casion some change in methods and to the
end that the voter may the more readily cast
his vote without question as to having done
so fully in accord with his views and at the
same time in accord with the law, we have
made a number of extracts from the pam.
phlet published by Secretary of State, Rich
ard Dallam, specially for the guidance of the
officers of election.
First as to the Ballot. There is practic-
ally no change Of the ballot proper, but
attached thereto Will be detachable stub or
coupon upon which will be written by the
Judge that presents the ballot to 1.-THE voter,
the name of the voter, the judges name or
initials and the number Of the ballot. This
coupon to be detached by the judge that
receives the ballot from the voter. Before
the ballot box is opened, however, all the
stubs must be destroyed.
HThere will be four Judges, two of whom
shall handle the registration books, third
will have charge of the blank ballots aud the
fourth will receive the ballots
There will be no ballot clerks and the duty
that they have hitherto performed will be
performed partly by one Of the judges as
noted above and their other duty of aiding
the voter to make out his ballot will be per-
formed by the regular recording election
clerks.
The voter when applying for ballot shall
give not only his name but his residence
and await the announcement by the judges
that his name appears on the registration
books, when he will pass through the guard
rail and the ballot judge will hand him a
folded ticket The stamp heretofore used
has been abolished and an indcliblc lead
pencil will be found in each booth, with
which the voter will mark the ticket as he
may desire Should he spoil one OF two
tickets in preparing them he will be entitled
to a second or third, but not more than three.
He must state that he has spoiled his ticket
and return it before he can secure another
He will not be permitted to remain in the
voting booth moe than five minutes in case
there is need for it to accommodate other
voters.
the ballot is folded when handed to him
and carefully refod it in the same manner
before offering 1t to the judge who receives it.
A ballot given any other fold will be reject
ed in the count.
No voter is entitled to receive assistance
preparing his ballot unless the registration
books show that at the time he was register
ed he could not read or write, or that he be
physically disabled, to which he viii he re
quired to make oath in the poll room and if
physically disabled he must state under oath,
how aud for what period Of time.
A voter may in two ways ask the clerks to
assist him in preparing his ballot: first by
reading it that he may learn just where the
names Of the various candidates appear or
he may haye them actually, by marking,
prepare his ballot, Both clerks must be
present in all such cases
If IA voter receives a ballot and for any
reason fails to vote, he must return it to the
Judge from whom he received it. No one,
under any circumstances. will be permitted
to take an official ballot from behind the
guard rail.
A voter may take sample ballot with
him into the poll room and into the booth,
for his guidance in preparing his ballot, out
such sample ballot must be printed on q paper
markedly different in color from the otllcia,
ballot, which will lie white.
Misdemeanors in the poll room, that is to
say any open or fragrant vi0!ati ms of the
laws governing elections may be visited upon
the law breaker, by arrest and any one of
the four judges has the authority, without
the consent of the others, to order the arrest
of such disorderly person, 1t is also made
the duty of all election officers to obey the
orders of any judge of election.
Challengers or watchers are allowed, but
their position is outside of the guard rail
until after the closing of the polls; during
the counting of the votes, however, the
challengcrs are permitted to 90 behind the
guard rails ard witness the count. Refusal
to admit challenger is punishable by It fine
not exceeding $1,000, or by Imprisonment not
exceeding one year, or both. Persons other
than the regularly accepted challengers may
enter the room for purpose of challenging
the right of a voter but he will be required
to leave the room as soon AS the person chal
lengcd to vote has been determined.
The only possible question that can be rails
ed in the poll room is, as this man register.
ed and under the name given?" All other
questions as to the voters rights have been
settled by the registration officers. Betting
on the election may disfranchisc for that cleo
ton.
A voter whose right has been challenged
will receive his ballot, prepare and offer it to
the judge, when the question OF his right to
vote shall be determined.
As to preparing the ballot, it may be done
IN more than one way, In case the voter does
not desire to vote a straight" ticket, To
vote a straight ticket requires but one mark,
| viz in the square opposite the party emblem
| We should advise of the several different
ways in which "cut" ticket may be voted :,
that the one In which the voter places a
mark thus (X) in front of the names of such
candidates as he may desire to vote for and
draws a mark across the names he may de-
sire to cut" being careful that the number
marked with an X and the number marked
across, for the same place. be equal.
One of the features of the new law is that