New-York tribune., 1896-10-18
MILLIONS OF BALLOTS.
DIFFICULTIES IN SUPPLYING THE CITY
FOR THE COMING ELECTION

NAM CHANGES TO BE MADE IN TuRNlNo ooi
TIE ai5oOoo FOR THE THIRTY-FIvE DISTRICTS.
The election on November makes necessary
the printing and distributing OF 24Joooo pai-
lots in this city. For years the work OF printnhs
and distributing the official ballots Tor the elec
ton in this city has been performed by the
Martin B. Brown Company, and the same mousse
has the contract to supply the ballots for the
coming election. The contract calls for the pay
ment Of S26,215 for the printing and distributing
Of $4,000 official ballots for candidates. Aoooo
sample ballots OF the same kind. 9S0,00O official
ballots for question and 24j.000 sample ballots
Of the same kind. The company will also sup
ply the paper and ink for the ballots as part OF
the contract
II is expected that the official ballot for candi-
dates will be about twenty inches square ana
will have nine columns. including the blank
column The ballot last year had eleven coll
umns Each regular party column will nave AT
its head the party emblem. below when VIII
be first the circle for a cross mark. then the
name of the party. then the names of the party
candidates for President and Nice-Presldent'
then a dividing line. then the names OF the
thirty-six Presidential electors OF the party.
then the name of the candidate for Governor,
then the name of the candidate for Lieutenant
Associate Justice of the Court Of Appeals. then
the name of the candidate for Coroner. then the
name Of the candidate for Congressman and last
the rare of the candidate for Assembyman.
The ofiica ballot for question will be smaller
than the other official ballot, and Will nave
spaces for cross-marks opposite the words yes
and mo- which precede the question "SnaH the
proposed amendment to Section I OF Article or
the Constitution. relating to the forest preserve
become law" ,....,., .,,o,
have been overcome in the printing ana dlS-
tributjng of millions of official ballots in this
CITY There would be fewer difficulties II all the
ballots were of exactly the same character The
trouble is caused by the changes which must
be made In the ballots as they are being printed,
and the necessity OF having all the ballots go 10
the right place. \ mistake in the prln,ins or
a mistake in the distribution Of the ballots FOR
n single election district might cause many GU,
zens to lose their votes. Last fall the o!nciai
ballots for election district were sent 10 an
other election district in the same Assembly
District by an oversight. and the mistake was
not discovered until fourteen votes HAD been
cast with the wrong ballots at one OF the
polling places. Then it was necessary 10 ex,
change ballots between the polling places ana
seal UP the box In when me Wrors Urse oai"sS mnn
who had voted were found and were allowed
to vote with the right ballots, but TWO cltiZehs
lost their votes. -,
There are thirty-fve Assembly districts in the
CITY. and the ballots for each Assembly district
must have the number of the district printed on
fhe printing of one set of official ballots. or sew
enty changes in the printing of the two etsof bal
lots There are 1392 election districts IN the city,
and the ballots for each election district mus! s
bear the number of the district. This means -'i0f
more changes. For each election district 'oo or-
cal ballots OF each set. 400 in ALL are printed
Each ballot must have its own NUMBER the pal
lots being numbered cOnseCutively from NO.
10 No. 700 in each set. The numbers on the bal
lots are printed by special machine. no changes
of the plates the printing press being MADE
nece ssary. ,.,.
The distribution Of the ballots without
mistakes makes ii necessary for the printers 10
place the ballots for each election district IT. sep.
arate packages. plainly marked. All the WORK OF
printing and distributing has to be performed
under the eyes Of policemen who are detaiied 10
see that only the required number of ballots are
printed for each district and that all the printed
ballots are distributed. The printers send the
ballots in packages to the police stations, ana
policemen distribute the packages among the
election districts, being careful to leave the rsht
parcels at the right polling places knowing that
a mistake will mean charges trial. ana a nne or
dismissal The ballots are received at the police
stations on the Sunday night before the election.
as a rule and are distributed among the polling
places early on Tuesday morning.