Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-03-15

| present were given an opporturitv .,
ulscuss II. a vote of tho com,nit,s,
was taken and II was decided tina, ~,
Ntttialion ballot system sh,uI H.
adopted for the city of Fort worth +,
me Democratic county primaries. Tb,s
OF course should not he confused win
nen. "'ue'
| The members of the cornn,I,t., n...
voted In favor of the Australian, hail.,
were j. f.. Halscll. c. C. C'umrnIn,a 7
Lipscomb and o. w. Gilllesple. ihosa
who opposed it for this occasion 80
i. A. Altman and C. r. Bow,in IN
nc ton OF c. r. Bowln the vote was
made unanimous.
The committee decided to hold reg.
beslnnlng March ~, to continue tyen-
| ~ days, Sundays included, ending
April %, The registration books viii
be held open from s a. m. TO s D. M
each day. ~ ~
| AT former meeting ]. r. Puokett
j. j. Melton and ]. Y Cummings were
appointed registers, J. r.. Puckett ten
dered his resignation and the appoint
ment OF MS successor was postponed
until the next meeting
1t was estimated by the committee
that 1t would cost about $1,000 to hold
the primaries. Including cost of regis
| tration, books, tally sheets. printing
| OF tickets, pay OF officers OF election
and rent OF polling places. AS this sum
VIII have TO be paid by the candldat es
a committee consisting OF o. w. GIL
lespie and c. r. Bowlin was appoint
ed TO make an equitable assessment
OF this sum among the candidates and
report Mt the next meeting.
The committee was entirely harmon
ious, and 1t Is especially the desire Of
the members that fairness shall char
ncterize the county primaries.
y good many of the candidates yes.
terdny handed In their names to the
campaign committee and they are
requested to do so certainly not later
than Saturday, March 81. or a failure
TO do so may necessitate the omission
of their names on the tickets TO be used
In the primaries.
a resolution was passed reouestinr
the chairman of the various voting pre-
clncts appointed by the executive COM
mlttee to hold the primaries In their
respective precincts, 10 furnish the
campaign committee with the names
OF those selected to assist In holding
the primaries, and TO furnish these
names on or before the 2sth of March,
according TO resolution passed by
the county executive committee.
The assistants of those appointed
to hold the elections were to lie sub
ject to the approval Of the campaign
committee.
The committee adjourned to meet
again at Judge Cummings office on the
afternoon Of Saturday, the 9lst inst
with regard 10 the Australian ballot
system which the campaign committee
decided to adopt for the county pri-
maries In the city OF Fort Worth, IL
may be said that this Is the first time
IN a a
elections in Tarrant county The Aus
tralian ballot system. as II IL in force
In Texas, applies to cities OF 10000 in
habltants and over. Registration of
voters is required. and when one offers
TO vote he must produce his certificate
of registration. If he should have lost
his certificate, by making satisfactory
proof, and his namc appears on the
registration books, he can cast his
ballot.
When the voter offers TO vote he Is
furnished with ballot by the prcsid-
Ing officer Of the election, who stamps
the word "ofIlclai' upon this ballot,
and no other ballot can be used.
After procuring his ballot the voter
goes Into a booth und prepares it, no
ether person being permitted to enter
the booth while the ballot Is being
prepared unless the voter should be
unable to read or write. and in that
event he must cali to his assistance
two OF the judges OF election, and the
law makes 1t their duty to prepare the
ballot in the manner suggested by the
voter. No person is allowed to enter
the building where the election Is be-
ing held except those who enter II for
voting, and no person is permitted to
solicit votes for any candidate for Of
flee within thirty feet of the polls where
the election is being held.