Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-02-25
AMEND BALLOT LAW.
JULIEN RICHARDS REVIEWS THE
WORK OF THE HOUSE.
This Session of the Legislature VIII Have
n Chance to Go On Record on Manu-
featuring Law-Important Amendments
Made to the Railroad Laws.


DIES MONIES, Feb. 22.-The senate de-
voted good part of last week to the
consideration of bill governing cleo
tons. This title covers the Australian
ballot law and also provisions for regis
tration, and in each there were i'm
portant changes made, some of which,
it is believed, will not pass the house.
When the senate reached that portion
of the chapter which provides for pub
LEGATION of official notices connected with
registration and elections, q wave of
economy swept through the chamber
and they proceeded to cut down the
stipend of the printer. AS amended,
this section provides that any notice,
order, citation or other publication re-
quired by law shall be paid for at the
rate of rs cents for the first insertion of
10 lines of BREWER or it's equivalent,
and 371a cents for each subsequent in
sertion. The publication of the official
ballot was dispensed with entirely by
the first amendment, but the economists
finally relented, the amendment was re-
considered, and one passed in it's stead
which provides for the publication of
the official ballot in two papers of differ
ent political parties, at the rate of 20
cents per 10 lines of BREWER or its equiv
alent. But it is provided that the cost
of publication is not to exceed $50 for
each of the two papers for state cleo
tions and not to exceed $50 each for
presidential elections. In this form the
bill passed the senate, and is now in the
committee of the house.
In the chapter ON qualifications for Of
ficers, it is provided that the bond of the
secretary of state shall be increased from
5000 to $4,000, and the superintend-
ent of public instruction, who is not at
present, required to give a bond, is to
furnish one i'll the sum of $4,000. 1t is
also provided that when guaranty COM
panies furnishing fidelity insurance
have complied with the laws of the state
same as other official bonds.
amend the BaI'or Law.
In amending the ballot law in that
chapter pertaining to registration, it is
provided that registers shall be appointed
by the city council, as at present, and
shall hold office for one year. Their
compensation is to be a per diem Of
$3.50 to be paid by the county, except in
the case of city elections when the city
is to bear the expense. They are to pre-
! pare two alphabetical lists Of those reg
istered within three days after the reg
| lstratlon made on the second week pre-
| cediug election. one list is to be posted
and the other retained in their possess
| ion. These lists are to be corrected after
the completion of registration. The fol-
| lowing classes of persons may register
| on the day of election: Those who We're
absent during all the days of registra-
| ton; foreigners who have received their
last papers since the last day Of regis
tration and persons whose names were
improperly off the list in their absence.
| a new registration is to be made for
| presidential elections and on all other
state and municipal elections the regis
try shall be made by copying from the
poll books of the last preceding general
election all names thereon and adding
| all persons registered and voting at any
subsequent election. To these shall be
added those who are not registered, but
who appear before the board and prove
their qualifications as voters. The reg.
istry books, lists and other papers per.
tanning to registration shall be preserved
by the city clerk Is months or until any
contest is determined.
The election board at any special cleo.
ton shall be the same as at the last gen.
eral election and in case of vacancies
they shall be filled by the county auditor
if the board OF supervisors is not in ses.
sion.
An important amendment was
adopted which provides that the polls
shall be opened at s o'clock in the morn
, ing i'll all precincts except in cities
where the voters are required to register
In each cities the polls shall be opened
at o'clock in the morning and in al
cases they shall be closed at p. m
This is radical change from the pies
ent law. In the preparation of the
ballot the secretary of state is author
lied to determine the order in which the
various tickets shall appear upon the
official ballot.
The senate undertook to give fusion
body blow III an amendment over which
there was a great deal of controversy
The amendment provided that the name
OF no candidate should be allowed TO b,
crinted on the official ballot in NOR,