Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-06-10
NEW BALLOT SYSTEM.
some Important Changes In Tbs Australian
f,aiiot Law aIade,ar the Recent Session Of
the Legisiaturr.

some Important Changes IN tbs Austrahan
Baiiot Law aIade,nr the Recent Session OF
the Legislature.
At the recent session Of tho General
Assembly bill making important
changes In the Australian Ballot law
was introduced by Representative
HAZEL and passed. both houses and is
now law. Tho full teXtlof the measure
is as follows:
An act to further provide for the
secrecy and purity Of the ballot.
Be il enacted 10y the Senate and
House OF Representatives OF the State
Of delaware, 10 General Assembly met:
Section /. That no person shall here
after be appointed ae or act and serve
in the capacity OF ypterB' assistant at
any general or special election hsrsafter
to he held in this State. and the office
Of voters' assistant, ns now provided ny |
law, ia hereby abolished; provided, |
that any person who shall be physically |
unable to prepare, stamp or fold his
ballot by reason of such defective eye |
sight, or the loss OF the use OF one or
hotb bands, or inability TO walk win
safety without the assistance as mani
festly renders him unable to prepare,
stamp or fold his ballot, or to reach
the polling place alono with snfety,
shall be permitted to bring with him
into the alection room and booth an.
elector Tor two electors IL tho nature Ut
the disability manifestl7 requires more
| than one, such as a total disability to
walk Of the polling district for the
| purpose OF rendering him tine necessary
assistance.
In case any elacidr shall feign any OF
such physical defects, he shall be
| guilty of misdemeanor, and upon con-
| yiction thereof by indictment, shall be
fined one hundred dollars and shall he
| imprisoned for not more than two years.
Sec. 2. That all halluts hereafter to
be printed under authority OF any law
of this State for usa at any general or
apecial election shall be so printed that
no small square shall be placed opposite
the namn ot any person on hry ballot.
aud anp eectoi desiring to vote at any
auon election shall stamp his ballot
in the large sluar5 enclosing the davice
at the mead Of any ticket printed on
tins official ballot, and may cross out
the name OF any person appearing on
thu said ticket under the square 40
stamped by him. and IL he so desires,
may insert in libu Of the name so
crossed out the name cf any other per-
son nominated for the same ofiice an
the person whose HaIne is croRsod out.
using only black lead pencil sor such
purpose. And it is hereby expressly
provide that IL 10 lien of the name OF
any nerson SO crossed nut the namo OF
any persnn not nominated foI the Office
for which he 10 thus voted and whose
name is not printed on eaid ballot. the
!, ballot containing such name shall be
!, treated IA and is nerehy declared TO DE
n marked ballot and void anu ahall not
he counted.
Sec. 8. That the challengers of the
Democratic and RepIblean parties,
a respectively, chosen for any general o.
!, special election hereafter TO be belt
i snail lic peace officers OF thu State witt
the Hama powers for preserving th'
/, peace il9 inspectors Of election nov
: have, and 10 the cioction dlstric. out
n sitlo the city OF Wilmington the chal
y snsers shall b6 stationed outside th
entrance to the polling room. and shal
4 not b, allowed inside Of said room
y y Any person resisting such challenger O
y challengers shall be- deemed guilty of
Il, misdemeanor and upon conviction
at thereof by indictment shall be fine,
~ not more than one hundred dollars an
ro may at tho discretion of the court b
~ imprisoned for term not eXeeedin
one year; and in the city OF Whining
ton the said chHlleugers shall act q
ty clerks of election and perform all th
es duties now incumbent upon the clerk
at Of election, and before entering upo
an such duties shall be sworn ns clerks {
as election are now required to be swor
In to perform their duties as clerks
election, q, receive compensation ;
lii such, Such CLERKS of election and cha
y, lengers in tho city Of Wilmington sha
'r. he appointed by the respective conn
N, committees nf the Democratic and X
he publican parties. and the challenge
or in the election districts outside OF u
ire city of Wilmington shall be select'
'e- and named by the county committe
m, OF the said parties. -.
H. Sec. 4. The county committees OF ii
Democratic and Republican parties
IN each county shall name and sels CT ea
Ter a Judge of election for each election di
OF trict outside of the city of Wilmin
ton, vino shall be appointed and qua
is' fed at the time and perform the duti
he i.s now provided by law Of judges
rot election in the districts for which th
are chosen, respectively.
ie. Sec. 3. That wherever in the laws
ard this State relating to general or spec
d. elections tho words principal rolitit
ed, parties'' now occur, or words equiv
lent thereto or SO designating parti
sen shall be used the same shall be TAX
de. to d .signate and are hereby declared
are designate the Democratic party a
TO the Republican party.
Sec. g. That the Democratic and
publican county committees may Cd
ing select and designate one suitable.
the putahle and suber person az spec
Of officer 10 stand at tho entrance of
sat polling place TO he not less than thi
Gil, feet away from the entrance TO
,ner voting ruom as now provided by
,ner to regulate the admission of persons
the the polling place and while so 6
neil toned and performing their dni
Iesk as herein provided, tho persons
iair designated shall be clothed with
and the powers of officers of the peace
cad those now given by law to inspectors
ked election, and any person resisting 81
tails. special officer shall he deemed guilty
over a mistlemeanor and upon convict
thereof by indictment shall be ii
y in not more than one hundred dollars
tho may at tho discretion OF the court
was imprisoned for term not exceed
iced ont year.
ming Sec. 7. Before the hour Of open
cors the polls on the day of the election
tion at the time of opening the election
oh. afterwards at any time during the
bout of the e'ection and before the hou
closing the election, II any persoi