The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-08
ELECTION LAW CHANGES
TEXT OF THE MEASURE NOW BE-
FORE THE LEGISLATURE.
How Fusion Is HandIed-CfrcIe Sur
rounding the Device-The PEN
Gil, Not the Stamp.

bill is not in the form of amendments to
sections of the existing law, but is an
original enactment. 1t provides:
THAT the Bolrd of Election Commission
of elections tne of dndana the bSaTdI
counties of the State and the boards OF
election commissioners of the several cities
and towns of the State of Indiana shall
cause the names of all candidates of their
respective jurisdictions to be printed on one
ballot, all nominations of any party or
group of petitioners being placed under the
title and device of such party or petitioners
as designated by them in their certificate or
petition. or if none be designated under
some suitable title and device. The ballots
shall be of uniform size and of the same
quality and color of paper. and sufficiently
thick that the printing cannot be dis
tingushed from the back. All ballots pre-
pared by the State Board of Election Com
missioners shall be printed on red tinted
paper and put up in blocks of one hundred
each. All ballots prepared by the county
boards of election commissioners shall be
printed on white paper. If the same device
for designating candidates be selected by
two parties or group of petitioners. il shall
be given to the one which first selected il,
and suitable device shall be selected for
the other. The device named and list of
candidates of the Democratic party shall
be placed in the first column on the left
hand side of said ballot. and of the Repub-
lcan party in the second column, and of
any other party in such order as the Board
of Election Commissioners shall decide.
The device or each party shall be inclosed
half inches in diameter, and shall be placed
at the head of the list of candidates of the
party. and the following words shall be
printed around the outer edge of each of
said circles, to w.t. To vote a straight
ticket make an Y in one circle and not
elsewhere Immediately under it shall be
placed the name or title of the party ticket,
and Immediately under the name or title
the list of candidates of the party. such
names being placed three-fourths of one
inch apart from center to center of the
name. the name of each candidate having
Immediately on its left a square three
eighths of an inch on each side. and the
general arrangement of the ballot shall
conform as nearly as possible to the fol-
lowing:
Here follows a cut showing form of
ticket)
Sec. 2. If any certificate or petition
of nomination shall contain the name of
more than one candidate for any office TO
be filled, neither name shall be printed as
q candidate for such office. If any person
shall join in nominating by petition more
than one nominee for any office to be filed
such person shall not be counted as
petitioner for either nomination. The name
of any person who has been selected or
nominated as a candidate for any Office. by
convention, petition or otherwise, shall not
appear in more than one place, and but
once upon a ballot. If any person has been
nominated as a candidate for the same
office. both by petition and by convention.
his name shall be placed on the ballot but
once. to wit. in the list of candidates NOM
mated by such conventions; and the place
occupied bv his name in such petition shall
be left blank: Provided, That if such can
didate shall. in writing, signed and
acknowledged before some person author
lied to take acknowledgements prior TO the
last day for filing nominations request that
his name be printed as nominated by petit
ton. 1t shall be so printed. and shall be
omitted from the list nominated by conven-
ton.
USING THE PENCIL.
Sec. 3. When a voter shall have been
passed by the challengers, or shall have
been sworn in, he shall be admitted to the
election room: Provided, however that not
more than three voters shall be allowed i'm
the room at one time. On entering the
room the voter shall announce his name to
the poll clerks. who shall register 1t. The
clerk holding the ballots shall deliver TO
him one State and one local ballot and the
other clerk shall thereuDon deliver him
blue pencil, and both poll clerks, on re-
quest, shall give explanation OF the manner
OF voting. If deemed necessary by any
member of the board. an interpreter may
| be called. The voter shall then, and with
out leaving the room. go alone into any
one of the booths which may be unoccuped
and indicate the candidates for whom he
desires TO vote. by making q cross thus
TX, on the square Immediately preceding
| their names, and indicate his preference
on any question of constitutional amend
mentS or other special matter by similar
mark in front Of the words Yes or No
| under such questions: Provided, however
| that If he shall desire to vote for all the
| candidates of one party or group of petit
| TONERS he may mark in the large circle
| inclosing the device and preceding the title
| under which the candidates of such party
| or group of petitioners are printed and the
| vote shall be counted for all the candidates
| under that title. If the voter marks on the
| large circle inclosinS the device he shall
| not mark elsewhere on the ballot unless
| there be no candidate for some office in
| the list printed under such device in which
| case he may indicate his choice for such
| office by marking the square to the left of
4 of
| on any other list. a mark on the ballot in
| violation of this provision shall be treated
as a distinguishing mark If pencil mark
counted on such circle or square but a
| mark that touches 10 circle square shall
| be treated as a distinguishing mark. Be
| fore leaving the booth or compartment the
| voter shall fold his ballots separately so
| that part of the faces thereof shall be
| exposed and so that the initials of the poll
! clerks shall be exposed. and on leaving the
| booth or compartment shall return the pen
| ell to the poll clerk and deliver the ballots
to the inspector, or to the judge who may
| temporarily be authorized TO act for him.
| who shall forthwith. in the presence of the
| voter and of the election board. deposit the
| same in the respective ballot boxes. the
! State ballot in the red ballot box, and the
| local ballot in the white ballot box; and
the ballot clerks shall write the word
| voted" after the name of the voter on the
! poll lists: Provided. however. that If an
| elector shall show his ballot or any part
| thereof to any person. after the same shall
| the candidates voted for. such ballot shall
| not be deposited i'm the ballot box. min
ute of such occurrence shall be made on the
| poll list and such person shall not be al
| loved TO vote thereafter. If a voter shall
| offer to vote ballot folded not to
| disclose the initials of the poll clerks and
| also not disclosing the face of the ballot,
| the election board shall direct him to re-
| turn to the booth and fold his ballot prop
| erly. Aft n voting the voter shall leave the
| room but no voter to whom a ballot and
| nc neil or either have been delivered shall
| be permitted TO leave the room without vot-
| ing the ballots or returning them TO the
| poll clerk or without returning the pencil
| to the poll clerk from whom he received
| il. 1t shall be unlawful for any voter to
| attempt to leave the room with ballot or
| the pencil used in marking ballots in his
/ possession. And any voter who shall at
| tempt to leave the room with ballot or
| such pencil in his possession shall be at
| once arrested on demand of any member
| Of the election board.
AS TO RESERVATIONS.
| Sec. 4. If any candidate whose nominal
| ton has been certified according to law
| shall wish to resign from such ticket. he
shall file his resignation in writing with
| the officer with whom such certificate OF
| nomination was filed within three days aft
| er the filing of such certificate Of nomina-
| ton, and any resignation filed after the
| time mentioned in this section shall not be
considered by the Board of Election Com
| mssioners: Provided, That no designations
| shall DE filed with or received by the State
| Board of Election Commissioners within