The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-27
VOTING MACHINES.
Legality of Joint Purchase by City
and County Authorities.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
The papers of the city in recent inter-
views with Controller Johnson, County
Commissioners McGregor, Greer and Hard
ing and members of the City Council ascer-
tanned they were i'm favor of the use of
voting machines. The voters of Indianap-
oils and of Indiana are earnestly asking for
immediate relief from the biennial election
charges and counter charges of fraud, brib-
cry, miscount, mutilated and thrown-cut
ballots; that election judges sat behind in
spectors and winked while said inspectors
called dozens of ballots of the opposite par
ty as having been voted for his party;
numerous ballots with the eagle or rooster
cut out were cast, and that carbon-marked
ballots were freely used; that voters who
formerly remained away from the polls for
81 So on election day now come out and
vote blank ballots with private mark
known to the judge of the party buying his
vote. The County Commissioners or City
Council who purchase and order the use
of voting machines will have their con-
stituents strong and honest Endorsement
of their declaration in favor of a correct
vote and an honest count. The use of the
voting machine is simple, the education of
the voter to correctly operate the machine
is easy and rapid. The voter, having had
instruction from the outside from
facsimile of the keyboard of the machine,
passes down the chute, closes the door, and
when in the machine at once looks for his
party emblem, and if he desires to vote
straight ticket pushes in the large key to
the left Of the party emblem. and in the
event he desires to split his ticket pulls
out the key Immediately below the name of
nrnIf Aat4 -
pushes in the key Immediately under the
candidate of the opposite party for whom he
desires to vote, and he leaves the ma
chine the door that he pushes open correctly
casts and counts his vote, ana no election
board can review. recount or reject his
vote, and the voter has the positive GER
tainty Of the absolute secrecy of his ballot.
With the use of the voting machine the
charges of mutilated, mismarked,. thrown
out, uncounted, wrongly counted, blank and
carbon ballots will cease forever.
The corrupt purchase of votes is utterly
impossible, and no recounts or contests on
the grounds of bought, miscounted or
switched ba OTIS or changed tally sheets will
again, occur. When the polls close at 6
locks the machine the Inspector and judge
unlock and expose to view the counters and
the inspector Immediately announces the
total vote for each candidate. which the poll
clerks enter upon the poll books and return
sheets. which the election board sign In
O'Clock the result of an election in Marion
county would be known, and by $50
it would without doubt be known
AS to the saving with the use of voting
machines. one-half the election boards can
be dispensed with and the election boards
who do serve will receive but one days pay.
Now they are paid for two or three and
the heavy expenses for printing, tally sheets
and blanket ballots viii be saved. The
for the machines For instance, the city Of
chased machines for the entire city COST
$500. ''' '' ~ " ''' MS s'e''''A
AS to the legality of the County Commits
sioners and City Council purchasing voting
machines jointly for Marion county, such
purchase would certainly be legal under the
voting machines, which is as follows:
Hereafter the Board Of County Com
missioners of any county. the Common
Council of any city, the board of trustees
OF any Incorporated town may, by a ma
Jority vote. authorize, purchase and order
the use or voting machines in any one or
more precincts within said county, city or
town."
This law clearly authorizes the City Coun-
| ell to purchase and order the use of voting
machines in any one or more voting pre-
cincts of the city. This same law also au-
thorfzes the County Commissioners to pur-
| chase and order the use of voting machines
| in any one or more voting precincts of the
county Hence, the County Commissioners
and City Council can, by agreement. divide
| the territory in which machines are TO be
| used the County Commissioners naming in
| their order for the of machines the
wards and precincts included. and the City
| Council can also name in its ordinance au-
| thorizing the use OF machines the wards,
| with number of precincts included therein.
Taken in connection with Section 8, which
| Is here given. the law certainly removes all
| doubt as TO the legality OF such joint ac-
ton:
said county board of election commits
sioners shall make rules and regulations
| for the care and custody OF said voting
machines
AS suggested by County Commissioner
| McGregor, the machines should be pur-
| chased and bonds issued payable I'm series
| for period of ten years. and by the time
| the last bond was paid the saving by the
use of machines will have paid the purchase
| price. including interest with a large bal
/ ance of accumulated savings in the county
| and city treasury. j. N. M'GEE.
Indianapolis. Oct e