The record-union., 1899-01-22
Weather Forecast.
Northern California: Fair Sunday,
cooler in east portion; fresh north wind.
BUSINESS CAPACITY IN ELECTION
BOARDS.

In the amendment of the existing
election laws it is to be hoped that the
Legislature will not overlook the abso-
lutte necessity Of providing standards
Of competency and fitness in the eler-
ical departments of election boards. 1t
is conceded on all hands, we have never
heard a denial of it, that the delays
and blunders in counting ballots, tai
lying and computing, and incidentally
a large measure of the heavy cost Of
elections, are chargeable properly to
the incompetency and clerical unfitnsss
of the majority of the clerical force en-
ployed in election booths.
The law as it now stands requires all
election officers to be listed upon the
assessment roll as taxpayers. But We
have no property qualification for vot-
ers in this State; why have one for
clerks of election boards? Many d
poor man who is clericallw competent
TO serve under this rule must give way
because he has no property listed for
taxation to yield place. to an incempe-
tent, a rounder or political pet who
pays possibly half dollar in taxes
upon the clothing and jewelry upon his
person. But has the State by such ex-
action and exclusion secured the sane
tity of the ballot or conserved honest
and expedition in counting?
Election days are holidays. On such
days large body of school teachers,
clerks, young business men. employees
In county offices. ETC., are free for a
day, and their services could easily be
had since the per diem allowed is con-
sidered a snap" and a specially good
thing" But the law steps in and de-
clares that no person who within nine.
ty days preceding an election has
served a city, a county, or the State in
any official capacity. shall be eligible to
serve upon an election board. True,
it is argued that the provision is
safeguard against the machinat.ons Of
office holders and official employees to
perpetuate themselves and friends IN
Office. But why would service upon
an election board enlarge their anbi-
tion or opportunity?
In San Francisco it is reported by
the Registrar that one-half of the men
employed in the election booths were.
grossly unfit by habit, personal char
acter and clerical ability, in the last
election. Some of them could barely
law requiring ability to read ard write
in Englisla-it does not say read and
write fluently, easily and well. The
result was thatsin many case the Reg
istrar had to send aids to election
boards that thu returns might be made
up in half fit shape to be received and
canvassed III Santa Clara County, a
recount proceeding has developed that
in not one prcinct in that entire juris-
diction was there an election return
made up free sfrom material and gross
error.
In this county we have seen men
serving in clerical positions upon elec-
tion boards who could only with diff
Guilty mark tally "fives." and were
wholly incompetent to aggregate the
tallies, at the close Of the count. Many
of them by personal habit have been
unfit to engage in SO solemn and sacred
a duty as passing, upon the ballots OF
voters. Many a time, in the teeth OF
rplainly printed and much emphasized
instructions delivered to them have
we seen election officers proceed in pre-
cisely the contrary direction, and con-
strue plain English the reverse OF ITS
unmistakable obvious meaning. scores
of times have we seen election officers
seal up the duplicate sheets they We're
instructed, upon the very face Of the
envelopes they handled, to withhold
and keep out of the envelopes. The
San Francisco Registrar reports that
in scores of cases in the late election
in that city, this sealing up Of all the
blanks was done, greatly to the incon-
venience of the. public and the. confds-
ION of the canvassing board.
There, Is intelligence enough IN the
land to iii election boards vita COM