Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1902-11-22

viso. And II will be noticed that In the
next proviso the statute provides that
the section shall not he construed TO
prevent any executive committee of
any political party holding such con-
vention that adopted such designating
device. from printing on said ballots
under said designating device the
name or names OF and candidates se
lected by such committee, II author.
ICED so to do by the convention adopt
| ing such device. II will be observed
that section 1894 provides the exact
size of ballots and that they shall be
| upon plain white paper. Why this?
! Only for the purpose OF preventing
frauds that Is, from deceiving the vot.
er In the last named section 1t fur
Their provides no such ticket or ballot
shall have any mark or number or des-
ignatlng device on the back. so that
its character may he known when
folded. Why this? So that the vote
purchaser cannot follow his ballot and
hand 1t to the man purchasing and see
that that ballot goes into the box. am
OF the opinion that such ballot Is not
only fraud and deception calculat-
ed purposely to deceive and defrald
and to prevent an honest election, but
that such ballot is absolutely void,
and cannot be counted And why
should We think so? Suppose that
things come to desperate straits. as
they do sometimes at an election. II a
party wants to know just how some in
dlvidual voted, he could then get up
ticket In manner and form as the in
dependent republican Is in this case.
and II the ballot could be counted then
the party would know II he had caused
unlawfully ten people for example. TO
vote said ticket when the election board
vas canvassing the returns. exactly
how many OF such ballots were put in
to the box, and IL all the consideration
for them had not been paid In advance
then the balacce would be due upon
such evidence being produced In short
you could buy votes and know they
were delivered according to contract.
This Is just what the law Is trying to
prohibit.
You will observe that under section
1884 they do not allow any caricatures
or marks in any manner or form to be
placed upon the back OF such ballots.
OF course. that law Is for the purpose
OF preventing the identification OF a
mans ballot after being put in the box,
CT while 1t Is going into the box. do
not believe 1t would suffice to call be-
, fore the court In contest of an cleo.
, ton a number Of people to state that
they cast such ballot knowingly and
purposely. because II they did vote II
. under undue influence OF course they
did 1t at will; hut II was fraudulent
interference with the election and with
voters. And II will be noticed that un-
der section 1886, It Is made unlawful
for any person to influence or attempt
to influence any voters to vote for or
against any candidate for Office or any
ether question. So It seems the only
, fair construction to place upon all the
statutes upon this subject Ia that such
Lallots are void. and that the person
or persons seeking to corrupt the cleo
ton by undue influence should be thus
. thwarted and such ballots cast aside
, and counted for naught. This 1t seems
IL the spirit and intent Of the legisla
! tIre as CLEANED from the several sec
, lions of the statutes upon the subject
OF elections. go N
IL b. s. BAKER, Judge.
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