The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-05

4 n The last legislature consid-
cred bill to introduce vot-
ing machines in Pennsylvania, bu, the
measure collapsed IN view Of the
probability of a wholesale threshing
over in the next six months OF the
whole subject Of ballot reform, doubt
less including the suggestion Of voting
machines. som" extracts from II letter
from Rochester. y. T.. printed in the
Chicago Record Herald, may have in
forming value. Illinois. too. il looking
into this matter.
"At the last municipal election held
IN Rochester. the successful candidate
for mayor Was elected by bate plur-
ality OF sevcnty-lWO votes Out of a total
of over $4,000. and yet within half an
hour after the polls closed the result
was known TO 4 certainty. while de.
spite the closen.sS Of ihe vote. there
was not so much as an intimation OF Il
contest on the part of the defeated
candidate. Rochester had used the voi
ing machine, ana there was no chance
10 so behind the returns. If the old
paper ballots had been used there would
undoubtedly have been enough void
and marked ballots to form the basis
for a contest with all its attendant ex-
pense and anxiety. Rochester'S eXpar-
ience with the machine during the last
five elections has been 50 satistact tory
that city officials. politicians and the
public generally give it practically
unanimous approval. and there is no de-
sire to go back TO the Old system.
THE machine which is used in this
city is often described as q mocha nicll
Australian ballot. 1t insures secrecy 10
the voter. is simple and easy to- operate,
it never makes, mistakes. it nol only
records but also counts the votes as
they are made, and it presents the tnb-
ulated results of the precinct vote to
the judges the instant the polls are de-
Clured closed. All that is LEFT to do in
order to get the result OF tie election
is to add together tie figures from eaci.
precinct in the ward or district or city,
as the case may be- The machine is
known rs the United States Standard
voting machine. and is made in James
town, y. y.
The familiar cash register seen
everywhere in stores is the contrIvan2e
which best illustrates the nature o. the
voting machine. The principle is very
much the same, Il set of pointer or lev
ers. locking device and q mechanism
Tor computation being used, but, of
course. the voting machine is much
more complicated than the other.
The face of the machine, as it is
presented to the voter, who stands be-
fore il, is about four feet square, and
it's depth is ten inches. 1t is supported
on four steel legs, which bring the top
of 1t about six feet above the floor.
"A movable curtain is hung in front
of the machine. so arranged that it re-
mains open while no one is using it,
but is pulled shut automatically as soon
as the voter comes to it, The first thing
the voter does is to reach up to a lever
at the top of the machine and pun it
To the right. The effect is both To close
the curtain and to unlock the mechan-
ism so that one ballot for each office
and one only, is cast. The voter then
finds himself facing the front of the ma
chine on which are rows of small num-
bered pointers. Each candidate to be
voted for is represented by one of these
pointers, and each political party has
its candidates names placed in row
horizontally across the machine The
different candidates for the same Office
therefore have their names one be-
meath the other in the perpendicular coll
A 40 lar.
"A knob, on which Is the name of the
party>and a symbol OF emblem to rep
resent it.
pWhen the voter wants to vote Il
straight party ticket the first thing he
has 10 do, after he has moved the lever
that unlocks the keys, is to press the
knob which represents his particular
party 10 the right until it rings Il bell.
This movement turns downward every
one of the little pointers that represent
the candidates of the party ana places
them I'm II voting position. 1t does not
register the vote, however, rs il is only
preliminary getting into position. TO
complete the vote and register and
count it all the voter needs 10 no then
Is 10 seize the original lever which mn
locked the keys and closed the curtain,
and push it back tn it's old place. with
thai the curtain opens, The vote is re-
corded and the Keys are re. locked, pre-
iiminary 10 the appearance of another
map reaay to exercise his right of sur
frage.
1T is not much more diii4cuit to split
a bot h,t ~, atp IT,.