The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-26

at the top of each party ticket. One
mark in the circle votes the entire ticket.
as printed on the ballot.
The party emblem provisions Of the
new law also taken literally from the
New York law Nearly all the states
require q party emblem. II assists the
voter to distinguish his party ticket more
readily Men whose eyesight is bad, and
especially voters who cannot read. can
readily find their ticket by the emblem
and make their mark in the circle below
/ ii. 30 state has ever discarded the party
emblem after having adopted it
The adoption Of the circle made new
rules for marking the ballot a necessity.
Here again. the New York law was fol-
lowed. Most OF the rules for marking
and counting ballots are taken from New
York where they have been passed upon
and construed by the courts. These de-
cisions have been rendered before Kan
sas adopted by law. are binding in this
state.
It is probably fortunate that there has
been considerable agitation about the new
method Of marking the ballot. The fear
of making mistakes VIII cause every
voter to post himself on how to vote It
is a curious fact disclosed by an investi-
cation of the records in many counties,
that in 1900 per cent Of the votes cast
were not counted for any Office. The
poll books in the county clerks Office
show just how many votes were cast in
each precinct. Throughout the state, not
more than 95 per cent OF them were
( counted for all the candidates for any
Office.
There is no necessity whatever for any
voter making mistake in marking his
ballot. Two simple rules are all he
needs.
l. To vote straight ticket. make a
cross X mark in the circle at the top
Of the ticket and stop there Don't make
any other mark OF any kind anywhere
on the ballot
> If he does not want to vote for the
names printed on one ticket and for them
only-if he wants to vote for candidates
on different tickets, or for independent
candidates-he must not make any mark
in any of the circles. He simply marks
in the squares after the names Of those
for whom he wishes to vote, just as he
has always done heretofore. He must not
make a mark anywhere except after the
names of candidates
The new rules for counting ballots are
modelled after the New York law. where
the courts have settled their meaning in
numerous contest cases. Under the old
law, no two election boards, probably
ruled the same on the questions arising
under it. The new law leaves very little
TO the discretion of the election boards.
It specifically declares that certain things
render the entire ballot void and in such
case the whole ballot is thrown out. No
vote on it can be counted A ballot can
not be counted for one candidate and not
for another: it is all counted or none.
We quote from the instructions pre-
pared by the Attorney General in accord
ance with the requirements Of the law:
The law specifically defines what shall
1 invalidate a ballot. Any ballot is wholly
( void and no vote thereon can be counted:
/ If cross X mark shall be found
/ thereon outside Of a circle or voting
square; or
?. If any mark shall be found thereon
ether than the cross X mark; or
8. If cross Y mark shall be found in
circle at the head of a ticket and also
in one or more voting squares on that or
/ any other ticket; or
4. If cross Y mark shall be found in
/ two or more circles at the head OF diff
/ ferent tickets; or
.. II a name or names be written there
/ en- other than the name of some person
whose name is not printed on the ballot
for whom the voter has voted in the
blank column; or
:. If the ballot has been defaced or torn
/ by the voter; or
s. II there has been erased from the
ballot any device, emblem. figure. letter.
or word; or
/ 9. If the ballot has been written upon
or marked with anything except a pencil
having black lead.
In making the cross X mark one line
! crossing another at any angle within a
circle or voting square, is deemed a valid
voting mark
One Republican and one Democratic
Judge and one Republican and one Demo-
cratic clerk Of each election board in the
state must be appointed by the township
trustee, the mayor or election commits
sioner OF cities Of the first and second
NtdHSs dl AttSN ten AeAf bIAb4N t4tS NlCN-
ton. The Republican judges and clerks
must be appointed on the recommendation
+ of the chairman Of the county committee:
+ likewise with the Democrats. The Su-
rreme court has decided that the appoint
( ing officers have no discretion in the
! premises: they must appoint the persons
recommended. The trustee. mayor or cleo
/ ton commissioner selects the third judge
/ himself absolutely.
( The result viii be that wherever the Re
pubncans have the trustee, mayor or COM
missioner they viii have two Republican
Judges. II viii be otherwise where the op-
position has an appointing officer. Under
the old law. the fusionists had a ma
jority Of every election board in the state
/ The new law viii very greatly facilitate
+ the counting OF the ballots. It specifically
: requires that the canvass OF the votes
shall commence as soon as the polls are
closed and be continued without post
: ponement or adjournment until complet-
ed. The general ballots are 10 be counted
and the result announced before the other
ballots are counted
There viii be an average of about thirty
names on the general ballot this year
Heretofore each name has had TO be
called of and Tailed separately. even
though It was straight ticket. Now
I separate lines are put at the TOP OF the
tally sheet reading straight Republican
ballots. etc A straight ticket Is counted
hy making one tally mark in the line
after these words When the count is
completed. the number q these tally
- = .-,,-+as and ST dow, IN