Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-05-26

He can replace as many OF the
pointers representing candidates
on his ticket as he chooses, thus
taking his vote away from them,
and be can turn downward the
pointers for candidates to cores
ponding offices on the other tickets.
If he has made a mistake and
pressed the wrong party knob at
the start, he can adjust the machine
so as to vote straight for an entire.
lly different ticket if he chooses.
All this moving of the pointers
has no effect whatever on the reg
istering and counting apparatus.
The voter can take plenty of time
and make sure that his ticket is
fixed up the way he waDtsit When
all is ready he reverses the lever at
the top of the machine, and steps
out of the booth with his ballot
counted before he leaves.
The machine also provides for
the wishes of the voter who wants
to vote for some one who is not a
regular candidate on anyone of the
tickets. Indeed, if it did not do
this it would not be permitted by
law, as the right to vote for whom
he pleases, regardless of party
tickets, is guaranteed each man by
the constitution. At the top Of the
machine is a series of little Slides
one for each Office to be filled. To
vote for men whose names are not
on the ticket these slides may be
opened and the name written on a
slip of paper underneath. When
be pulls the curtain lever the paper
moves forward so that no succeed
ing voter can see what name was
written on it.
Another provision of this ma
chine is for "yes and mo" votes
for questions of bond issue, public
policy or anything else that is sub
mitted to ballot,
The voting can be done with
great rapidity. It takes only a
second to unlock the keyboard and
no longer to lock it again, and a
second is ample for pressing knob
if straight party ticket is voted.
Fifteen seconds, for each voter is
considered ample for straight votes.
For splits little longer is required,
but inside of a, minute the ordinary
man can fix his entire ballot. The
Rochester returns for the last mu-
nIcipal election indicated to what
extent the splitting privilege was
exercised, as the 9luTalities ranged
from y up to more than 1000 for
the successful Republican candi.
dates.
The saving effected by the ma
chine is also very great. There are
none of the heavy printing bills to
be met, and the clerical work of the
election is greatly reduced. 1t is
estimated that ia three years voting
machines will save enough money
to the city to pay for their initial
cost.
The voting is absolutely safe, as
the ballots can, never be tempered
with. The ldeatity Of each vote is
lost in the totals, which are all the
machine keeps There is nothing
to tamper with and no chance for
error. The cogwheels move with
accuracy and give car
tain results,
Judging from the success with
which the machines have met
wherever they have been used it
would seem that the day is coming
when the American citizen through
out the land will register his vote
by machine. At the present time
about see machines are in use in
the country. Most of them are in
New York state, although they are
being tSbed in Indiana, Wisconsin
,nJ COouacticnt
Laws similar to the New York
allowing the use OF vot-
ing machines have been passed in
the states of Maine. Massachusetts,
Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Min
nessota, Iowa, Nebraska, Connecti-
cut, Indiana and Kansas.
At this years gubernatorial cleo
ton in New York state FIVE ballot
machines were used as an expert.
ment in Greater New York, one be
ing in Mayor Lows election pre-
cinct and another in Lieutenant
Governor Woodruff S district. They
ceaun IN have oiven complete salts.