New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-10
BALLOT MACHINE BILL OUT
Provisions of Measure Reported by
Assembly Rules Committee.
rsr TELEGRAPH TO THE -ErBrNE.l

Albany, April The Rules Committee OF the
Assembly to-day reporte- the O'NeEl Ballot
Machin- bill containing all the features OF the
Davis bill. prior to its amendment one Of the
least known features OF the ONeiIl BILL which
Is not changed. but affects New-York City. be-
cause the use Of The machine is mandatory.
would result In the redstricting Of the election
districts Of the city. The o'Neiu bill varies
slightly from the original Davis bill in the mat
ter OF the commission In the section providing
for the adoption Of the machine the bill reads:
The Governor shall within ten days after the
amendment 10 this section takes effect appoint a
pose OF considering and determining applications
for the adoption OF voting machines for use al
within such tine limit and under such rules and
conhotinE with Sections Isl ana is2 Of this act and
they may adopt for use at elections any kline OF
Voting coTnlissioners he use OF which has been
Voting machines shall Be purchased and used al ali
elections held az such city. town or village or n
ing votes cast al such elections
stiu another provision is contained IN the
amendment 10 the section. which specifies the
requirements OF the machine that shall be
adopted and which practically limits the choice
Of machines TO a single style. This says:
The enactment. OF this section shall not make
necessary a nainstion Of any voting machine
that has already been legalized. but such voting
machine shall conform TO all the above require
ments.
The existing State Board OF Voting Machine
Commissioners has already adopted one ma
chine. and now without denomination this ma
chine can b. forced on the local authorities Of
every community IN the State and thew viii be
obliged 70 staad the expense without any sp-
peal or protest.
The O'>sell bill wipes out the section provid-
sng that the Board OF Elections OF the City Of
New-York. thu common council OF any other
city. the town board OF any town or the board
OF trustees OF any village may adopt tie ma
chine the commission shall designate or rather
has designated.
This is made still more clear by sectioa 165.
which is so amended to read: The local au-
thorities. when notified Of the adoption OF .
voting machine by the State Board designated,
shall at once provide for each polling place one
or more voting machines In complete working
order OF the type adopted"
Section 166 az the O'Nein bill! still further en-
phasizes this point by substituting for the per
mlssiye feature Of The payment the following
provision: The local authorities. or the adoo-
rion and purchase of voting machine shall
provide for the payment IN the manner they
deem best" This section further provides for
the issue q ten year bonds 10 meet the expense
The bin has other features The basis for
the argument that the ballot machine would be
less expensive than the present system lies in
The fact that the present Voting Machine law
provides Tor the entire redistrictng OF cities so
that each election district shall contain approx
irnately GOO votes. IN other words II the O'Neill
hin passes. New-York City viii be redistricted
with reference TO election districts On this point
the Ballot Machine law is amended 70 allow this
reoigtricting 70 be done at any time after a No
veTnber election, not later than the first Tuesday