The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-13
HOUSE AGREES ON
BALLOT REFORM
PASSED BILL BY 1o2 TO 40.
DIR. KELLY, ITS AUTHOR, WELL
PLEASED WITH HOUSES ACTION.

maries VIII De Continued.
Atlanta, July 12.-By the somewhat
unexpectedly large vote of 1O2 to 40 the
ballot reform bill. or Australian bal
lot bill. as it is variously called by
DR.. Kelly of Glascock, recently report
ed to the House of Representatives by
the Special Joint Committee of which
DR.. Kelly was chairman, was passed
by the House to-day, and will go at
once to the Senate for it's action.
The measure was passed, too, after
five days of debate, practically as re-
ported by the Special Joint Commit
tee of the House and Senate, with only
one important change. The House
struck out the section providing for
the late primaries and left that mat
ter to be settled just as it is now, by
the executive committees of such par
ties as hold primary elections. The
section referred to provided that no
! primary election should be held more
than sixty days prior to the regular
election to which it related. After
several Intellectual attempts to satisfac-
torily amend this section, it was strick-
en- out entirely.
The other amendments were of minor
| Importance SO far as the general effect
of the bill is concerned. and were
adopted with a view simply to per-
fecting the measure in all it's details.
Entire Session Upon 1t.
The House spent the entire session
| on the measure disposing of the final
| sections of the bill and amending them
| in several unimportant particulars With
| a view to preserving the secrecy OF
the ballot and making it fair one in
| every respect.
Dr. Kelly, author of the bill, is high
ly gratified over the action of the
| House. Il felt confident that the
| measure would go through by a good
vote" he said. II know the people
| of this state want pure ballot, and
| only by this law can they have 1t. The
| House has done good weeks work.
and ! am sure the Senate will pass the
| bill and send il on to the Governor"
When the bill was taken up to-day
| Section IA, providing that when voter
cannot read or is physically disabled,
one of the managers shall go with
him into the booth and assist him In
preparing his ballot was amended so
that such voter may select any man-
ager he desires to assist him, and
/ passed 4.
1
| the whole of section Is. This section
| provides that where an elector fradu-
| lently represents that he cannot read
| or that he is physically unable to pre-
pare his ballot, he shall be guilty of a
! misdemeanor. Mr.. Leigh's motion was
| voted down and the section was pass
| ed.
Section 16, providing that the cleo
tion clerks shall keep, three lists of the
| electors and that each ballot shall be
| numbered as it is put into the box,
was adopted without debate.
Made MisdemeanOrs.
Considerable discussion arose over
Section II, which provides that no per-
son within or without the voting room
shall in any manner attempt to influ-
| ence or interfere with an elector in
| preparing his ballot or in casting the
same. If any person violates this pro-
| vision or is guilty of disorderly con-
| duct at the polls he shall be punished
| as for a misdemeanor.
The House adopted the amendment
by Mr.. Stovall of Chatham providing
that it shall be misdemeanor for
| any one to buy or sell or attempt to
buy or sell any vote in any regular
or primary election. Mr.. Stovall ex-
planned that the law against buying
| votes never had been made to apply to
\ primary elections and that was the
| object of his amendment.
Section II as amended so as to make
vote buying in any election a crime,
| was then adopted.
Mr.. Tigner of Muscogee offered an
| amendment to make 1t a misdemeanor
! for any one to be a ward heeler" at
the polls, but this was defeated.
Section Is, providing that managers
shall count the votes as now provided
by law, keep tally sheets, make out
..rfs 60. .Nsf To asfr
| Fielder of Bibb moved to amend by
providing that the ballots should be
| called out by one manager in the pres
ence and under the inspection of the
other two. and Mr.. Richardson of
| Houston moved to amend by providing
that the votes should be counted in
! public. Both of these amendments
were adopted and the section as thus
amended was agreed TO.
Primaries nH of Old.
Section 10, providing that the con-
soidation and returns of elections shall
be made in the manner as at present
| prescribed by law, Section 90 providing
| that any persons violating provisions
| of the law, or failing to perform their
duties shall be guilty Of misdemeanors,
| and Section 21, providing that nothing
| in the act shall change the present re-
| quirements with regard to the regis
ed without debate.
Section %, providing that all pri-
mary elections held under this law
shall be held not more than sixty days
before the general election for which
candidates are to be thereby selected,
and that when "a State Party Execu-
| tive Committee shall fix a day for a
general state primary all county pri-
maries Of the same party shall be held
on the same day. was stricken out
J after several efforts TO amend II by
changing this time limit had failed.
Section %, providing that the act
shall GO into effect Jan. 1. 1905. was
adopted after two amendments had
been killed. One Of these provided for
submitting the law 70 a vote of the
people, and another that In counties
of less than 10000, 1t should first be
recommended by the grand jury.
Section a. requiring the Secretary Of
State to furnish to the Ordinary Of
each county 100 copies Of the ballot
law, 70 be delivered to superintendent
and managers Of election within thirty
days OF the dates OF election hereafter
held was adopted.
Applies 90 All Elections.
When the consideration OF the cap
ton was reached Mr.. Dunbar Of Rich
Continued on Fifth Page.