Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-11-02
NO CIRCLE ON
THE BALLOT
Voter Must Make a Cross Before the
Name Of Every Candidate for
Whom He Wishes to Vote.
SEVEN PARTIES ON THE BALLOT
Republicans Will Find Their candi-
dates In Second column-Laws
for Conduct Of the Polls.

Seven parties have places on the
ballots to be cast by the voters OF
Fergus county next Tuesday.
On account of the clerk being DEM
ocratic and the law giving to him the
right to make up the ballot, the Dem
ocrats appear in the first column this
year. To the right of the Democratic
candidates is the Republican ticket
and alongside of this, from left to
right appear the candidates of the
Socialist Labor party, Peoples party,
Labor party, Prohibition party and
lastly the Socialist parry. Three on
ly have full national, state and coun-
ty tickets. and two, the Socialist La
Dor and Prohibition parties, have on
ly presidential electors.
The circle, which was found such
an assistance to those wishing to cast
a straight party vote, was stricken
from the ballot four years ago, it be-
ms pSiiSNSu uhdI Wy INC use VI thS
circle spoilers could better tell how
a man had voted. This year the voter
must place a cross before the name
of each candidate for whom he wishes
to vote, and, considering the size Of
the ballot is "a by 80 inches, it will be
a tedious task. On account Of the
great number of split tickets which
will be cast, the judges and clerks
OF election will not find their job a
sinecure.
Concerning the laws for the govern
ment OF the polls, the Great Falls
Tribune says:
With the election only a few days
in the future, it will be profitable for
the voter to familiarize himself with
the provisions of the law regarding
the casting of the ballot.
First of all, it must be remember
ed that the circle has been eliminat-
ed from the ballot, and that the cleo
tor must make his mark for every
candidate for whom he desires to vote.
After he shall have entered the poll
ing place and received his ballot from
the judges the elector will retire to
the booth and prepare his ballot. He
will place an "X" before remember
the mark is to go before) the name
of the person or persons for WHOM
he intends to vote, n in the same
n he must mark his preference
in the matter of the proposed con-
stltutional amendments that appear on
the ballot, in case he desires to vote
on those propositions.
The elector may write In the blank
spaces or paste owe any other name
the name Of any other person for
whom he wishes to vote. No elector
is permitted to take into any polling
place any unofficial sample ballot.
Having prepared the ballot, the cleo
toI will fold II so its face will be con-
cealed, and he must vote forthwith.
If by accident or mistake, the cleo.
tor spoils his ballot he may. on re-
turning 1t to the judges, receive an
other in its stead.
ANY elector," says section 1864 OF
Tie GOlltlCdl COuC, VIM ~
the judges of election. or when 1t ap-
pears to the judges Of election, that
he cannot read or write, or that be
II of blindness or other physical
debility he is unable to mark his bal
lot. but for no other cause, must, up
on request, receive the assistance OF
two of the judges, who shall repre-
sent different parties, in the marking
thereof, and such judges must certi-
fy on the outside thereof that 1t was
SO marked with their assistance, and
must thereafter give no information
concerning the same. The judges
must require such declaration OF dis
ability to be made by the elector un'
der oath to them, and they are here
BY authorized to administer the same
No elector other than one who may,
because of his inability to read or
write or of his blindness or hyslcal
disability, be unable to mark his bal
lot, must divulge to anyone within the
polling place the name OF any IAN
didate for whom he intends to vote,
or ask or receive the assistance or
any person within the polling place
in the preparation Of his ballot"
Any person Offering to vote may be
orally challenged by any elector OF