The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-07
COUNTING THE BALLOTS

The work of reeounting the ballots
undertaken whenever a formal contest
occurs shows how vague and varied
are the ideas Of large number of
voters. Both the election judges and
the referees who make the recount are
compelled to decide certain partially
open questions for themselves. AL
though the voter knows that he is TAX
ing chances of losing his vote, he will
commit these vagaries. He places
marks where they do not belong, omits
frequently SO arranges his ballot as to
mystify as much as possible those
whose sole duty it is to give it proper
effect
There is but one rule to follow in all
these cases, rule which the courts
have uniformly sustained. This is to
carry into effect the intention of the
voter wherever it can be ascertained.
OF course the plain letter of the law
must be observed. If a voter has vio
lated that, his ballot is void. This is
his own lookout. But if he has not
made his ballot illegal, if he has mere
ly left 1t in some respect irregular, the
courts justly hold that the irregularity
should not vitiate it as a whole. The
purpose of elections is to ascertain and
put into effect the will of the people.
The only right rule of Interpretation is
to get at the voters intent as clearly
as may be.
A good Illustration is found in the
considerable number of ballots in ST.
Paul upon which at the last election
Democratic voters wrote the name of
some person to be voted for as a cam
date for congress. The Democratic
party had no formal candidate. The
voter who went into the booth was
obliged either to vote for Mr.. Stevens
or to leave his ballot blank. There were
a good many Democrats whose party
fealty would not permit them to do
either They believed that they should
vote for candidate for congress, and
that they should vote for Democrat
The party failed to supply them an op-
portunity. They made one for them
selves. These men, in perfect good
faith, set down the name of some
prominent Democrat whom they be-
lieved would make a good representa-
tive. They did not expect for mo-
ment to elect him, but they did intend
to make their party record clear. No
reasonable Interpretation could declare
these ballots void.
At the same time, the lesson to party
managers seems to us to be very clear.
1t is the right of every party man to
have an opportunity to vote for party
candidate. 1t was an error of judg-
ment not to nominate a Democratic
candidate for congress in this district
last fall. 1t can now be seen that the
effect of this, however little possibility
there may have been of electing such
candidate. goes beyond that office, and
might easily determine the election as
between other candidates where there
was the greatest interest and the live
liest struggle. It can also be taken as
certain that some Democrats are kept
away from the polls altogether when
Important places on the ticket are left
blank. They are discouraged; arguing
that if the party has not interest
enough in the contest to make a COM
plete list of candidates, they need not
have interest enough to go to the polls.
The moral of the incident is very
plain and strong. 1t is that the Demo-
cratic organization should be kept in
tact everywhere, and that the party
should at every election present to the
voter a complete list of party candi-
dates. That is their right. and the de-
NAL Of it may carry serious misfor-
tune for others on the ticket