The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-05-17
ELECTIONS IN ENGLAND
Details as to Method of Choos-
ing Members of Parliament.

ing Members of Parliament.
VOTING LASTS FOR DAYS
System of Dividing the Country ints
Districts-Who are Entitled to
Cast BaIIots-Work of Presiding
Officer-Any Male Person May
Eecoms Candidate.
BY Royal proclamation the King
terminates the existing parliament
and by the same proclamation his
majesty calls the Parliament about tx
be elected to meet, says the Chiea
go News.
He orders the chancellors Of Great
Britain and Ireland to issue writs for
nominations and pollings in town and
country. In the first instance these
Writs go to the sheriffs and in the
second to the mayors. They require
that the elections shall be held in a
specified period and leave to each
IsspOnsible official the duty OF fixing
the most convenient day. The result
as that the polling is spread out
over a fortnight or more, Orkney and
Shetland coming in at the tail OF
the returns long after the general re.
suit is known.
Formerly writs were returnable
within fifty days Of issue, but quick
er facilities OF communication have
reduced the time to thirty-fiye days,
Writs used to be carried by dignified
messengers of the crown; at presen,
they take their chances with picture
postcards and ordinary letters. Per
sonal service of writs. with the cere-
mony of affiXing the great seal, sur
wives only in the case OF the sheriffs
Of the counties of London and Mil.
dlesex. However, the precaution is
taken of requiring memorandum
from every recipient setting forth
the day and the hour the writ was de
livered.
Before the ballot act of 1872 th g
process of nomination was a pictures
que and sometimes exciting proceed.
ing. The candidates attended at the
hustings and were proposed and sec.
onded in Iaudatory speeches address
sed to 'the free and independent cleo
tors" and to the casual crowd that
collected in the hopeful expectation
OF row. A show of hands was called
for by the returning officer, but this
was always demanded by one or 9th
er Of the candidates. The disorderly
scenes that took place and the pos.
sible intimidation OF voters caused
the ballot act to be passed.
To the presiding officer belong all
the duties of managing the polling.
His work is scheduled with great
minuteness. covering every moment
Of his time from 8 a. m until he
hands over to the returning of1ceI
the sealed packets of votes at the
close of the count. One of his first
cares is to see that the ballot box
is empty and to demonstrate this fact
to those present, when he must lock
it and seal it. He Is responsible for
the proper stamping Of the voting
papers with a cross opposite candi-
dates names) and the correct ticking
off of names from the register. He
regulates the number of voters ad
mitted to the room at one time. HIS
administers the oath when there is
any doubt cSst on the identity of 8
voter, gives another ballot paper in
place of any spoiled, gives rendered
ballot paper to any person who ap.
plies to vote after another has voted
in his name, which vote has to be put
into a separate packet.
The presiding officer has also per-
sonally TO mark the ballot paper OF
any voter incapacitated by blindness
or other physical cause, or who, be-
ing a. Jew, objects to mark a ballot
paper on Saturday Occasionally it
is his duty to give persons into Gus.
tody for personation, in which case
he marks the vote protested against
the personation." AS the clock strikes
p. m. the doors are closed and only
those who have already received pa
pers are allowed to vote. The count
ing is generally done by experienced
bank clerks. It's monotony is some
times relieved by the returning Of
fcer's inspection of the papers reject
ed by the counters because they are
apparently improperly marked.
The voters entitled to take part in
the election are those whose names
are on the register Registration was
introduced after the reform act of
1882, and the present law affords
much more satisfactory means of
proving and testing claims to vols
than the rOugh-and-ready methods
formerly in use. Lists of voters are
made out by local authorities and
carefully revised, in Englanl by bar
risters appointed for the purpose, in
Scotland by the sheriff or his substi
tute in registration court. The per.
sons entitled to be placed on the
register are male persons over 81,
not being peers, not disqualified by
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