The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-22
As no VOTTNG NfACHINEs.

The slowness with which returns
come in and the doubt involved in the
election of governor in our recent cleo
ton, emphasizes the need of reform IA
our method of voting. The largely in
creased number of offices to be filled at
each election since all county officers
are now filed biennially and since the
number Of elective state offices has
ben considerably increased, greatly en-
larges the labor of counting and re-
cording the ballots. Judges and clerks
in the cities begin their work at D
o'clock in the morning, and after re-
ceiving ballots all day they work all
night counting them. Sometimes the
counting continues until we'll into the
following day. This not only works a
hardship on the judges and clerks, but
it makes mistakes almost unavoidable.
The man who can work from IS to "a
at a stretch at something he is not
used to without a clerical error is ex-
tremely unusual.
Mechanical genius has made it posi-
BILE to obviate this by the use of the
voting machine. These machines are
coming more and more into use. The
chief objection to them now is their
cost But they greatly reduce the work
Of the election board, the result is
known Immediately after the polls
close, there are no possible errors in
counting, and expensive election con-
tests are practically eliminated.
Chicago had about the same expert
ence with its municipal judges that
Kansas had on governor in the recent
election, and in an editorial on the sub
ject the Chicago News says:
ut is very ridiculous to retain the
slow and clumsy method Of holding
elections by the paper ballot when the
results are so vague, SO saturated with
error and so productive of expensive
contests. The use of voting machines,
which is authorized by the Illinois cleo
ton laws, would greatly reduce the cost
of elections and would bring conclusive
results in every instance. The ma
chimes not only cast the votes but
count them as cast, so that the instant
the polls close the total vote Of each
precinct for each candidate can be road
off without possibility of mistake. Com
pare this method with the long hours
Of exhaustion during which muddled
election judges and clerks decorate their
tally sheets with errors, thus making
their totals at best a mere apprOxima-
ton and not an accurate return.
AT some future time this community
may learn whether Barnett, Lantry or
Callahan was elected municipal court
Judge. The chances are, however, that
this will never be known with any rea
sonable degree Of certainty. Even a
complete recount of the ballots would
leave disputed points to be wrangled
over indefinitely. The voting machine
system, giving immediate results and
absolute accuracy at greatly reduced
cost, has so many points of advantage
in its favor that it should be adopted
in Chicago before another important
election is held"
The question Of first cost is the great
objection to the adoption of voting ma
but when one considers that
they will do away with the. tremendous
outlay for ballots as well as a cOnsid-
cradle sum now paid out to election
boards for extra work, they might he
a profitable investment if they could be
secured at a reasonable price
Perhaps the best method of securing
them would be for the state to buy the
right to manufacture them for it's own
use, and then have them made at the
and sold to the various
counties at a little above cost. This
would largely remov the possibility
of graft in the proposition.