Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-11-28
VOTING MACHINE CAUSES
CONFUSION IN JERSEY
MANY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE JUNK OF IT
Theory that 1t Cannot Lie Completely Upset.
Pronounced to be Very Erratic Device,
Has Cost the State Nearly Quarter
Million OF Dollars.

Itis pretty well ascertained fact that
the voting machine is failure In New
Jersey. 1t discourages independent
voting and onlookers can tell whether
the voter casts straight party ballot
or splits his ticket and 1t is difficult for
man unfamiliar with the machine to
operate it. Itaffords more opportunity
for fraud than the paper ballot. Its
only recommendation is that the result
is known as soon as the voting ID
finished, but this does not offset all the
other disadvantages, is the opinion of
the Paterson Neaos.
The voting machines were introduc-
ed into New Jersey TO increase the
secrecy of the ballot, and to protect
voters, but political schemers have
discovered ways to beat the machine
says the Elmer Times in the following
paragraph:
''In the recent election, challengers
In certain district were stationed in
the rear of the voting machine where
they could watch the voter. They had
previously tested the machine and dis
covered that to vote certain ticket
the voter stood erect; to vote another
ticket the voter assumed somewhat of
STOPPING posture. Guided by the
position the voter assumed in voting,
these watchers who were present to see
If certain purchased voters came up to
the scratch, marked them when they
voted. 1t IS asserted that SO thoroughly
was the scheme worked that the men
In question knew how every man
voted in that election district, their
record tallying with the machine when
the votes were counted. This story is
vouched for on excellent authority
1t is said that an effort will be made
to do away with the voting machine
altogether by the action of the Legis-
lature this winter, on the ground that
they cannot be depended upon to
register accurately the ballots that are
cast. If these charges shall he proved,
the quicker the machines are sent to
the rubbish heap the better.
In Raritan Township, in the upper.
part of the state, voters are up in arms
against the machine and its antics.
Eighty-two Socialistic votes were cast
in that township although no one for
moment believes that there are that
many Socialists there. The fact is
said to be that the voting machine is
voters losing their votes by getting
hold of the wrong handle. The Social
ist handle was right next to the Demo-
crat, and many voters confused them.
In some instances the voters discovered
their errors before they came out of the
booth and called the election officers
to correct their mistakes, but it is
stated that the Democratic party in
Raritan Township lost over eighty
votes by this new machine method of
voting. There is not known to be
single Socialist vote in the township.
There is one Socialist Labor vote and
he is accounted for.
Long Branch and Monmouth county
voters generally are thoroughly dis
gusted with the voting machines.
They have caused dissatisfaction since
they were first placed in 1904. AT
their first trial it is said that they were
largely responsible for the failure of
over half the voters to cast ballots on
the question of issuing 100000 worth
of bonds for beach Improvements and
the result was though the vote was
about l 100 to 100 in favor of the issue,
that test suit had to be brought in
the Supreme Court and the improve
ments were delayed until decision
was handed down.
From Red Bank comes an amusing
story of voter who, after struggling
with the pointers and levers for many
minutes, made his escape from the
booth by crawling under the curtain.
Last year a machine there was alleged
to have registered wrongly by reason
of the levers being tied together but
Judge Hendrickson decided that the
law did not permit going behind the
machine returns.
At Seabright the machine was so
obnoxious to the voters that the Mayor
and Council sought to have it removed,
but their request was refused. The
borough has some 300 voters, and is or
dinarily Republican by from so to 100.
This year negro was nominated on
the Republican ticket for Council. To
vote against him on the machine the
voters voted the whole Democratic
ticket and the town went Democratic
by nearly 150.
1t was represented last year that