The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-14
NEW ELECTION BALLOT
HER al A winner
Color Number Scheme of Badger
tie May Revolutionize Vot-
A. ing System.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Marshfeld, Wis, Oct. 13.--Moncena
Dunn, an .optician Of this place, has
iusv received letters latent on new
form of ballot invented by him, which
he SAYS will rGvO'nt:t niZe the whole vot-
ing systems Of this country.
The ballot consists of several sheets
of thin cardboard. perforated into cou-
pons. and stapled together at the top.
Each sheet tcutalns the coupons or one
party oulv, each sheet has different
color, and the coupons OF each sheet
pom hears the name OF one candidate
for office. There is also an envelope. or
folder, which may be sealed, having
spaces or pockets, designed to receive
the coupons voted and numbered to
correspond to the coupons. Still anoth-
er envelope receives the portions OF the
ballot not used.
The voter to vote straight ticket
tears off the whole sheet OF coupons
of his chosen party, and places them in
the folder. IF he splits his vote, ne
tears from the several sheets the cou-
pens of his choice, and places them IN
the pockets corresponding to them in
number.
The advantages claimed for the new
ballot--called the "pocket ballot and
coupon voting system ,'-are that 1t
absolutely eliminates all fraud from the
polls; that independent voting is as
easy as voting a straight ticket; that
It safeguards the illiterate voter, by
enabling him to vote intelligently, and
by making it impossible for him to
make such a mistake as will cause his
ballot to be thrown out at the count,
and, in addition, that it will cut down
the expense of the elections to at least
% 4lot ho M a.
chine, and to many times less than tnac
of the present ballot.
The illiterate voter is aided because
he can easily distinguish color and num-
ber which is all he needs to do to vote
the new ballot. He cannot put two
coupons in the same pocket, and when
all the pockets are filed with coupons
knows he is done. Color and number
being the guides, he has check on his
work, which he can intelligently exer-
else.
Counting Made Easier.
The ballot is about one-tenth the
size of the present ballot-each sheet
of coupons being six by eleven inches.
It costs no more than the present bal
lot. Experiment has shown that the
voter can vote with ease in forty-fve
seconds. When the count begins, the
Judge finds the choice Of the voter ar
ranged compactly in order before him
and he has but to read it off, fea.
ture which will, it is asserted enable
him to count from 100 to 1926 votes an
hour, and save at least one-tenth, in
counting, over the present ballot.
When the cost Of the voting machine
interest, insurance, depreciation, stor
age, drayage, to and from polls, extras
ETC., are considered, it is estimated thai
the adoption Of the new ballot will
save city of 100000 inhabitants al
least $4,000 for every election ovel
the next cheaper means-the voting ma
chine.
Accepted by wisconsin.
Without waiting for his patent, thu
inventor had a bill introduced at thu
last session. of the Wisconsin legisla9
ture providing for the use of the bal
lot in Wisconsin. The bill passed, wa
signed by Governor La Toilette, an
ratified by the people in a popular ref
erendum in April, 1906. It will frs
be used in the general elections mex
month.