The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-11-26
ELECTION
REFORMS
Will be Urged by Gov
ernor-Elect Harmon
in Message
TO SEPARATE BALLOTS

AN''S' W lliiS II Will hdlhlg DG DOS
sible to secure the reforms that he be
heves ought to be brought abou
through the incoming legislature. hi
message will serve to bring the subjec
before the people,
Dozens of men have approached
Judge Harmon and have told him tha
they made mistake when they voted
They desired, for reasons of their own
to vote for Taft for president, but
they desired to vote the straight Dem
ocratic state and county tickets.
In their endeavor to vote as they
desired, they put the cross under the
eagle, thus carrying the entire elec-
toral vote, and then went over and
put their cross before the name of
Judge Harmon. They were laboring
under the impression that by so doing
they were not only voting for Judge
Harmon but for the entire state and
county tickets under his name.
How many citizens of Ohio did the
same thing, under the same belief, can
not be known definitely, but there is
no doubt enough of them did so to
have carried the entire state ticket for
the Democrats as we'll as some OF the
county tickets.
1t is not the fact that the Democrats
suffered by these mistaken notions in
the recent election, that will actuate
Governor Harmon to seek a reform
that will eradicate this situation, but
the fact Is sufficient that a large num-
Der of citizens, because of the COM
picated ballot, were not able to ex-
press their preferences in the voting,
They were thus denied. in great meas
ure, the right of free and untram-
meled suffrage. For it is as serious a
matter to so constitute a ballot as 10
make it unintelligible to the average
voter, as it is to disfranchise him COM
pletely. He is entitled to a fair chance
to express his will at the polls 70
In this behalf it is likely Governor
Harmon will suggest separation of
the ballots. His opinion is said TO be
that the presidential ticket should be
on ballot by itself, that the state
ticket should be on a ballot by itself
and that the county ticket should be
on ballot by itself. Instead of the
voter being handed one massive bal
lot, calculated only to confuse him, he
would be handed, in presidential years.
three small ballots. Thus he would
have no dificulty in making his selec-
tions
Two years hence the ticket will not
be SO complicated, but it will be com
Plicated enough.
-Four years hence there will be an {
other presidential election. Another l
big ballot will be the result. More I
delay in the count will ensue. On !
portunity for doctoring the returns will l.
be offered again. Counties will have
what they may consider an ample ex- {
cuse to hold up the returns. Maybe
they will want to see how many are
needed At any rate, the big ballot
will again be used as an excuse for u
delaying the returns. {
The people do not want an election .
to drag along for weeks after election
day. Elections disturb business and .
The equanimity of the people in too
great degree as it is without drag Z
glng the count out three or four weeks.
adding to opportunity for fraud and
temptation to crookedness
In close counts. ~
The big ballot is a product of the !"
system that has been in control of :
The statehouse. Once every four years =
It was calculated the ballot would be -.
70 big that the people could express -
themselves only on the head of the =,
ticket. AS Ohio is always considered a - -
republican state in presidential year. =,
his accrues to the advantage. .of the y,
nan or machine that happens to be -
n power in the state. The rank and :,
lie of the people are disarmed by the =,
zig ballot o'
For instance, the System" has so ar D
anged it that the auditor of state is >,
Elected only once in four years and
hat is presidential year. This was fe
lone by design. 1t was done for the a
purpose OF preventing, if possible. .,
N expression of the people on this II,
'tice In any year, owing to the COM m
'hcations brought about by the pres e,
nee of the national electoral ticket ON
he ballot.
1t is conceded even by Republican
eaders that a majority of the voters of il,
ne state wanted to clean out the state at
Ouse, from cellar to dome, at the last tn
lection They succeeded In electing DC
he governor they wanted, but sue 1t
eeded in defeating only one other state ST
andidate on the Republican ticket. sc
Vith the presidential ticket absent ca
rom the ballot the people would have OF
ccOmplished what they set out to ac- re
Dmplish. tai
Perhaps Governor Harmon will deem AL
SUFFICIENT to separate only the presi- ha
sntial ticket from the the other tick me
ls At all events, it is said TO be in Ike
Is mind 10 urge ballot reform to the Sc
nd that people Of the state may have mf
zee opportunity to express their pref
rences at the polls.
AIIlLNCF NFWS S% Sa'