Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-01
CORRECTION IN The BALLOT
Court Order Permits Remedying Over
sight of the Party Committees.
BALLOT A CUMBERSOME AFFAIR
FIFTY Crosses Necessary In Case the
Voter Expresses His Preference
for All Omcers 60 he
Voted For.

The names of the three democratic candi-
dates for MEMBERS of the Board of Super
vipors will appear upon the official ballot,
with the terms for which they are candi-
dates designated. This will be I'm accord
ance with an order issued by Judge Thor
nell In the district court yesterday morn
ing after an agreement had been reached
between the attorneys for the democratic
candidates and the attorney for County
Auditor Cheyne.
Prior to the time set for the hearing In
court John p. Organ aud James p. Null
queen, chairman and secretary, respectively,
of the democratic county convention held
on June 20, filed with the county auditor
a certificate showing that John Maassen
OF Valley township was nominated for
member OF the Board of Supervisors for
the short term, beginning on January ],
1909. and that f. II. Hopping Of Hazel Dell
township and Ariah Mclean Of York town
ship were nominated for the long term,
beginning on January /, 1911.
Soon after the certificate was filed Judge
Thornell issued The order directing the
county auditor to place the names of the
democratic candidates for members Of the
Board Of Supervisors on the official ballot
as designated in the certificate. At the
1hAN NAAA' hh6o 49, 1850 N NNN
should not be taxed against the county
auditor. as 1t was through the error of
the plaintiffs that the controversy was
brought about. they having failed to file
any certificate at the time the action was
brought.
!, When the democratic managers discovered
that the ballot did not bear the designation
of the term for which the democratic nomi-
nees for supervisors were candidates they
failed to rectify the error by filing the
requisite certificate, but merely went to
the auditors office and complained OF the
mistake. Even after the mandamus action
was brought they failed to file the certlfl-
cate and thus correct the error officially
until yesterday morning shortly before the
time set for the hearing in court.
AS a result of the controversy It developed
) yesterday that the filing Of the nomination
of Thomas McCaffery, the republican cam
didate for sheriff. was defective and the
democrats in an amended petition yesterday
asked that his name he stricken from the
ballot. McCsffery's nomination certificate
= was signed by Elmer e. Smith, chairman
2 of the republican county central committee,
whereas 1t should have been signed by
Fred Williams of Nicola and DR.. A. A.
Robertson of Crescent, chairman and secre-
tary. respectively of the republican county
convention. Judge Thornell declined to
, order McCaffery's name stricken from the
ballot. however. and the defect was RENEE
died during the day by the filing of the
) proper certificate.
Marking Ballot n Task.
This Is the first presidential election In
Iowa since the circle at the head of each
party ticket on the ballot has been elimi-
mated. With the circle on the ballot all
that was necessary to vote a straight party
ticket was to make a cross within the cir
> Gle. Now a voter will have to make a
cross in the little square space opposite
the name of each candidate on his party's
! ticket.
The elimination Of the circle means that
2 : the republican who next Tuesday wants to
= vote a straight ticket from top to bottom
, will, have to make exactly fifty crosses;
this being the number or names In the re-
publican column. There are thirteen presi-
Q Dental electors, twelve candidates on the
state ticket, one each on the congressional
and judicial tickets, three on the legisla-
tive ticket, twelve on the county ticket and
eight on the township ticket.
9 In the democratic column there are only
: forty-nine names. as the party failed to
= nominate a candidate for Judge of the dis
trict bench.
a For a large percentage OF the voters it
Is expected the marking of the ballot next
Tuesday will be a tedious job. It is feared
that in some of the larger precincts in the
= city all of the voters may not get a chance
to vote owing to the size of the ballot and
. the time needed to mark 1t. 1t is likely
that in the larger precincts the election Of
ficials will find 1t necessary to strictly en-
|, force the law regulating the time a voter
may remain in the booth to mark his
ticket. The law on this matter is contained
in section iii OF the code OF Iowa, and is
as follows:
No voter shall be allowed to occupy a
Young booth already occupied by another
nor remain within said enclosed space
a mote IMAM ten minutes, nor to occupy a
case all OF said voting booths ave in use
ahu other voters are waiting to occupy the
sftsS bsvin 10 again enter the enclosed space
voters In excess of the whole number OF
Young booths provided be allowed at any
the authority OF the election Officers Ia
keep order and enforce the law.
The officials concede that a division of
y the First precinct Of the Sixth ward should
De made and steps towards this end Will
likely be taken after the general election
8 The counting Of the ballots will be a
tedious process and it is believed to be
doubtful II any definite returns will be OBJ
tainable from many OF the precincts much
oetore wednesday evening, even If by then.
q Democrats Have Nerve.
Democrats surely have their nerve
said Elmer e. Smith, chairman of the re-
Id publican county central committee, last
ct evening, in referring to a statement in the
TX party organ that the suggestion 20 elm
ID mate liquor and money at the polls next
~ Tuesday from the leaders OF that party.
y, The fact is ! made the suggestion and
ID Mr., Lenoker, chairman OF the democratic
ID county central committee, at once
aequiesced in it. The same paper also
TO makes the assertion that this same sug-
N gestion was made by the democrats a few
IS years ago. This is an untruth. Two years
ago i made a similar suggestion to A. w
Cassidy, then chairman Of the democratic
county central committee, and he turned il
down hard and cold. After next Tuesday