New-York tribune., 1908-01-28
BALLOT REFORM BILL
Measure Framed after Ideas Of
GoUernor Hughes Up IN assembly.
by Telegraph % The tribune

Albany, Jan. 27.-AssembIyman Warren L
Lee. of Brooklyn, introduced tonight a bill
providing for the Massachusetts, form OF ball
lot in this state. in accordance with Governor
Hughes's renewed recommendations for BALLOT
reform along this line AS a concession TO the
politicians who say that the pure Massachu-
setts ballot would be unconstitutional the Lee
bill provides that the party emblem OF the ca--
didate shall precede his name on the ballot
Three important changes in the election ma
chinery would be made by this bill Firsc and
most important is the form OF the ballot Itself
The measure provides that the names OF can
didates shall be arranged in alphabetical order
under the name Of the Office for which they ara
candidates. the name OF each candidate followed
by the name OF the party ne represents. a space
left before each name for the marking of
cross in voting, and before this voting space tina
party emblem OF the candidate. For the Prssi-
Dental ballot the names of candidates for Prest-
dent and vfce-PTesident would be arranged
alpha betfcaIly and the names of, electors OF
each party grouped under the names of can
didates for President and vice-Prssident OF
that party.
Another change which is not part OF the
Massachusetts, ballot idea is IN line with the
recommendations Of Governor Hughes This
section of the Lee bill is designed 10 prepare
the public TO vote intelligentIy constitutional
amendments II says;
The reading form in which a constitutional
amendment other proposition OF question is
10 be submitted shall consist of clear but con-
else statement of it's meaning and effect and
three copies OF each reading form shall be con-
spicuousIy posted in each polling place on Elec-
tiou Day.
The third change proposed is 4 sImpIifcation
of the tally sheet. which under the present sys-
TEN is a huge complicated affair Because OF
the great importance OF the tally sheet. Assem-
blyrnan Lee believes that understandable.
practicable tally sheet should be IN use His
bill provides for simple method OF checking
and cross checking after the polls have closed.
to make certain of the accuracy Of the result
Several minor provisions of the new bin are
designed 70 make more clear the respO1sIDllIry
of inspectors Of elections
The bill abolishes all discrimination between
different classes OF voters" said AsserbIyEna8
Lee and makes il exactly easy 70 vote
straight ticket as a split ticket or TO vote ac-
cording to emblem party name OF the name
of the candidate No matter how man chooses
to vote it will be easy safe and simple for MIN
to mark his ballot and easier, safer and
simpler for one than II is for any other man.
This is what popular vote should neaus but II
is not provided by the present unfair ballot
This Lee bill is practically the bill intro
duced last year by Asseublyman Prentice That
measure never got out OF committee and was
never introduced in the Senate Senator Raines
and Speaker WadswOrth this year have ex-
pressed themselves as unquaIifedly opposed 10
any change in the present ballot especially
any adoption OF the Massachusetts, ballot