The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-10-22
CHANGES IN THE ELECTION LAW
= WHICH VOTERS SHOULD NOTE.

| wv IilI LGEO lOh NV
2 WHICH VOTERS SHOULD NOTE.
Two or three changes in the election
law We're made by the Legislature last
winter. One of these, which is embOdi-
ed in bill introduced by Mr.. Lehmayer,
is of distinct Importance and will make
it easier for the voter to mark his bal
| lot. The significant part of this act is
contained IN the following words
mo ballot shall be rejected solely be-
cause any mark or portion of the cross
mark extends beyond the square, if the
point off intersection is within the
| square.
The law of 1896 required that the cross
mark must be entirely within the square
and any diScernible extenson beyond the
square invaldated the ballot Under
the act of 1896 nearly all voters made
single mark in the big square after the
party emblem and so but few persons
lost their votes by the strict require
ment Of the law. The election law of
1901 retained this provision of the
former law, but abolished the emblem
and the big square. After that the
voter had to mark within the small
square opposite each name, and thous-
ands Of persons who were not accustom-
| ed to the use Of the pencil or whose
eyesight was not good lost their votes
| by making their marks extend beyond
the square. The act of 1903 will save
many ballots in the State which would
otherwise be lost.
Another change made in the law de-
| prlVeS voters IN the so-calIed Wilson
bill counties Of the use Of sample bal
lots. In the other counties and in the
| city sample ballots. showing the ar
rangement Of names on the official bal
lots, are published before election.
These the voter can study before going
into the booth, and they can be used
| to instruct the illitcrates. But in the
Wilson bill counties this aid is denied,
and the posting Of cards of instruction
and list Of the candidates is all that
is required There has also been
change in the counties which come I'M
der the this law. ~ Dorchester and
| Queen Anne's have been added to them
and Frederick and Garrett taken out
The counties in which there are no sam
pie ballots and in which the party to
which the candidates belong is not des-
ignated on the ballot are Anne Arundel,
Calvert, Charles, Dorchester, Kent.
Prince George 5, Queen Anne's, St
Mary's Somerset, Talbot and Worces-
| ter.
In the entire State this year the bal
lots will be printed with the last names
| Of the candidates for President and
Vice-President above the electors of
their party. TO the right of the names
of the Presidential and Vice Presiden-
tial candidates there will be a square so
to include both names. A mark in this
square will be a vote for all the electors
of the party. In addition, there will be
| a square after the name Of each elector,
50 that if voter so desires he can vote
for some of the electors of party with
out voting for all IF them. Except in
the eleven Wilson bill counties the
names of the candidates for Congress
will be arranged with the name of the
party of which each is the candidate
Immediately following the name and on
the same line.
A correspondent asks, How can a
Democrat mark his ballot so as to
vote for Judge Taft and still not count
for the tRepublican party on State is
sues?' At the election this year there
are no political State issues involved.
The only candidates to be voted for are
the Presidential electors and Congress
men. In order to vote for the Taft
electors it will be necessary to make
only single mark, that mark to be
placed in the large square to the right
of athe names of Taft and Sherman.
Then the voter to vote for the Con-
gresham must make another mark in
the square to the right of the name of
the candidate for whom he wishes to
vote.