Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-14
O.

in my opinion, would BRING the FRI
mary too near the date of the general
election. I am inclined to believe that
March would be more satisfactory
time. In your review of this very I'm
portant measure, you will doubtless
find many other features of 1t which
should receive your careful considera-
ton.
Simplify the Ballot.
In 1892 what is known as the Aus
tralian ballot system was adopted in
this state. AS originally adopted four
methods of voting were provided. A
straight ticket could be voted by pls.c-
ing cross in the circle at the head of
the ticket or by leaving the circle I'M
marked and placing Gloss in the
square in front of the name of each
candidate of the party A mixed
ticket could be voted by placing a
cross in the circle at the head OF the
party ticket and then placing a cross
in the square in front OF the name OF
any candidate for whom it was de-
sired to vote on any other ticket. Or
mixed ticket could be voted by omit
ting to mark the circle and by plac-
ing cross in the square in front 'of
the name of every candidate for whom
it was desired to vote. The newneiss
of the plan and the different methods
of marking resulted in the making
of many mistakes and led to con-
siderable demand for the removal 'of
the circle | must confess that tile
suggestion appealed very strongly 10
me as it did, also, to many others. The
matter was taken up by the extra SEES
sion of the twenty-sixth general as
sembly and the law was so modified
that the circle was to be used for
straight voting only. In my judgment
this last method was reasonable and
should have remained the law. How
ever, the demand for the removal OF
the circle continued until the Thirty
first general assembly removed 1t.
We have now voted two or more
times under each Of the three methods
above referred to, and by comparison
should be able to judge as to which
is the better and more satisfactory. !
have looked with some care as to the
results under each Of the plans and
am thoroughly convinced that tie
present method does not afford sufi-
cient ease with which to vote .
straight party ticket. and by reason
of this fact loss of votes occurs to
all candidates below the head Of the
ticket. This loss of votes Is, In my
Judgment, directly due to the removal
of the circle from the ballot The fils-
ures do not indicate that there would
be any particular advantage to either
party should the circle be restored,
but believe that an easier and
quicker method should be provided fer
the man who wants to vote straight
ticket than that he's should be conf
PEELED to mark each one of the forty
or fifty candidates. as he is required
to do under the present plan. The
law now recognizes the use Of the
voting machine and the machine PRO
vides an easy method for straight
voting. Why, therefore, should not
the voter who uses ballot instead CT
machine have the same privilege?
It will doubtless be true for all time
that s6ma. people wiz think that ao
long as the names of candidates fnr
president and vice president OF the
Tr,f+o/1 c+o%oc orn py,ipfod ,1pCn the
ballot the voter should in some way
indicate his preference of candidates
for those positions. am reliably 10
formed that many hundreds, possibly
thousands, of ballots were thrown out
not counted, that were cast at tile
recent election, because the voter hsId
placed cross in front Of the name
of the candidate for president. A Gil
zen might as we'll be denied the right
to vote at all as that his ballot should
be rejected when his intention is &c
clearly expressed. am not saying
that under the law as it now exists
ballot so marked should or should
not be counted. | am only trying u
convey the idea that the law shoute
be changed so as to avoid recur
renee of so gross an injustice both IL
the voter and the candidate for whom
he intended to and in fact did vote
The intention OF the voter, especial!
where there can be no question aDo1
1t, should far outweigh the remote
possibility Of the use OF some lrregu
lar mark as means of Identification
and if the law is in effect defeating
innocent and honest voters OF tn
right to cast a ballot and have j
counted the law should be amended
In short, l believe the method o
voting should be such that 1T can ID
accomplished with ease rather thu
with effort, and that every vote
should decide for himself as t
whether he desires to vote straigh
or a mixed ticket, and once having
decided the question he should be en-
abled to carry out his wishes IN TIL
easiest and most expeditions manner
/ know of no way to provide him sucl
means better than to restore the Gil
Gle to the ballot.
public Utilities Commission.
The question of the establishment
| of a commission to regulate and con
| troll the public utilities OF the stat
has been discussed to a greater OF les
| extent by some of our people and is
| in my Judgment, subject worthy 0
| your careful consideration. Such