Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-06-09
AUSTRALIAN BALLOT WILL
BE USED HEREAFTER.
Provisions of the New Law Which
Goes Into Effect on July First.

The city election on Monday was
the last one at which the form of bal
lot which has been official Will be used,
as the new ballot law which provides
for the use of the Australian ballot.
will go into effect July l, says the
Hartford Times. In order that there
may be no misunderstanding about the
provisions of the bill. the secretary OF
state has had the law printed in PAM
phlet form for the use of local officials.
The bill, passed at the last session of
the general assembly. makes radical
changes in the election law, particular
ly as it refers to the use of the ballot.
The matter is only of Indirect interest
to Hartford, the voting machine
takes the place of the printed ballot.
Mr.. Dwyer, the deputy secretary, has
had samples of the Australian ballot
printed Each ballot is IA IL inches
by % IL inches, and on the upper
margin of each is printed instructions
how to use the ballot Under the
present law nominations must be
made not later than three weeks be-
fore the day of election and a return
of the nominations must be made to
the state secretary Is days before cleo
ton. In the case of local elections the
return of nominations must be made
to the town clerk, who shall report
them to the secretary. The entire re-
sponsibility for the printing Of the bal
lots rests on the secretary. He is en-
powered to determine the size and the
character of the type and to see that
the ballots are printed. 1t is on this
account that he is given so much time
between the date of making the nomi
nations and the day of the elections.
But he is not given too much time
and it will require the splendid execu-
tive ability of Colonel Rogers, the sec
rotary, and the ripe experience of Mr..
Dwyer, the deputy secretary. to for
mulate plans that will secure the sue
cessful operation of the law this year.
Under the law that will be in effect
mi he rc-f d.9x~ I,
one could send for ballots and have
them printed.
For state and national elections the
ballots will be furnished without
towns viii be charged for them. The
borough of Fenwick is the first place
in which an election viii be held I'M
der the new law, and that election will
occur the first Monday in July. The
next will be held in the borough of
Stonington, which will be held the last
Monday in July. Woodmont will be
the next, the last Saturday in August.
A curious thing about the law is that
it places the secretary Of state in the
position of prescribing to himself the
style of type to be used in the print
ing of the ballots. 1t suggests the de-
1ightful humor of the opera Mikado.
which is now revived to the delight
of everyone. The law is defective in
its phraseOlogy and il will require the
wisdom of a second legislature to
remedy us uefectS ana another one
to rectify the errors of the remedy.
There are some laws so glaringly de-
fective after they leave the hands OF
their makers as to justify the con-
opinion which the immor-
tai Mr.. Bundle had of law. 1t should
perhaps, be stated that Mr.. BUNDLES
opinion was Influenced by his diScov-
cry that the law was unable to afford
him relief from conjugal conditions
that were infelicitous. If he had en-
joyed connubial bliss, such as Nanki-
Poem and Yum Yum experienced when
their troubles We're at end, he might
have thought differently of law.