The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-09-23
important Changes In The Ballot Laws Every Local Voter Should Post Himself in This Mat
 ter at Once
Making X Mark in Circle Now Casts Straight Vote for Every Name in the Column-To Split Ticket Do Not Make K in Circle at Top, But Before Each Candidates Name.

Some very important amendments were made to the so-called Austra- liam ballot law during the present ses- sion of the general assembly, and in view of the fact that these amend ments were approved by theogover- nor only Tuesday of this week, and that there is to be an election one week from next Monday, it behooves every voter to familiarize himself with these changes and be governed accordingly. Under the past law it was obligatory to place . n(x) mark in one of the circles at the top of the ballot, and many ballots have been rejected because of the omis- sion of this act by the voter. It was acknowledged to be a futile provis- ion and this part of the old law has been amended to read as follows: Note This Carefully.
 When any elector wishes to vote a straight ticket, that is, to vote for all of the candidates of a party ap- bearing in the party columns on the ballot he shall place a cross (N) mark within the circle at the head of the party column containing the names of such candidates"
 It further provides that if such a party column does not contain can didates for all the offices to be vot- ed for at the election, then the vot- CT may either write such names as he desires to vote for in the space marked "No Nomination. or place an (X) mark before the names of candidates named for such office in some other party column. On point of fact the new amendment makes the placing of the (X) mark in a circle at the top of the ballot vote for every candidate in the column be- low it. Thus. if a voter places such a mark in the circle, any further marks he may make in any other col umn will be futile and only the straight ticket will be voted. The amendment goes on to describe the method for voting split ticket asifol- lows:
 .-To vote for portion only of the candidates whose names appear in any one party column, or to vote a split ticket, that is, for candidates of different parties. make no cross s(x) mark in any circle at the head of the ballot but make a cross (x) mark before the name of each can didate for whom you vote."
 This is in accord with the ballot law of New York and other states, and is in the line of simplifying the voting and will, it is believed, be ap- preciated by the voters when they be- come accustomed to the same.
 May Elect Either Candidate.
 There is still another amendment 
 ing interest, just at this period, and that is the change in the law regard ing the election of selectmen. Here tofore the law has read that the can didate whose name appears first on the ticket receiving the largest num- Der of votes, shall be first selectman and town agent ex-officio. The new law is as follows:
 Any elector who wishes to vote a split ticket for selectman may in dicate his choice by placing the fig ure CD instead of the cross. (X) mark in the voting space at the left of such other candidate for select men for whom he votes and the can didate. so designated by the figure CD shall be deemed to. be the first nam ed on such ticket"
 To bring this matter home to the local voters, it may be said that in case the majority of voters should see fit to place the figure CD before the name of either of the second con- didates on either party ticket, such candidate would Nbe elected as first se- lectman and of course be the town agent. The other changes are of no moment, being merely such as will insure the carrying out of these amendments, but these changes are of especial importance to voters at this time, and should be studied by them with attention.