The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-20
i NEW BALLOT IN KANSAS.

| Since the last election in Kansas the
voters have demanded a better system
of counting the ballots. There has been
cIamor for either a split system of
election boards or the right to use
voting machines. And this isn't all that
Kansans have wanted. They are await
| ing the action of the legislature to
change the entire facial expression of
the ballot used by this state In other
words, the time is ripe in Kansas for
the adoption of the Massachusetts,
Australian ballot.
Kansas is tired of voting for roosters,
eagles, barn yards and clasped hands
Instead, Kansas is anxious to vote for
men and not for parties. The Mas
sachusetts ballot does away with the
party embIems. 1t abandons the cross
in the circle, the thoughtless, shiftless
vote of the men who knows little about
the candidates and cares less. 1t does
not destroy party organization, neither
does it break up the party candidates
instead, it gives the voter more free
dom of expression and an easier outlet
of his choice.
Under the Kansas voting plan, all
candidates are lined up under the party
emblem. The weak candidate may be
hanging on to the coat tails of the
strong party-and he swings into office
ahead Of the deserved. Under the Mas
sachusetts plan, the candidates are
grouped under the head of the office
with their party affiliations behind their
names. For instance:
FOR GOVERNER-
Arthur Capper, Topeka. Republican
George Hodges, Olathe. Democrat
The voter places his cross in the box
behind the name of the candidate he
prefers. The entire ticket Is arranged
in this manner. You disregard eagles
and ROSTERS and handshakes-vote in
stead for the candidates under the
column of their office.
The ballots are no longer. Unless |
you are in the habit of voting a |
straight ticket with cross in the cir |
Gle, it takes no more time to vote. |
Tho ballot according to statistics is
marked in less than two minutes on |
an average and in most cases less
than one minute. The vote under the |
ballot is nearly rs per /
cent. greater than it was under the
party emblem scheme. All candidates
are on an equal footing. There is
little chance of errors in the counting
of the ballot.
There has been a cry that the i1lit-
crate were forced out of their voting
rights under the Massachusetts, sys-
tenn. Despite the fact that there is
more or less advantage to a condition
of this kind, the authorities in Massa-
chusetts declare that in the foreign
born portions of the cities in that
state the vote has been heavier than
ever. This means that they have been
taught the manner of voting in this
incidentally they ex-
hibit more discretion in the selection
of their candidates.
Let Kansas hereafter vote for men
and not for parties. The state is a
big corporation, likewise the counties
and the cities. 1t is not the fact that
the Republicans are going to run this
corporation better than the Demo-
Gratis, or vice versa-it is the men we
elect to office. It takes more than
birds and animals, and farm scenes to
economically and conserva-
lively the affairs Of the state and the
nation.
The Massachusetts, ballot gives ev-
cry man on the ticket a chance. Many
will vote in the same old way, it is
.rue-but the public expression will
be polled more truthfully under the
ballots.