Evening journal., 1913-05-21

"IN AIR" OVER
VOTING TIPS
Department. Of Elections Stands
Pat on Instructions in
New Handbook
TAKES VIEW THAT OLD
LAW WASN'T REPEALED

Daniel P. DuRoss, chairman Of the
Democratic City Committee, yesterday
sent letter 10 the Department of
Elections objecting to certain instruc-
tions to election officers and poll clerks
as set forth in the pew handbooks is
sued by the department
The letter is as follows:
"The Department Of Elections, will
mington, Delaware.
Gentlemen: There has come into
my possession a copy of the hand
book issued by your department for
the use of registration officers and in
spectors Of elections and poll clerks
of the city of Wilmington fo- the mu-
nicipal election to be held OH the
seventh Of next month. In reading
over the same, ! have found several
matters, upon which your department
has issued instructions regarding the
conduct of election officers on election
day, to which / desire TO call your at
tention, and for the reasons herein
after given, request that you change
the instructions so that the election
officials shall act in accordance with
the terms Of the recent statute, An
Act to further provide for the secrecy
and purity Of the ballot approved
March 10, 1913.
"On page "a of your book of in
structions under the title voting,
you state There shall be no examina-
tion of an envelope except to deter
mine that it is single. This is in di-
rect conflict with Section 21, of the
Act above referred to, which, in sub
stance, imposes upon the inspector
or judge the duty Of refusing to de-
post any envelope which does not
bear the names of the clerks of cleo
tion or on which may a. pear any dis
| tinguishing mark. DETACHMENT OF
mutilation. A careful examination by
your department will at once dis.
close to you that this direction in
I your book Of instructions should be al
once changed to conform TO the terms
OF the new statute, as set forth il
Section 2i
Again. on page 46 Of your bool
of instructions. in the last sentencl
of the first paragraph ON said page
you state generally that after tn
ballots have been counted and tn
certificate made out the ballots shall
be Immediately destroyed. This il
in direct conflict with the third para
graph of Section "a of the new Act
which distinctly provides that all on
velopes and ballots, after the coun
is made, shall be returned TO the bal
lot boxes. from which they arc taken
Section Sc Of the new Act provide
that it (the new Act) shall apply t
all municipal elections in the city o
Wilmington, and Section 81 of thi
new Act provides that all Acts o.
parts of Acts, with the exception
therein noted, which are inconsisten
with the new Act. shall be repealed
II therefore, manifestly follows tina
the provision OF the old law, regard
ing elections in the city of Whining
ton, which provides for the destruc
tion Of the ballots after they hav
been counted. has been repealed.
Il am calling these two matter
particularly TO your attention, becaus
they are of vital moment to the cit
zens Of Wilmington, in the event tina
, your book of instructions, as issueC
is rigidly followed by the election Off
cials. AS above noted, in the frs
place, you do not set forth the fu
duty of the inspector or Judge in eS
amining the envelope handed him b
the voter before placing in the bale
, box; and, in the second place. yo
wrongly advise the destruction of VIII;
. might be the sole evidence upon whic
o contest could be based for any on
of the offices to be filled at the comm
j, election.
II, therefore, on behalf Of the DemI
cratic party in the City of Wilmington
1 respectfully request that you issr
4. printed instructions to all the ele
tion officials, correcting these two mi
takes, which now appear in your pre-
{ cnt book of instructions. And, furthe
> that you do so in full time for all ele
? tion officials TO be thoroughly appriss
. thereof before the election open
{ Very respectfully,
Daniel DuRoss,
= Chairman Democratic City Commi
S tee"
s II was learned today that the ID
2 partment of Elections last night toe
r no action regarding the letter and
is said il intends TO take no action.
q Regarding the objection of Il
Continued On Second Page.