The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-11-05
STRATFORD WILL HAVE MUCH NEEDED
 ELECTION REF RMS
Slip Shod Registration Methods Leads to Scandalous Reports Machines May Be Used.

W1GkCEA4k1C9 Nk(y DC. OSCOs
 Stratford. Nov. 5.-Stratford is in torment over it's voting situation. Rumors spread broadcast on election ito the effect that more than one man prominent in the social, com1neroial and political activity of the town had voted more than once are being in vestigated by the various party lead CTS, with the result that not only is it likely that the next election will wit ness voting by machine count, but there will be q radical change in the recording and checking of votexR
 Inquiry instituted to-day by the Bridgeport Farmer reveals that while there were opportunities for illegal registratfora it is probable that those under cloud by runor to-day are the victims Of mistaken call by those close to the ballot box.z So influential are, they In the cornrnunity that it would hardly seem possible that they would resort to methods which were nearly certain to be detected by their fellow voters though no charges might be preferred against them
 That the greatest slasxity in watch ing electors. as well as the most slip shod methods of keeping records of voters, that have come to the mo- tice of the public in many years, was
 
 sus on every hand.
 It was alleged yesterday in the va rious party headquarters that the names of st least one citizen was brought twice to be checked off the party lists. T7lis fact to-day is par tia1Iy explained by the presence of two similar names upon the town rec ord Of voters. and none can be found who will swear that those intinafed to have appeared twice were repeat ing at the polls.
 That voters might cast more than one ballot will easily be seen from the fact that there is no printed list of voters made by the town and no watcher check is made upon the voter before he enters the booth to prepare his ballot.
 The system which has long been in vogue In Strafford is to have a reg istef of voters. This is 9 large led- ger-sized book in which the names are alphabetically written. This book during an election is in charge Of two registrars Of voters, John Graham. bltcan and Frank F. Hanson. Progressive. The election is made. under the supervision Of a moderator
 On coming. to vote, the elector may enter the booth, unchecked He re- ceives h3s ballot, and prepares it. When he casts his ballot, he calls his name to one Of the registrars, who
 
 ehecks 1t off with blue pencil All 4afs is done without any checking by party watchers.
 # When he casts his ballot, the name Is called to representatives Of the various parties who not Ing 1t on slips walt until they have seveEaI on hand and then proceed to take them to their Headquarters up the street. Here they are checked off from lists privately owned by the various organizations.
 The registrars of voters relieve themselves of the task at odd times or are permitted to hire someone else fo perform the work of checking from the only town list. The watchers re- crutted from the ranks of the party do not work during the entire day.
 It is plain that should 1t be desir- ed to participate in trickery at an election 1t would be necessary only to get the connivance of a registrar or his e1nploye to pass voter through at the n0rning session without check ing the name and in the event of an other registrar or assistant being up on the book in the afternoon the check would be made or with the original connivance the voting could be re- peated until assurance reached the headquarters of, the opposition party too late to challenge the voter. It could not. be proven that he had vot- ed twice, other than by two checks appearing on the official town list of voters or by persolsala acquaintance of the voter with watchers who had ac- 2 tua1lv seen him cast ballot more than twice. In this manner aff1da- vif would be necessary to Secure ar rest OF conviction.
 It is alleged that at least one prom inent resident of Stratforo may have voted Tn the morning as we'll as in the. afternoon. as slips bearing his name were brought to at least two record book does not show that the name has been checked more than once, nor is any watcher able posi- lively to state that two votes were cast by him. In another instance there are two persons Of the same names the initials being different It is pointed out in this case that it would have been easy for the watch CTS to have mistaken the initials of the second voter for those Of the first or vice versa
 The incident is such that leaders or the various parties are prepared to bring about radical ehange in the vot1ns methods of the town, with a watcIlez system, which WiI include printed lists of all town voters, pub lished in advance WIich may care fully be scrutinized by all those in.5 terested. and may be used as an ad- vance check to insure legal voting, rather than the check now in force whics hdoes not give a ehaueesto chaI- Isnge the right Of the illegal voter
 rom Gallon. the English novelist and dramatist. died in Lsordon, aged forty eight.