The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-10-27
How to Mark a Ballot.

In counting the votes cast at the pri-
mary there were many ballots rejected
because of their irregularity. The main
objection to them was that the cross was
on the right side of some of the names
instead of on the left as expressly stated
in the law. Section So of the election
law says: 'If any ballot voted at any
election shall have thereon either on its
face or back, any mark, sign, designa-
ton or device whatsoever, other than is
permitted by this act, whereby such bal
lot can or may be identified or distin-
guished from other ballots cast at such
election, such ballot shall be absolutely
void and shall not be canvassed or
counted for any candidate named there
on. Nothing in this act contained shall
prevent any voter from writing or past
ing thereon the name of any person or
persons for whom he desires to vote. -
The next section of the same law saws
that the use of any other color of ink or
lead pencil except black, or if pastors are
printed on any but white paper in black
ink, the ballot shall not count for any
candidate, but the entire ballot shall be
invalidated
There are few persons in this county
who contend that if the cross is made at
the right of the name of the candidate
it will affect that person only, but the
law says otherwise. The law saws there
must not be distinguishing mark on
the ballot, and if it is there it invalidates
the entire ballot. No better method of
identifying ballot could be devised
than by having the voter mark one or
two names in the place not designated
by law, for in this connection it must be
remembered that section $3.50 of the law
says that the voter shall indicate his
choice by marking a cross X in black
ink or black pencil opposite the name
of each candidate for whom he desires to
vote in the space or square indicated
upon the ballot for that purpose, and the
ballot which will be handed to the voter
will have on it MARK cross X in the
square at the left"
Many of the ballots rejected at the
primary had the cross on the left side,
but when some of the names were reach
ed the cross was placed on the right side.
If those who cast the ballots knew
enough to put some of the crosses in the
right place, why did they not put all OF
| them there? In some other instances
the word mo" was written opposite the
candidates name, and when this was
mentioned in one case, it was given out
that the voter did that in order that
there might not be any dispute as to
| how he cast his vote. That certainly
stamped the ballot as marked, and il
was properly thrown out in its entirety
In the Tenth Congressional district
there was recount and the result an.
nounced by the election board was sci
aside. The reason for this was that the
election board had thrown out ballots
which had names written or pasted on
but where the cross had been omitted
entirely. The Supreme Court held thai
these ballots could be thrown out only
regarding the particular candidate fol
whom the votes were cast, and did moi
affect the entire ticket. Justice Gum.
mere stated that any voter had the righI
to refuse to put cross in front of the
name OF a candidate, and by SO doing
showed that he did not vote for him
This was the same whether the nam,
was printed on the official ticket or was
on paster or Twas written on. 1t wa
not distinguishing mark. The Justict
further said that if voter put a cross il
the square in front of space wher,
there was no name of candidate writ
ten or printed, that was marked ballot
and the entire vote must be rejected
So there is only one safe way to do il
order to get your vote counted. Put tn,
cross on the left hand side of the ticke
opposite the name of the man you wisl
to vote for. Use only black ink or lea,
pencil. De not put any mark on tn
ticket unless the space has a written O
printed name on it. If you put a paste
on or if you write name on it be sur
j to put the cross at the left side. Follo'
these precautions and your vote will b
counted, otherwise it will be throw
away.