The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-10-08
NORTH DAKOTA URGES
VOTING BY MAIL PLAN
REPRESENTATIVE YOUNG SAYS
ADVANTAGES OF SYSTEM
WERE DEMONSTRATED AT
'.| PRIMARY,

Washington, D. G. Star: Voting by
mail from Washington is urged by
Representative Young Of North Dako-
ia. His state has taken up CORE
,spondence method of voting and tried
it out in the recent primaries to the
great satisfaction of every man who
had to be away from home at ballotins
time. Speaking of the subject today,
Representative Young pointed out the
advantages that a voting-by-mail law
would be- to the thousands of Wash
ington men who retain voting resi-
dence in the various states and who
have to pay SIS to 5000 in railroad fare
for the privilege of exercising 1t.
"A lot Of these congressman are
worried because they fear they won't
get home to VOTE" said Representa-
tive Young, as he explained his states
yoting-by-mail law, "but the North Da-
kota delegation will vote by mail II
necessary.
North Dakota has once more blaz-
ed the trail Our state legislature
nassed an absent-voters law during
the session of 1913. At the primary
election held in our state couple OF
months ago many absent voters en-
joyed the rare privilege of having
their votes recorded. The wording OF
the law is very simple, and fully safe
guards the purity of the ballot. Every
citizen who knows he will not be able
to be at home election day, either the
primary election, writes to the county
auditor of his county for an absent
voters ballot. He receives it by mail
and mails it back to the auditor, who
places it with the election supplies to
be sent to his voting precinct. On the
envelope is short affidavit form
wherein the voter makes oath that he
has voted it in secret and that he has
not been Influenced in marking it by
the officer before whom he took the
oath. He also attests to his right to
vote. Election day the absent voters
name is entered on the voting regis
tiers and the ballot is deposited in the
ballot box, the same as though he
were personally present.
Our laws have hedged the polls
about with many restrictions, regula-
tons and rules, made necessary, no
doubt, by the desire to keep the ballot
free and unstained by corruption, and
while these restrictions work benefc-
tally in so far as they prevent fraud
and discourage rascality, they have
also acted in a measure to prevent a
large number of voters from casting
their ballots and have actually depriv-
ed many sincere and earnest men of a
citizens highest privilege. Pre-emin-
ent in this class are the travelling men,
intelligent as few professions are as
a whole; intensely interested in the
great question of the day; hearing
those questions discussed and discuss.
ing them from every angle, as they
must in their daily journeys; the first
to note the effect Of every new policy
and law, touching elbows with all
classes as they do and not circum.
scribed by narrow horizon.
eve know and fully appreciate the
power of the travelling statesmen in
North Dakota. They have perhaps
been unable to vote, but their opinion
as they have travelled from town tc
town has settled grave questions fol
us, has elected and defeated men, and
they have, am bound to say, always
been on the side Of honor and decency
in politics. 1t was through their influ
ence and activity that the legislature
was induced to pass a law making i,
possible to poll the votes Of those mer
and all others called from home or
election day.
"The commuter from New Jersey tt
New York is interested. He wants tt
vote, but he cannot take the day of
from his business to do so. His owl
business or his employers will no
permit it. Yet if he can take the bal
lot in his home and with his wife de
liberate upon 1t, and mark it slowl,
and carefully-and not as men mus
on election day, in five minutes or les.
do you judge he will vote with stu
piditv Or thoughtlessness? He will no
It will be the better for the time ant
consideration he can give it. The,
many thousands who live here at tn,
capital could vote If absent voters
laws we're enacted in all the states,
Caught in the reins and dragged t,
death was the unfortunate fate of LIE
land Steiner, the twelve year oil,
nephew of Mrs. A. w. Elliott of Mott
N n Tho Ofohnor. ,,nodo Abo;r l,ox,