The Alaska citizen., 1915-01-25
Phone 26z Phone
CHANGING ELECTION LAWS.

Territorial Representative Collins, of Fox, is planning the introduction ill the legislature of bill to in.- prove the election laws ot Alaska. The details of his proposed measure are not known. but it is understood that it will provide for the Austral- ian ballot system.
 Since the Australian ballot sys tenn was first introduced in the United States. il Las undergone many changes. and today is as much of an improvement over what 1t was originally, as it was in those days ahead of the antiQuated sys tenn it succeeded. So it will be ad visable for the legislature to make the new law include as many of it's late improvements as will be prac- ticable in Alaska where so many communities are small and elections are held under difficulty.
 Naturally the members of the legislature do not want to burden the voters of Alaska with a compli- cated voting system which would tend to confuse judges and voters alike, but, at the same time, while the law is being remodeled care should be taken to make it as good as conditions will permit,
 Among the features of the law as il should be applied to Alaska should be the necessity of registration before election time. If the law is changed without making registra- ton a necessity, it might almost as well be left iii its present condition for without registration the Austral- ian ballot system will never give the results it is intended for
 Suppose for instance that the law should be made to read that every United States commissioner should be required to visit the settled dis tricts within Lis jurisdiction at given dates previous to election. and regis ter while there the voters who may desire to vote. This would make il possible for all voters to register. In case a voter then does not have a chance to register before election time, he could be permitted to vote just as voters in other places can do, ty bringing citizens to the polls to testify that he is entitled to vote.
 One of the great faults with the present system in Alaska, is that too much unnecessary responsibility is placed upon the judges of election. Everyone who has served as a judge here knows that invariably instances arise where the judges differ in re gard to a mans right to vote
 If voters are required to registe: previously, the judges simply turn to the registration books to see if a person is entitled to vote. If his or her name is there. then there is no objection, but if it is not there that is to demand the testimony of other citizens regarding the right Of a person to vote The voter is then put under oath and answers specified questions, which reduces the respon- sibility of the judges.
 If the Australian ballot system is adopted, the candidates for all par ties will be on one ticket. and there will be no confusion about the tickets, for they will be prepared under official direction. In that case, too, the voters will be required to make out their ballots in booths, where no one can know how they are vot- ing.
 What the members of the legisla- ture should do before passing upon q new election law. is to get copies of some of the election laws of the States, and to cull from these the best ideas obtainable. Then they should make the law as simple as possible, so as not to cause too great confusion on the part of the election judges and the voters, many of whom in Alaska are still unfam- iliar with the methods now in use Outside.