Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-25
"Bailot Reform"
Fort Fairfield, Maine, Feb. %.

Editor Kennebec Journal:
1 have recently received a blank
petition coming from the Maine Ballot
Reform Association, asking from the
Legislature a new form of official
ballot, and a new method of marking
such ballot, with a request to me to
sign and circulate the same.
Now l cannot consistently or con-
scientiously sign or circulate such a
petition. l am unalterably opposed
to such new form Of ballot and new
method of marking the same for rea-
sons which seem to me sound and
conclusive.
In fact, it was at my own sugges-
ton, based upon the results obtained
under the ballot form and marking, as
first used in this State. being very
nearly the form and marking called
for by this petition. that succeeding
Legislature adopted the form AMI
method Of marking now in use. and "a
that time l placed before the Judi
ciary Committee for their inspection
the official ballot Of every State in the
Union then using the Australian bal
lot
l am not sure that the form of
ballot and mode of marking proposed
il this petition is the exact Massa-
chusetts system. II may not be pre-
cisely the form and method originally
used in this State a mixture perhaps.
But whatever it's features the voters
of this State. under any change must
oil =
losing the benefit of their voting eX-
perience of twenty-five years. AS
Secretary Of State it fell to my lot to
inaugurate the secret ballot system IL
this State. After the first election
under the then form Of ballot and
method of marking, l tabulated, 70.
my own information. the entire vote
OF the state and discovered, or
thought l discovered in that ballot
form and marking method, certain
inperfections and objectionable fea-
lures. which might be remedied in the
interest of everybody in the State.
Three Of these only will refer to.
FIRST-As l remember it. the de-
fective ballots, in the whole State
were about 10000 Some part of this
result might properly be attributed TO
the change from an open to a secret
ballot, but the evidence seemed TO
show that the chief reason for such q
deplorable result. was the confusion
existing in the voters mind. owing to
the fact that under the ballot form
and marking method then used, the
voted had an alternative method Of
marking. The voter could then either
mark one cross opposite the party
name at the head Of the column o.
group, or he might mark his several
crosses opposite the several names of
the candidates in the group. He
could not do both, and the alternative
puzzled him.
SECOND-I discovered that over
IS per cent. Of the voters. at that
time, irrespective of political party
afliation, desired to vote straight
party tickets; less than five per cent.
OF the voters desired to vote split
tickets. 1t seemed to me then, as
now. that five per cent. tail ought not
to swing the IS per cent. dog. That
that form of ballot and marking
method was not responsive to popu-
lar desire, was not the best that
could be devised for the bulk of the
voters, and would not be, so long as
political parties should continue to
attract the great majority Of the vot-
ers as party adherents, which is the
situation now as It was then and as
il is likely to be while political par
ties exist.
THIRD-It was apparent that the
voter using that original form Of
ballot, who elected not to mark the
single cross opposite the party name,
but chose to mark the crosses oppo
site the several candidates names, in
a great many instances, after having
marked for governor. congressman,
and perhaps for some few candidates
lower down on the list or group,
stopped voting. In most of the vot-
ing precincts of the State. few if any
candidates kept up with the head of
the ticket, and in many precincts the
discrepancy was great. particularly as
to the last few names on the list or
group.
After devoting much time to study
ing the matter it seemed to me then,
as it seems to me now. that the Of
fetal ballot and the method of mark
ing it should be devised to obtain
certain results for the average voter,
the plain people" the most of the
people, rather than for the few more
highly educated voters who might
properly be assumed to be able to
comprehend and properly mark any
sort Of ballot.
The form and marking should be Sd
devised as to prevent defective bal
lots, be responsive to the desires and
convenience of the great bulk of the
voters. the 95 per cent, be that form
and marking requiring the least OF
the voters time and study to enable
him to promptly and correctly dis
charge his duty, and should safeguard
as far as possible the right Of every
candidate to be voted for by the in
dividual voter; as we'll the candidate
at the foot, as the candidate at the
head Of the ticket, while still pre-
serving to its fullest extent, the right
and privilege to vote split ticket at
will. 1t was for these reasons, upon
these grounds, and for these pur-
poses alone, that l suggested the
present ballot form and marking
method and the Legislature Of that
time agreed. became convinced that
to secure these results, either the
cross opposite the marty name at the