El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-12-07
How Ii Works

The following from the Clayton "Citizen'
throws an interesting light on the workings
of New Mexico's present Justly celebrated
election law.
It seems almost an impossibility to have
elections conducted in Union county strictly
upon "the square and according to the pro
vision of the statutes. Reports are coming
in Of all sorts Of Irregularities and some at
tempted frauds where none we're expected
For instance, in one precinct, it is reported
that as the counting Of the ballots proceed
ed that IT was found that certain candidates
were not receiving the expected maiorities,
the ballot box was Kicked around on the
floor and again picked up and returned to
the box after a shot had been fired at it.
In another precinct it is reported that every
ballot cast was mutilated in a manner which
destroys the secrecy Of the ballot and this
Systematically done. In another precinct,
the judges could not unlock the box so as to
proceed to canvass and count the ballot and
make up the. returns and were ordered to
bring the box to Clayton where the master
key to the situation could be obtained and
the judges canvassed and counted the bal
lots in Clayton with not a single voter of the
precinct present outside themselves.
In Precinct No. /. Clayton; it is claimed
that twenty-five or thirty degal voters were
denied their right Of franchise while others
who were challenged were allowed to vote
unfortunately >one Of whom, being per-
s~iste1tly challenged, was told, upon dis
playing a straight Democratic ticket to the
judgesNof election, by one of the judges, to
vote the ticket and If he lost his job for 50
voting to apply, to the judges of election
for relief. Several OF the boxes did not
have the returns Of the election Judges in
them when unlocked, the returns Of some
having been sent to Santa Re, and others by
express to Clayton.
Under the present regime of election pro-
cedure in Union county, Irregularities and
frauds are not only possible. but probable
and, it would seem, invited to walk right
in, sit right down and make themselves at
honie.a The clerk Of the board pf county
commissioners holds the master key" to
every ballot bcMt in Union county; the
hoard ~oflcounty commissioners, therefore,
through their clerk, holds the master key"
to the official election returns from every
,precinet in the county and when any OF
these are personally, in addition to being
politically, Interested in the outcome Of an
election there is furnished a formulation
that is clearly apparent to all and because
Of this fact suspicion In the minds of thous-.
ands of people at once arises and, though in
many cases without justifiable foundation
too often with justifiahle grounds which aft
erward unfold under the light of inyestiga-
ton. These conditions should not exist, but
they do exist-~at least in Union county.
Another thing connected with the cleo
tfons everywhere is the fact that, too often,
incompetent persons are appointed to hold
such elections in the various precincts It
is often the case that judges Of the election
cannot read or write and are for such lack
Of accomplishment, incompetent to fill such
positions. Such conditions continually rem
der ample reasons and grounds for election
contests which the laws fully provide for;
but which, 1t would seem, should be render
ed unnecessary and very improbable by
strictly lawful procedure in the conduct Of.
all elections which are Intended to reflect
the will and voice Of the people and not
the particular interests of the few.