The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1917-03-23
IMPORTANT LAWS or THE
LAST LEGISLATURE

effective IN 90 days.
The bill Is one Of 30 measures that
have received the approval Of Gov
cmor Lindsey since Yesterday after
noon. The number includes the
workmen's compensation act. the bill
providing for a state budget and the
bill authorizing 5000 additional
TO the state capitol, in the event al
bond issue of that amount is approx
ed by the voters OF the state.
| The Australian ballot Law was
drawn originally by Attorney Francis
c. Wilson of this city. and was re-.
drawn by the house Judiciary commit
tee. The provision relative 10 the
marking Of ballots reads In part, as
follows;
"On the receipt of his ballot the
elector shall forthwith. and without
leaving the polling place. return alone
Ia one of the booths or compartments
provided Tor such purposes aud pre-
pare his ballot. " Ne wishes ~ vote
straight party ticket be -hall make
q cross IN the circle beneath the name
Of such party and his vote shall be-
considered ~ having been cast for
the name app, airing on the ballot. III
the voter does not desire TO vote o.
strnight party ticket and desires 10
vote for any particular candidate OF
any other political party, the ticket
Of which appears ON the ballot. he
may do 80 by making cross in the
square opposite the name of any such
candidate. nr by writing the name Of
the person Tor whom he desires To-
vote aud whose name Is not printed
on the ballot ia the blank space pro
,idcd therefor, and making q cross
IN the square to the right thereof
and IN such ease such vote shall b.
considered ~ having been east for
every candidate Of the political party
in the circle below the designating
name Of which he -hn;l have maze
the cross. except those rhom o. has
otherwise designated a. herein pro
vided
Continuing. this provision state
that the voter. instead of making n
cross b tho circle below the pnuy
name and emblem. NAV vote o
straight ticket by making cross IN
the squnrc opposite each name on the
ticket.
Concerning the manner OF voting
the law says
Before leaving the booth on com
pnriment the clector shall fold hi
ballot in such manner that the mum
her shall appear on the outside there
OF without displaying the marks On
the face thereof. aud he shall keep V
folded until he has voted. The elec-
tor shall thercupon deliver the folded
ballot To the Judge of election, who
shall. IN an audible tone oi voice. an
nouncc the name of the elcctor and
the number of the ballot The clerks
of the election shall thorcupon write
opposite the name of such elcctor IN
the poll book or registration lit the
number of such ballot and the word
voted, aud one of such clerks shall
call back ia an audl6lc ton. of voice
the name uf the eloctor and the num-
her of the ballot. The Judge of clcc-
tion shall thercupon detach the slip
NJ the upper right hand corner of the
ballot containing the number thereof,
aud shall Immediately deposit the
ballot, unopened. IN The ballot box,
aud the slip 50 detached shall be i'm
mcdiatcly destroyed
The law contains an ''absent
voters" clause, providing that "any
. qualified elector unavoidably absent
from hs home precinct ON election
day, and more than IL miles distant
. from such precinct, may vote IN any
precinct or election district or ward
IN the state" Ii makes il necessary,
however, for the absent voter to pre-
sent . certificate from the board Of
registration OF his home precinct
. showing that he is duly registered
and qualified io vote. and to make an
! affidavit before the election Judges
in the precinct where he offers t.
vote. Ia the event the absent voter
Is outside of his own county he can
+ vote only for federal. state and dis
triot officers, the right to vote fol
county office being denied him.
The law provides that there shat
be at least one voting booth for everN
b 80 electors registered, and cleo
tioneering within 90 feet of any vot'
ing place IL made a misdemeanor, i
h provided that IN the event voter
asks for assistance IN the marking oi