The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-03-22
GOVERNOR LINDSEY SIGNS
AUSTRALIAN BALLOT Law

Aus RALlhN bALLOI Law
The Australian ballot law passed by
the last legislature was signed by Gov.
Lindsey Wednesday morning. 1t will
become effective in 80 days.
The bill is one of 60 measures that
have received the approval of Govern
or Lindsey since Tuesday afternoon.
The number includes the workmen's s
compensation act, the bill providing
for state budget and the bill author.
izing 100000 additional to the state
capitol, in the event bond issue of
that amount is approved by the voters
of the state.
The Australian ballot law was drawn
originally by Attorney Francis G. Will
son, and was redrawn by the house ju-
dietary committee. The provision rel
ative to the marking of ballot reads in
part, as follows:
"On the receipt Of his ballot the
elector shall forthwith, and without
leaving the polling place, return alone
to one of the booths or compartments
provided for such purposes and pre-
pare his ballot. If he wishes to vote
a straight party ticket, he shall make
a cross in the circle beneath the name
of such party and his vote shall be
considered as having been cast for
such party upon such ballot. II the
voter does not desire to vote straight
party ticket and desires to vote for
any particular candidate of any other
political party, the ticket of which ap-
pears on the ballot, ne may do so by
making cross in the square opposite
the name of any such candidate, or by
writing the name of the person for
whom he desires TO vote and whose
name is not printed on the ballot in
the blank space provided therefor, and
making a cross in the square to the
right thereof; and in such case such
vote shall be considered as having been
cast for every candidate Of the poll
tical party in the circle below the des-
ignating name of which he shall have
made the cross, excepting those whom
he has otherwise designated as herein
provided"
Continuing, this provision states
that the voter, instead of making a
cross in the circle below the party
name and emblem, may vote a straight
ticket by making "a cross in the square
opposite each name on the ticket.
Concerning the manner of voting,
the law says:
Before leaving the booth or COM
partment the elector shall fold his bal
lot in such manner that the number
shall appear on the outside thereof
without displaying the marks on the
face thereof, and he shall keep it fold
ed until he has voted. The elector
shall thereupon deliver the olded bal
lot to a Judge of election, who shall.
in an audible tone of voice, announce
the name Of the elector and the num-
ber of the ballot. The clerks of the
election shall thereupon write opposite
the name of such elector in the poll
book or registration list the number
Of such ballot and the word voted
and one of such clerks shall call back
in an audible tone of voice the name
Of the elector and the number of the
ballot. The judge of election shall
thereupon detach the slip at the upper
right hand corner of the ballot con-
tanning the number thereof and shall
Immediately deposit the ballot, un-
opened, in the ballot box, and the slip
so detached shall he Immediately de
stroyed."
The law contains an "absent vot-
er's" clause, providing that "any quail
ified elector unavoidably absent from
his home precinct on election day, and
more than Is miles distant from such
precinct, may vote in any precinct or
election district or ward in the state"
II makes it necessary, however, for the
absent voter to present a certificate
from the board of registration of his
home precinct showing that he is duly
registered and qualified to vote, and
to make an affidavit before the cleo
ton judges in the precinct where he
offers to vote. In the event the absent
voter is outside of his own county he
can vote only for federal, state and
district officers, the right to vote for
county officers being denied him.
The law provides that there shall
be at least one voting booth for every
rs electors registered, and election
eering within 80 feet of any voting
place is made a misdemeanor II is
provided that in the event a voter asks
for assistance in the marking Of his
ballot he shall select one of the cleo
ton clerks to give him such assist
ance.