Arizona republican., 1917-01-27
STANF F0RD MAKES . EIGHT RULINGS
 OF MI PORTANCE

Eight rulings by Judge Stanford. sitting in the election contest case yesterday, made the second day of the trial highly important. in th2t it dis closed the courts attitude on q large number of irregular ballots. In prac- tlcally every instance the vote, unless absolutely disqualified as in the case of the ballot signed C. D. Foster by the elector, apparently, the court ruled to count the ballots This was taken to mean that Judge Stanford aims to interpret the intent of the voter and to award the ballots with absolute fairness to the one the elector evil dently aimed to designate as his choice
 His honor is passing on the ballots in dispute at the conclusion Of the recount of each precinct, so that by d plecemeal ruling he cannot know come. It is the apparent intention of the court to procure q series of rul- ings and agreements of counsel so that subsequent ballots falling into any Of the classes on which a general ruling has been made may be tallied in accord with that general ruling without further argument or delay.
 Out of fiftY-eight disputed ballots considered today all but twelve were passed upon. Today will witness the conclusion of tEe work on Precinct No. l in Stafford, it is thought.
 Tn one case the court took a ruling under advisement. It came up during the argument over a series of ballots marked straight democratic and then for some precinct or county officers Judge Stanford ruled that these should count for Hunt. Another series showed straight democratic and for certain national and state candidates with the exception of Hunt. It is the contention Of the Campbell at torneys that such ballots were in tended 10 skip Hunt
 The rulings, in order, were about as follows:
 ]. Ballots in which the names of prohibition candidates were not printed in blanks provided but with squares at the right of the prohibition blanks, and SC close to the left mar gin of the republican column that number Of voters. becoming confused. voted for Campbell in the square after the Dunlap blank. These were disputed and not counted in the in spection Judge Stanford ruled in accordance with the election board in Stafford, which counted these ballots fo1 Campbell
 In but four counties were the names of prohibition candidates printed in the Dlanks-Maricopa Santa Cruz, Navajo and Pinal In the other ten there were a number of ballots marked as above described. It is said thar there are forty-fiv of them fol Campbell. though the democrats claim there-are but twenty eight.
 fA 11a back was awarded to Hunt. While apparently unimportant in this pre- cinct. this ruling, it IS said, will be very vital one as it will affect a great many ballots so marked ia other divisions.
 3. There was one ballot for Camp bell or which the voter had written under the name of D. II. Claridge, [ Any one else and had placed T cross after this writing in the proper square. This ballot was awarded to Campbell.
 1 A ballot that had mo" written in the place of crosses as voting the amendments was allowed to be counted. Il other words. this method of voting was held to be mot a dis tinctive mark" About 2,500 ballots are affected by this ruling.
 ,. In the case of ballots on which additional crosses had been marked. this was held to be no distinctive mark. l. was in considering this class that the ballot signed "C. D, Foster" came up, and was hurled out by the court.
 6. In ruling on certain ballots Judge Stanford held that a eross that hau been re-crossed. making a sort oi @, which he called "star," showed in his opinion. an attempt to erase the cross
 :. Straight democrat and indi- vdIally voted for precinct officer or officers to be counted for Hunt. A part of this ruling is delayed until to- day, the judge having taken the mat
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