The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-01-23
AUSTRALIAN BALLOT
BILL TO CONE BEFORE
STATE LEGISLATURE
Representative Mehlhop Has Pre-
pared One Which, If Passed,
Will Give New Mexico Up.to.
date Law Governing Elections,

Especial Dispatch TO Evening Herald
santa re. n. NJ, Jan. ga bill
which. II passed. will in the opinion of
many mark the turning point Of New
Mexico into the straight patn OF pro-
gress. will be introduced In d iesis-
lnturc today. " there ~ ttnv This
il the Australian ballot law. prepared
by Representative :. l.. Mohthpn "
Chaves county.
II is a carefully prepared four
square measure. ~ fills over thirty
Itypewritton pages. aud H. In effect u
codification ~ all existing Ncw Mex
leo election laws. nave h law refer
ring To- the votes OF railway men abb
sent from their homes ON election lay.
This has been left in another bin. 10
allow IL TO be worked over separately.
Il do not know what Is meant hy
modified Au-traiinn ballot" said Mr..
Mchlop today. This bin is intended
60 give the Australian ballot IN It's
full and complete form. IL only mod
incatiun from the most advanced
election laws practicod IN the United
states today, Is the use Of the words
New McXico' whore the state In
which the las Is 90 apply, Is referred
to-
The regulations prohibit cicctiunoor-
ing within 90 feet Of polling places.
They prescribe that voting shall he ip
booths SO constructed az to nc absu-
lutely private 10 the voter. Inc form
of the ballot H. such that the names
u an parties and an candidates ace
before the voter az the timc he casts
his vote. and he can mark by a simple
cross in ink or pencil the mcr he
wants.
strict prescriptions as TO thc hand
ling Of ballots are made The printer
who actually strikes OF the hdilo,s.
and the proprietor Of inc shop must
make affidavit As Co the exact number
printed, including tfuse that wei,
spoiled and destroyed. From that
time ou, the course of the ballots o.
| Circumsurihed, first, hy the allda.its
OF county clerks distributing them.
and of election judges handing them
| out. and counting them. Complete
records accompanied by %aftduvits are
acquired. Ballots must DE shipped by
| express OF registered mail Ia sealed
| packages. or in cases where personal
messengers are necessary. must be re-
Ceiptod for. Even ballots accidentally
| spoiled iu voting and for which new
ones have been furnished must be re-
ported, 10 avoid crrurts IN Ia count.
The law provides the method hy
(which candidates may get their num,s
ON the tickets. II is interesting TO note
that at present there Is mo- way men
toned I'm the statutes. Mt. Mehihoi
would have state officers certify {,
the names Of state candidates entitled
to be voted Tor. and countThaiImc,
Of the political parties testify to IA,
same fact In regard TO county or dis
tTict candidates. Anticipating th'
passage 81 some time OF a primary
election law, the bill says that tho
Officials OF election. when such there
be. shall Identify the candidates.
should MIR Mehlhop's bill be passed
II would be printed in pamphlet form
for wide distribution. 'ommeutin.
upon the workabilty of an Australian
ballot law i'm New Mexico, ~ author
said. ~ am positive that the pcopl'
OF Chaycs county. whom { snow per
haps better than those of other SO,
tons would experience 100 difficulty o.
Registering their votes under this sya
Item. / believe that the people of Sow
Mexico generally are iutclllEcu
enough for the exercise of the Aus
traliau ballot, OF course, a rev ms
takes are inevitable. Voting as We ii
NOW, votes have to DE thrown out al
every election because some voters 90
not know how To- mark their ticket
There would always hc the same con
ditiou. uut It's uumhcrs are go small
as tu Boz negligible. iu consideration 20
the vast benefit Boz clean. uuiutluou"o'
elections that viii follow the pua-aEe 20
this bin. II this bill which { have care
ulIy drafted, fs passed, I shall fec
th3t my tine at Santa Fc has beer
more thar Htll spent
The Introduction of the ballot ro
torn bin is another step iu the pro
lrrlw outlined hr frr governor bon hiN
lm.ssasr aud which tho pomu.iui- afI
IcudolNulinp tu cars out iu complete
mess