The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-09-13
RIVERSIDE PRECINCT
CONFUSES ELECTION
Precinct Officials Vote Upwards of Thirty Times
Without Knowing 1t. These Modern "Re-
peaters" Unable to Explain. Bit
ton Family Favored.
GREAT SPORT FOR THE J0KERS

On canvassing the returns of last
weeks election, the commissioners
found that Willow Creek precinct
had failed to send in the vital part
Of their returns and the sheriff had
to go for them.
Riverside did the peculiar freak
OF writing in the name of Harry Bit
ton on all the Democratic ballots,
nominating him for assessor. This
was done by the officers or at their
order before handing out the ballots
to the voters. When Commissioners
F. 7. Halverson went into the booth
to mark his ballot he observed that
feature of his ballot and returned It
saying that it had been mutilated.
They Informed him that it was not
mutilatfon, as they had done it them
selves by request. HalversOn went
on and voted, but brought the matter
10 the attention of the board and
county attorney, and they are irving
to determine whether Riverside has
annulled its election by having it's
officers vote their own tickets and
as many othsrs as they wished.
Thls Office rang up some of the |,
election officers to get their version
or the matter but could not get in
touch with all Of them. Those ap-
pointed by the board in the first
place were Louis Bitton, Lila Bales
and Philip Anderson for polling
Judges, and Emmeron Christensen.
Eliza Fackrell and Addie Inskeen
Tor canvassing judges.
MRS. Bales responded to our phone
sall and said that she did not know
It whose request or by whose auth
,rlty the name was written in, but \
hat Philip Anderson acted as clerk.
md did the writing. II
Louis Bitton when interviewed !
AID ne acted as judge, and that his ]
ather told him to have 1t done and
le had Philip Anderson write it in. q
anderson was distributing clerk. and I
lis father, j. w. Bitton, was the '
)emocratic committeeman for the e
reclnct, and Louis stated that he l
az authority to make the order and
opposed his father as committeeman d
'as entitled to have it carried out. v
we asked Mr.. Bitton what would s
ave been done If some other person
llglDle to office had come along and
sked to have his name written in
10, and Mr.. Bitton said he did not
now, but he did not think it would v,
ave been done. We asked him then
the fact that it was one of their v,
Imily had made the difference in
ettlng action, and he said he did not v,
INK SO; he did not know who had
liked to his father about it, but he 1,
lderstood that it was Mr.. Harris. Ell
Blackfoot, Mr.. Charles e. Harris. si
We rang the home of ]. w. Bitton.
'ecinct committeeman, and his ca
lughter answered the phone and
Id that her father was out on Lost bi
lver. When asked if she knew any- ac
ing about the matter of writing in
e name, she said she did not. ex- th
pting that Mr.. Harris and Mr.. tn
truth of Blackfoot had rung up tw
d talked to her father about having
TRY Bitton run for nomination, and
ey had asked her father If he
ought Harry would accept. That
nversation was several days before ,,,
. election. W. W.
CHARLES e. harris is the chairman 10;
the Democratic county central in,
nmAttoo anu WHEN we asked him vo
out the matter he did not seem to ore nu
oW OF the latest trouble but said Wy
Vt j.. w. Bitton had filed the nom bo
lion for his son Harry during wa @
rry's absence in the hills. Harry W."
not return until the time had ex-
ed for filing his acceptance and no. He
iy could file it for him. Harry
d he was sorry he did not know .
tut 1t in time, as he would have
n glad to make the race. Mr.. GOV
rris In conference with the other SID
nocrats decided to have Bitton's giv
ne written in on the ballots by DOT
ew voters, and in the absence of j,
other candidate on the Democra- S-4
ticket, few votes would place
In nomination. they had passed
word out among the Democrats Z
: the county as much as they ciat
Id, and asked them to write his dav
le on the ballot. ali
When asked if he thought II a r
Der thing for the precinct cleo Sent