The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1919-12-19
VOTING BY MAIL
SHOULD Be TRIED
FOR convenience
This Plan Will Save Women
Voters From Both Insult and
Jostling, and Mail Voters
Much Time.
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
FOR VOTERS HOME STUDY


This being in the offing it behooves
one to give some thought to this
proposition.
1t is a hard matter to get out the
woman vote at this time, and under
present conditions it will continue to
be problem. But let no one forget
that the undesirable woman, once
with the voting power in her hand,
will fully exercise the suffrage given
her. The woman who will stay at
home will be the honest, conscien-
tious mother with a multitude of
duties who feels she is tied down
with service.
The proposition that looms large in
this connection, then, is how to get
the ballots of the good but hard
working women into the ballot box.
There is a simple method that can be
invoked if one will; it is none other
than taking the ballot box to our
women, and when we do this in TAX
ing the ballot box to every voter. If
the mountain won't come to Mo-
hammed then Mohammed must go to
the mountain. But how is this to be
done, you may ask.
Put into effect a system of voting
by mail. Print the tickets, for the
close of the campaign, as is done now.
But instead of requiring the voters
to go to some central place to vote,
requiring journey of a half mile, a
mile, or even several miles, mail the
ballots to the voters-all in one big
sheet-giving them a week or 10 days
to mark and return, and after they
are returned have competent board
to canvass them and give them plenty
of time to do this. Ballots that are
irregular, or show surface indications
of fraud, can and will be turned over
to a competent board for investiga-
ton, and if there is just cause the
violators of law will be punished in
a manner similar to what is now done.
This will enable the woman to sit
al home and study the ticket before
she marks it, then mark and mail to
the proper board. 1t will give the
men voters the same privilege. There
will be no need for undue haste, and
the voter who is uncertain concerning
some candidate asking his franchise
will have ample time to inquire into
the merits of the candidate, or even
to carry on somewhat of an investiga-
ton. Not only will much waste Of
time by male voters be saved, but
each and every woman can vote right
in her own home, avoid the annoy
ance of election day jostling, save
herself the opportunities that go with
running the gauntlet of solicitors
near the booths, and in a dozen ways
women will be benefited by the new
law.
Much of the dishonesty still cling
ing to elections in a large city will
in this way be eliminated. There can
be no further criticism of woman for
her desire to become by act what she
can not escape in fact of her respon-
sibility in government. A dissolute OF
dishonest candidate will have little
chance of winning under such a sys-
tenn. Where women choose to try for
an office there will be no burden to
bear as under the present system
The institution of plan of voting by
mail will enhance both the efficiency
Of men and women in public Office and
it will greatly improve the morality
attached to the individual and the
service.
Thousands of dollars the country
over will be saved to the taxpayers
by this method. Two cents will carry
the ballots and explanation to the
voter and two cents will carry the
marked ballot back to the canvassers
of the returns. Much more than this
cost is attached to the present meth
ods of holding an election. Then, in
addition, thousands of days work ot
the voters time will be saved for pro-
ducing something for mankind in.
stead of wasting in a non-essential
way time that could be made valu-
able to the race.
In Oregon the voter is given data
as to every man running for Office. A
short biography Of every man seeking
votes is printed in a combined pamph-
let and mailed to every voter in thu
county. For State candidates the bi.
ography may be of considerable
length; the candidates for major
county Offices are given 500 words
and for lesser offices 300 words. Each
candidate may prepare his owr
biography, which must then run {
gauntlet of board made up to repre-
sent all political differences repre-
sented. These are all printed ant
bound in a single volume, and copy
mailed to each voter in ample tim'
for him to study uD on every candi
date in his county as well as all th'
State candidates.
These two steps-the second O
which has been tried and found bene
ficial-will solve the question Of wo
man voting ITO a man., for she cal
vote from her home. Giving man tn
same privilege will widen the scop
of his franchise, making voting les
of task. put an end to many of tn
present-day evils that surround ou
elections these two steps would mari
the greatest advancement in fran
chise Of the present age. Condensed
it would mean:
Greatly reduced election cost.
Greater convenience in one bein
able to vote from his home.
Elimination Of many evils, the car
vassing board having ample time I
rim -doxxrsa all ;,.s.o1u,al ,ss4;an ~ sss1e