Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-28
HOW TO KEEP THE
BALLOT SECRET
Democratic State Chairman lsaacs
Holds That Booths Must be
Used by All.

While the law permits the marking OF
election ballots outside Of the polling
plares. all ballots, to be voted according
10 Democratic State Chairman Henry IL.
Isaacs, must be placed IN the envelopes
which can bc obtained only from the cleo
ton officers. ut the polling places, on eiec-
tion dav, while the voter is III one oil the
private booths in such polling place. bal
lots can he obtained at the headquarters
of the party committees now or any tifne
before voting, and can be marked u,
home or elsewhere, though the custom is
To obtain the ballot from the election OIL
| fcers nj the time of voting. However, the
law permits both courses, but SAYS the
| elector must vote said ballot IN the man
ner heretofore prescribed. The lnier-
ence. therefore. is that the voter must COM
| pIv with the law in that behalf, which re.
nuires the voter to "go alone into any OF
| the booths lin the polling place. which NAV
| he unoccupcd, and deposit the ballot
| which he desires to vote in the envelope
handed him Nv the clerk" Then he leaves
the booth and gives the envelope, with
the ballot enclosed, to an election othcer'
who deposits II in the ballot box.
Relative to the matter OF marking nai-
lots outside Of the polls the law SAYS
III shall bc lawful for any voter to Sc
| 81
man of the various political parties or
from, any other source whatsoever, and TO
mark the same at any time and at any
Dlace before voting the same, and to carry
tho ballot which he has marked 70 the
desirnatcd polling place IN the election
district of which he IS registered ana
ouaLfed voter, and there TO vote 'he
said ballot in the manner heretofore pre-
! scribed
CHAIRMAN tsAACs OPINION.
because az confusing propaganda con-
corning the use Of the booths IN election
rooms Mr. Isaacs said, in discussing the
matter al have thought II necessary 70
mako brief public statement upon tins
matter The information Is gong out thaf
,t-ie only necessary for the voter to 20 into
. thc booth TO mark his or her ballot and
, that If the voter goes to the election room
. Nth tho ballot prepared beforehand, 7 :
only necessary TO put the prepar'd hali"'
into the envelope and hand It back 70 ths
. Inspector, without going INTO me n"o'f
AZ All
trar, ~ the law. and positively dangerous
The voter should 60 into the booth ~ al
cases Par 1867 Sec A. OF the Revtsec
; Code of Delaware specifically provides a
4. | follows.
"On entering the room the voter
! shall announce his name 10 the clerks
az election uho shall register u. tine
~ said clerks shall deliver 10 him an.
4 enyeIope and ballot. furnished 10 the
oIec,;on officers by the clerk Of the
!. neace. The voter shall then, ana
without leaving the room. so alone
into any of the booths which may be
!. uuorcupied. and deposit the ballot
8 which he desires TO vote IN the ensei-
: one handed him by the clerk, and
! on leaving, &C.
Tho Law Il quite clear and Democratic
! election officers viii INSIST upon ~ ot'''
> followed 10 the letter.
>. ..1,Io ;+.corrcct information above re
Z. ferred ia i emanating IN the main, and
q. bonc unintentionallv. from RepubhcaI
:. headouarters. In fact, ! have lust seen
= raDar ,ssued bv women headquarters
= r Rnnubliran state Committee, carrvin
2. instr1ctions calculated 70 impress n
= x,o+er that il * only necessary to 20 int
u boo+h ~ mark the ballot II : undoubf
:. oily time that the voting might procee
y more rapidiv in this way but II Is wron
= and contrary to the law. Besides. as Ind
Gated. il is positively dangerous IN that
= DESTROYS in large measure the secrecy OF u
- ballot
~ ( can rc2QilN De seen 'llat A9uci -
, nlan q ballot. fuilv marked and ready I
]. voting could be placed IN the hands Of
voter NJ the entrance TO the voting pla
ond thar voter could be watched 10 q
vpr,- moment that the ballot previous
,laced in his hands was dropped bv {
,tv ineroctor into the ballot box. II offers
sDlendid plan by which the worker 6.
O Soc with his own ewes. the delivery oi {
.st goods. thereby destroying the secrecy
". The voters ballot and encouraging CORFU
% tiou Democrats and other good citlze
- who want the election 10 proceed IN :
o>2 cordauce with the law and tree from prS
= tlces that even tend 70 corrupt II VIII L
= tolerate this plan.
~ while It viii not be possible to acco
z1 oz1 nodate the voters 50 rapidly, notwii
> standing the specific provision of the Il
- should be applied The Democratic orga
". ;zations. through me. have made eve
reasonable effort toprOcuTe the provision
- additional election machinery IN crowd
az election districts, but the governor OF
2 State has not been inclined to give ear
~ our appeals. Therefore, if some register
% voters are unable TO cast their ballots at
. or only AT great Inconvenience, the
sponsibilitv therefore will not be upon
or upon the Democratic organizations
;5 any event, all good citizens Will az
Z. that we should live by the law throt
,-is This campaign and this election
-I6
xUINE TIII