Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-10-16
VOTING MACHINES !.
GO INTO DISCARD
OTHER COUNTIES PROBABLY
WILL FOLLOW LEAD OF
POLK SUPERVISORS.
USE OF PAPER BALLOTS
WILL ADD TO COSTS
Will Make Voting Easier For Women
Republicans Counting on Straight
Ballots Being Cast For Party
Nom inees-stratehina Made Easier
Under Changes in Law.
Special to Times-Republican.

Des Moines. Oct. 1s.-The order
given by the Polk county board of
supervisors Friday to the county
auditor to use paper ballots at the
coming election and discard tho vot-
ing machines may be followed by
other counties over the state where
such machines are used. The opinion
of the attorney general given q few
weeks ago that the machines did not
meet the requirements OF the revived
ballot caused sufficient anxiety on the
part OF candidates and members Of
the county board here that law suits
might result following the election to
cause the board to throw out tho
machines.
County Auditor Frank Alder esti-
mates that It will cost at least $4,000
more to use the paper ballots than 1t
would have cost to use the voting
machines. 1t will require much long
err time to count the ballots as the
total vote Il registered when the last
vote Is cast and for that reason will
delay election RETURNS perceptibly in
Polk county and In other counties
where the machines are discarded.
However. many OF the women who
are using the ballot for the first time
say 1t will be easier for them to vote
by ballot than by the machine since
they have q better opportunity TO
practice on sample ballots before
election day comes than they could
have had to practice on voting
machines.
Lack Of q party lever on voting
machines disqualifles them, according
to Attorney General Havner's ruling.
When the voting machines first came
out here they were equipped with,
party levers as those were the days
when the original party circle was on
the ballot. When the party circle
was taken of the party lever had to
be discarded. Now that the Thirty
eighth general assembly has restored
the party circle with the added pro-
vision that the voter can mark his
party circle and scratch his ballot
also the voting machine manufacture
ers are facing q new problem.
Counting on Straight Vote.
The republicans are counting on q
big per cent Of straight ballots and
the women workers particularly In
their talks to the newly enfranchisedi
voters are stressing this point of vot-;
Ing straight ticket. II this expec-5
tation is fulfilled the task of counting
the ballots will be considerably SIM
plified
It is also natural supposition that
whatever scratching is done will not
be of a very extensive nature, that is
the scratching will be confined to one
or two offices possibly.
fpast experiences Of election judges
are an indication the average BUSH
ness man will make more mistakes
with his ballot this year than other
classes Of voters. The explanation
for this is that the busy business man
neglects to study these things until
he is confronted with q strange look
ing sort Of a ballot in the election
booth and then he discovers he Is I'M
familiar with the details Of voting.
The women. however, all reports
show, are studying the details of
marking their ballots and the indica-
lions are they win know exactly how
to express their wishes when cleo
ton day comes.
The one new provision on the bal
lots this year is the opportunity given
the voter to mark the circle at the
top Of his party and then, If he wants
to vote for q fayorite candidate on
some other party ticket he can mark
the square in front Of his man. Under
the old party circle ballot this could
not be done.
However, as is explained in q pam
phlet just issued by the women's
division OF the republican commit
tee, where this method Of scratch
ing is followed, care must be taken
as to those offices where more than
one candidate is to be elected, such
as judges Of the supreme court, dis
trict judges and in some cases legis-
lators. In such cases the cross in the
circle at the top Of his ticket shall
not apply to said office, but the vote
must mark cross In the square a,
the left of the name of each candi.
date for whom he intends to vote