White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1920-10-17
COUNTY CLERK OLDF|ELO evolves
NEW REGISTRATION METHOD

CounIy clerk Il. ID. Oldneld, as re-
suit of his experience with handling
the rigesitration of voters under the
new election law. has developed sys-
tenn which, IL permitted by law. would
rave the county and state thousands of
dollars of expense at elections The
present system has many weak points
and necessitates the use of tons of
paper and requires additional clerical
force to prepare.
Under the present system the appli-
cant for registration Is required to fill
out a registration card with all the de-
tails necessary for Identification: this
card is then numbered by the clerk and
filed alphabetically and according to
precinct. The details on the card are
then typewriter on the sheets for the
registration books; an original and
three copies or four copies are then
made on the registration sheet; one
copy for the office record. one copy for
the precinct book. one copy for the sec
retary of state and one copy for. the
general election. When the first regis
tration is for the primary election. the
fifth copy Is to be revised and sent to
the secretary of state for the general
election. When the registration for the
general election Is closed these sheets
have to be revised and the new names
added. After the general election the
registration sheets are compared with
the poll books and the voters who did
not cast vote at the general cleo
ton have their names cancelled for
such failure to vote. This necessitates
a re-register for the next primary. III
| a clerk of election should fail to mark
| the name of a voter on the poll book.
such name will then be cancelled In
the official register and IL the cancella-
| tion Is not known to the registrant and
he does not register he loses his vote
at the next election This error has
1 been noted by the county clerk. hut In
the cases discovered the voter inquired
about his registration In time to regis
ter again. This system requires thous-
ands OF dollars for paper and as names
of voters are carried over for two years
is not true register of voters In the
| county and opens an avenue for fraud
In elections.
The system proposed by the county
clerk will make Identification OF the
save paper and labor The idea Is to
use form similar to the cards but
printed on sheets of paper that arc
contained in a loose leaf book. Tho
applicant for registration will answer
the questions necessary to his qualifi-
cations as an elector and sign the name
| below his answers. The forms will be
in duplicate and a carbon used between
the sheets. which Will transfer all the
detail with the true signature OF the
voter to the second sheet. When the
books are closed for registration the
original sheet containing about four
forms with the riginal signatures of
| the elector will be transferred to the
precinct books and used at the election.
| II question should arise as to the
identity of the voter. the inspector of
election could require the applicant to
sign his name and this could be com
pared with the original on the regis
| tration book
To inaugurate this system il would
be necessary for electors to register
before each election the same as was
the practice under the old election law.
This system would almost guarantee
| against error as the names of regis
tants would be handled only once
while the present system requires the
transfer OF the names many times.
About one-ffth of the amount of paper
would be used the present binders.
which were an expensive outlay to the
county. could be used and the work Of
preparing the books could be easily
han niled by one person. The only ex-
ira copy of the resistrants would be
made for the newspapers.
Tne installation OF the present sys-
tenn OF registration cost the county
about $4,000 and the paper necessary
i TO maintain IL runs into the hundreds
| with e.
| help.
The board of county commissioners
at the regular meeting in September
| named the same election OFFICERS who
acted for the primary election TO serve
in the various precincts for the general
election. Tn some precincts new offi-
GERS were appointed to fiji the vacan-
cies caused by the resignation of the
officers.
According to the provisions of the
election law the inspectors and clerks
or the general election shaft continue
| In onice for all elections of civil offi-
GERS to be held in their precincts until
other inspectors shall be appointed
The law provided IL in any precinct
any such inspectors or clerks are un-
willing TO serve they should notify the
board OF county commissioners within
five days after the receipt of the no
tice OF their appointment. and the
county board Immediately appoints
some suitable person TO NIL the vacancy.
Failure TO notify the board OF county
! commissioners of any unwii,ingness TO
serve as an inspector or clerk will sub
ject the person tn a penalty OF not less
than ten nor mors than one hundred
dollars.
IL through accident or sickness on
the day of election OF any election offi-
Ger, tho inspectors present on the morn
ing OF election may appoint some suit
ohsa parann IN All fnx. yo~~