Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-10-28
MISTAKE MADE.
IN PR|N TING.
1000 BALLOTS.
Stickers Will Be Used to
Cover Up Technical Error
in the Independent Column
Attorney General Rules the
Word Ticket and Circle
Shall Not Appear at Top
AUDITORS BALK

Boise, Oct. 25.-IWO county au-
ditors have refused to remove the
circle and name ticket over
the Independent party on the Of
fetal election ballots, and have
wired the secretary of state for
instructions. Judge D. 7. Miller
of the probate court of Ada cOun-
tv has ruled that the change must
be made in this county and the at
tornev general. in an opinion, says
it must be made in all counties.
The secretary of state has in
Formed the auditors that he will
give no instructions. The opinion
of the attorney general is not of
sufficient prestige to warrant the
changing of the ballots, the audi
tors claim.
In most counties the ballots will
have to be reprinted.
Seven thousand election ballots for
lse in Idaho county were printed err
oneously. This developed, after a rul-
ng had been made by Roy L. Black,
.ttorney general of Idaho, on the form
or the independent, or Non-partisan
icket.
Non-partisan league candidates
ames appear On the official ballot un-
er the heading, independent" The
aption at the head of the independ-
mt column nthe Idaho county ballot
cad independent ticket It is I'M
awful for the word "ticket - to appear
{ the head of the Independent column.
his word, on the ballot, has been
lotted out by the county auditor
Also, as the ballots were printed, a
irele appears at the head of the in
ependent column. This, also, is UNI
,wful It is said stickers will be
laced over the circle. Tt is under
TODD no objection will be raised To-
allv to the use of stickers, although
! some counties, it is declared, the
ntire supply of ballots will be reprint
d. owing to objections to the
tickers.
Errors similar to those made in Ida
o county were made in practically
very county in the state.
ATTORNEY GENERALS RULING
Attorney General Black ruled that
was contrary to the election laws to
ave a circle printed at the head of
ne independent ticket, thereby en-
bling the voter to cast straight bal
#. 1t is also unlawful to have the
ord "ticket" after independent,
3 ruled.
The opinion was the result of an
,tion of correction filed in the pro-
ate court at Boise. The statutes
-ovide that, where the candidates
ere nominated by petitions, as were
10 independents, that it is unlawful
have a circle at the top of the !
lllot enabling the elector to vote a |
raight ticket, according to the opin-
n.
An excerpt from the opinion fol-
WIS: "In summary there seems to
Q to be but one conclusion, and l do
It know that / can state it any more
earlv that the statute has, and that
the names of all independent can
dates shall be printed in a separate
lumn on the ballot, and nothing
all appear at the top except the sim
2 word Independent, excluding the
Gle and the word ticket. "
MUST HAVE BLANK COLUMN
An opinion was handed down Fri
Y by the attorney general, in reply
an inquiry from Republican head
arters at Boise asking as to whether
was in accordance with the law to
it providing space for the writing in
names. The letter says that on
ne of the ballots that have been
nted by the county auditors this has
! been done.
The reply of the attorney general
IS that it is not within the law
omit this space and quotes sec
n of Statute 573 to show the exact
son.