New-York tribune., 1921-05-09
Voters to Use
Machines to
Name Mayor
About 300 of the Devices
Will BE Ready i'm Novem-
ber and l,7OO More i'm
Following Two Years
Save $3.50, 600 Annually
Bill Fought by Tarnmany
Is Expected TO Make Elec-
ton Contests Impossible

Governor Miller's signature to the
Tolbert-Jesse bill providing for the
adoption of voting machines for New
York City means that about 800 ma
chimes, ali that the manufacturers can
make between now and November, will
be used in the mayoralty election.
Tammany and other interests fought
the passage of the bill to the last ditch
and it was passed only after Sen
ator Tolbert, Assemblyman Jesse and
Elections Commissioner Charles a.
Heydt, Republican, of this city, person
ally appealed to the Governor for an
emergency meassage in its behalf in
the closing hours of the sos7ion.
The opposition to the passage Of the
Tolbert-Jesse bill extended even to the
Board of Elections, President voorhis
and Commissioner Kane throwing their
influence against the change, while
commissioners Heydt and Livingston
favored it,
BY the terms of the bill, if the local
bipartisan election board should dis
agree for as long as thirty days about
the manner of the installation of the
machines, the Secretary of State is
clothed with authority to decide.
Saving of $450,O00 Estimated
1t is expected that about 800 ma
chimes will be installed this year, 1000
next year and the remainder (about
700) the year after. The use of the
machines, after they are ali installed.
will reduce the number of election
districts from 2,737 to about 1000 and
effect net saving estimated at about
S450000 annually.
The machines cost approximately
$3.50 an election district, or $1,900,0oO
to cover 1000 election districts in the
city.
Commissioner Hedyt, who has worked
hard for the last three years for adop-
tion of the voting machine, said:
Il have communicated with the city
clerks OF Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse,
Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie, New Ro-
chel'e, White Plains and Yonkers. in
the State of New York, and Hartford.
New Haven, Meriden, Bridgeport and
Danbury in Connecticut, from each one
Of whom | have received communi-
cation expressing satisfaction with the
use OF the machines.
THE communications I have received
all concur that the result is known
cne-half nour after the polls close, and
that recounts or any questioning of re-
turns are absolutely unknown in locali-
ties where the machines are used.
Saves Printing Ballots
"The saving in the printing of ball
lots will be close to 100000 wear.
me life of machine is practically in
dennlte, as no repairs are necessary.
and there is no appreciable deprecia
ton. The machines when not in use
are packed up in tight boxes with their
covers screwed on. The mechanism is
made of enameled steel and will not
rust If kept in dry place. The board
is considering storing the machines
In the Easements of school BUILDINGS
The machine is practically fool
proof. A voter cannot make anv mis-
takes. 1t does away with improper
marking of the ballot, as we'll as with
blank ballots and with substitution of
ballots.
"The machine protects voter
against his own ignorance. He can
vote for only the proper number Of
candidates. Many ballots now ARE
Volded through this kind of error.
The expense attaching to the re-
cent recount in the McGoIdrick- Was
sservogel contest reached about $500 a
day. Such thing will be Impossible
after the bollots are cast by the ma
chlnes, To sum it up, the machines
save expense and do away with re-
counts and fraud.