New-York tribune., 1922-01-18
Simplicity and
Saving Claimed
In Election Bill
Joint Committee Submits
10 Legislature Proposed
Statute, One-third Less
Bulky Than Present One
Scc$5OO, ,OOOExpenseCut
Would Extend TO City System
Abolishing Poll Books
and Services of Clerks

ALBANY, Jan. ia bill introduced
in Tho Legislature to-day by the Joint
Legislative Committee on Rocodiiica-
tion and Revision Of the Election Law,
simultaneously with tho submission to
The Legislature Of the committee s re-
port. is designed to bring about a sim
pliication Of the election machinery Of
the state and to make possible an an
nual saving Of At least half n million
dollars.
The election law proposed. according
to the report, is one third less bulky
than the existing statute. In ono arti-
Gle, it is pointed out. are contained all
the provisions with regard TO party or
ganizntion another deals with the ten
urc of election officials; in another tho
of1icials duties arc outlincd, another
relates TO ballots and returns: another
provides for enrolment and rcgistra
tion; IN another provision Is made tor
the conduct of elections; another deals
with voting machines; canvass of re
suits is outlined in another, while still.
other sections have to do with PreSl-
dental electors, United States Senators
and Representatives soldiers and sail
ors' vote, fling of accounts Of election
receipts and expenditures, and provl-
sions as TO judicial proceedings.
Claims Advantage of Brevity
This arrangement is advantageous
the report says, "because the Secretary
OF State, instead, as now, Of sending to
election inspectors all over the state
a book of 400 pages containing the en-
tire election law, may under the new
law send to them two or three articles
only, which prescribe their entire du-
ties at registration and upon Election
Day, in Il pamphlet Of some fifty pages
The bill would extend to New York
City the system in operation elsewhere,
u ser which poll books and the services
OF poll clerks are unnecessary. Ballot
clerks would be eliminated in New
York City, the committee believing that
four inspectors, one giving out bali OTIS
one at the box receiving them and two
poll the vote readily.
The election district would be made
the primary district throughout the
state. At present in second and third
class cities the primary district is com
posed of two contiguous election dis
tricts.
No change is proposed in the existing
provisions regarding direct primaries
and party conventions, although the
committee claims it has strengthened
these provisions and made them more
workable "by assimilating the direct
primary in practically ali respects with
the general election and providing for
a simplilled form of primary petition
which will obviate some o! the pitfalls
and technicaities attendant upon the
use OF the present form of petitiou.'
Polls Outside City to Open at Noon
Under the provisions of the new bill
the polls Of a primary election outside
OF New York City would open at noon
instead of Z q. M; the number Of Of
fetal ballots to DC provided for an elec
tlcn other than a primary election
would be reduced from 125 per cent to
l0o per cent Of the number of voters
in the district, and present limitations
on salaries of commissioners Of cleo
tions outside of New York City would
be removed, thus leaving the matter en-
tirely in the hands Of the Board of
Supervisors
The bill proposes to enforce the lit
eracy test for new voters, using the
Massachusetts system az hasiq