The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-13
MOD|F F|CAT|ON OF 
 ELECTION LAWS OF STATE SOUGHT
Universal Suggestion Is That Legislature Provide For Purchase of Voting
 Machines
By FRED H. GORMLEY Montgomery Bureau, The Age-Heraid, 22I-s First National Bank Building

Experience of citizens or Alabama who were commandeerad for the democratic primary Tuesday have caused a state wide call for the mod ification of the election laws of Ala bama in order that state elections In the future may be conducted with less physical labor.
 Candidates for state offices in sev- eral races did not know until Friday afternoon whether they had been elected or defeated, although each polling place in Alabama was closed not later than o'clock Tuesday. Many election officers were on contin- uous duty and under heavy mental strain from o'clock Tuesday morn in;; until noon Friday. Of course they found sleep in the meantime. but they violated the letter of the law when they did so, as the law says the counting of ballots shall start the moment the polls are closed and shall continue until the final , ballot is counted the tally sheets tab ulated and the results posted at the polling place.
 Jefferson county faced a ballot more than three feet in length. Mont somery county had a ballot 30 inches long. Mobile county had longer bal lot. The official results in Jefferson county were not known in Jefferson county until Friday afternoon, in Mobile county until the same time and in Montgomery county until Thursday afternoon. Throughout this intervening ti,ns eiec'io o.fi- cers were counting tallets.
 No one doubts that errors were made because the managers ani clerks were exhausted after the first all-night labor. Volunteers aided the officers but in permitting 1t they violated the spirit of the law.
 Voting Machines Suggested.
 The universal suggestion has been that the legislature at it's quadren- nial session which will begin In Jan uary provide for the purchase of voting machines. They are used in the large eastern states. With voting machines the results can be known in a few m.nctes after ths polls are closed. Had Alabama used voting machines Tuesday candidates would have known Tuesday night whether they had been elected or defeated and many anxious moments would have been eliminated
 The cost, of course, will be the important consideration, but there is general belief that tho saving in time and money and energy will more than reimburse the state and counties for the investment they would make in voting machines. If Alabama does not purchase voting machines there will be a gem eral demand for strict compliance with the law which provides that voting boxes shall be provided for every 300 voters. Had this law been enforced the counting of ballots throughout Alabama would have teen completed Wednesday. In one box In Montgomery county alone more than 800 ballots were cast. nearly three times as many as the law intended should be cast at one
 Voting machines, however, would be the proper method, according to the general expression of opinion. With their use the boxes could be enlarged instead of reduced and the results would be known within few hours.
 One Woman in Legislature.
 The novelty of women in politics has been seen in this campaign in Alabama and those who attend the sessions of the legislature in January will see one woman in the legisla- ture. Mrs. Joseph c. Wilkins of Selma was elected to the house of representa- tives by the voters of Dallas county. receiving a large plu- rality over her opponents.
 Mrs. Wilkins received the support of all factions, according to informa- ton in Montgomery. She has always been a leader in civic affairs of her county and was well known in the state before she entered politics.
 Generally speaking, women did not fare well in tNe primary. Mrs. Leila Seton Edmundson of Decatur, who ran for representative in Congress for the Eighth district, was defeated by Congressman Edward E. Almon.
 Miss Frances Nimmo Greene Of Montgomery, nationally known as an author. was candidate for delegate to the state democratic convention from the state at large but returns indicate that she was defeated.
 Mrs. o. c. Maner of Montgomery sought a seat in the house of rep- resentatives from Montgomery county but she was defeated. Miss l Luna Davie was 8 candidate for dele 1 to the convention from Montgomery l county, but she, too, was defeated.
 Mrs. Marilou Cory and Mrs. Sailie | Osborne Cooper of Birmingham | sought seats in the house with the | Jefferson delegation but lost.
 Mrs. W. A. Beason was a candidate l for representative of St. Clair county | and Miss Mary c. Allen was a candi- | date for representative of Bibb | county. Returns up to Friday night | had not shown whether they were 1 elected or defeated.