Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-07-07
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EDITORIAL
THE SECRET BALLOT.

THE Georgia house is to be con-
graduated upon its action Thurs
day in passing by an overwhelming
majority Speaker Cecil Neill's bill
providing for the use of the Aus
tralian or secret ballot system
throughout the state, without local
choice or option. 1t is to be hoped
the senate will not fail to do its part
to make this bill law, and in pass
ing it will not emasculate it by plac-
ing in it a weakened option clause
Georgia long ago should have had
the Australian ballot system, for the
good and sufficient reason that it is
RIGHT and the ONLY SYSTEM that
is ENTIRELY right and fair. That
is a rather broad statement, but il
is absolutely true. Georgia is one Of
only three states in the entire union
that does not have the secret ballot.
And until Georgia does have the So
cret ballot the voters will never be
able to experience the satisfaction
of walking to the polls without the
consciousness of every other person
interested knowing how he or she
voted on particular political issue.
The ballot system we have had in
vogue for so long has fostered the
control of votes by those in authori-
ty or power in one way or another,
and 1t may be assumed fairly, we
believe, that the opposition that has
existed so long to a change to the
secret ballot has come from those
who have been accustomed to con-
troll the votes of others. For under
the secret ballot system, if it turns
out to be the real thing when finally
enacted and put into operation, no
man who thinks he controls votes or
one who buys votes will be able to
check his list to make sure of de-
liveries.
Intimidation has played an import
ant part in spirited elections hereto
fore. On many occasions persons
have desisted from going to the polls
and voting for their honest choice
simply because they did not relish
the humiliation of running the gaunt-
let of small politicians and hangers
on that frequent the polling places
with ballots already marked and with
rloald remarks for those who may
chance to differ with them in poll
teal beliefs or choices.
Under the strict application of the
Australian ballot system as practiced
elsewhere with complete sastisfac-
ton, and as it is assumed it will be
extended to all Georgia under the
law which the assembly appears like
" to put into law, possession of an
c1ficlal ballot by any person not an
election official or a voter in tbe
booths a criminal offense. No per
son EXPECT the voter entering or
-eaving the voting booth is permit
'ed within specified distance Of
the voting place on election dav The
official ballots are kept in the hands
OF the election officials. who also
have custody of the ballot boxes. The
official ballots, marked only bv npm-
bers on the back, are handed TO the
voters as they pass in and are identi-
lied from the registration lists. The
voters go one at a time to the en-
closed booths, where pencils are pro-
: Vlded, and there mark their ballots
lone, except that a voter NAV ask
enformatlon of the election board
"hen one or more officials will an
ter the booth with him and exnIair
the requirements Of the baIlot a..
II the voter is unable to read or write
marx his ballet for him according to
ms instructions. When the ballot
mas been marked the voter himself
'eposits it in the ballot box in the
presence Of the election officials. His