Evening star., 1928-10-30

OF some 40,000,000 men and women
registered to participate in the national
election this year, 1t Is estimated that
more than 5,000,000 will cast their votes
through machines, the use of which Is
becoming more and more general,
especially in the congested urban CEN
ters where the polling and tabulating
of the vote always has been a problem.
Speaking of the extent of the vogue.
the Syracuse Herald points out that the
machines will be employed this year by
more than 2.000 cities and towns, and
predicts steady popularization. 'in
line with the use Of automatic mecha-
nism in business, manufacturing and
agriculture"
THE initial cost of voting machines
would represent considerable sum"
observes the Kalamazoo Gazette, but
the cost of maintaining small army Of
precinct election officials also runs into
money, to say nothing Of printing bills
and other attendant expenses. The
modern voting machine gives the elec-
torate the results of its balloting i'm
mediately after the polls are closed, not
the next day after long hours of tabulat-
ing by exhausted officials; its totals are
correct and need no revision. It is
swift, accurate and economical"
The many years required to establish
the popularity Of this method of voting
are noted by the Detroit Free Press,
which recalls that they were tried out
in Rochester. N. Y, about 80 years ago,
but that objections were raised orginal-
ly to voting machines that they could
be fixed and that they were too ex-
pensive." That paper, however, refers
to the change which has come about
with the years, and adds: Where they
have been in operation long enough for
the people to judge of their value, vot-
ing machines seem to have given salts
faction. They speed up the process Of
voting: and thus reduce not only the
number of election districts, but also the
amount of time the individual has to
spend in recording his vote"
THE growth of machine voting since
the last presidential election has been
astonishing" remarks the Roanoke
World.News, which continues: within
few more elections, 1t Is safe to pre-
dict that all voting will be done on
tabulating machines in which there Is
an element of accuracy that cannot be
had where tired election offlcials sit half
the night thumbing over paper ballots.
The argument seems to be
all In favor of the use of voting ma
chimes, operating on the familiar cash
register principle. wherever the people
wish to see an election honestly cast
and honestly counted"
|, Supporting the plan to introduce
machine voting In its own community
after the present election, the Phila-
delphia Evening Bulletin argues: "A
citizen with a four-foot ballot In his
hands can scarcely refrain from appre-
ciatlng the utility Of the voting ma
chine. The perplexity Of this years
blanket ballot makes the operation Of
handling the machine levers seem a
comparatively simple process, time saw
er to the voter as well as an insurance
OF certainty In counting the vote. since
1t is registered mechanically as In the
ordinary adding machine. Consequent
ly there should be an overwhelming
Affirmative of the constitutional amend
ment that permits the installation OF
voting machines. The impending four
foot ballot is the most convincing ar
sument."
In favor Of similar change In its
own city. the Ann Arbor Daily News
Says: THE machines are needed, and
needed now, with . big election ap-