Improved Means for Counting Votes at Elections.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1895-Accepted, 7th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Counting Votes at Elections.
I WILLIAM WATKINS of Wollaston Road, Dorchester, Dorset, Solicitor's Clerk
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
1
It is a book for the saving of time at municipal, local board, and other elections
of a like character, by an easy and accurate system of counting the votes.
The book can be adapted for any number of candidates and also for any number
of voters; the pages are cut into strips from about 3 inches from the top. The
surnames of each candidate, alphabetically arranged, could be printed across each
page, one name on each strip.
Each strip contains spaces for recording 25 votes and the numbers so recorded
are carried forward to each succeeding page.
up
When all the spaces on a strip are filled up, the strip can be turned without
interfering with or disarranging any other strip.
Dated this Seventh day of August 1894.
>
improved MS FO
I WILLIAM WATKINS of Wollaston Road, Dorchester, Dorset, Solicitor's Clerk
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
It is a book for the saving of time at municipal, local board, and other elections
of a like character by an easy and accurate system of counting the votes recorded
for the several candidates after the close of the poll.
The book can be adapted for any number of candidates and also for any number
of voters; each page is cut into strips from about 3 inches from the top of the
page (Fig. 2) or from about 3 inches from the bottom of the page (Fig. 3), or from
about 3 inches from the left hand side of the page (Fig. 4) or from about 3 inches
from the right hand side of the page (Fig. 5).
The names of each candidate, alphabetically arranged, can be written or printed
and placed in such a position as to be always visible no matter how many strips or
pages have been turned over (Fig. 1). For instance, if the book was comprised of
pages cut into strips from about 3 inches from the top of each page, the names of
the candidates could be placed on each page, one name on each strip (Fig. 1); or
the names could be placed at the bottom of the pages, either on the several strips
or in such a position as to be plainly visible.
The strips contain spaces for recording votes.
The number of spaces on each strip is unlimited but it is recommended that 25 be
adopted. The number of the votes so recorded is carried forward to each
succeeding strip.
When all the spaces on a strip are filled up, the strip can be turned over without
interfering with or disarranging any other strip.
་

page_text: "
"
The totals are carried forward from strip to strip in the following manner, viz. :-
Supposing the number of votes on each strip is limited to 25, the figures "25
would be printed at the foot of the first strip; on the second strip the figures" 25
would be printed at the top immediately under the name of the candidate, and the
figures "50" would be printed at the foot, and so on.
The number of votes on each strip is limited by the number of spaces on the
strip, every fifth space being ruled in red ink for greater convenience (Fig. 2).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would state that
I do not confine myself to the precise construction of the books as shewn in the
drawings hereunto annexed, as various modifications may be necessary in their
construction, and I declare that what I claim is an improvement on the mode of
counting votes at elections:-
(1.) By recording the votes on several strips (one for each candidate) in one
book.
(2.) By numbering the spaces on each strip, one space for each vote.
(3.) By carrying forward the total from each strip to the succeeding one so that
when all the votes are recorded the total number of votes given to each candidate
is at once ascertained.
Dated this 7th day of Mo 1805