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Show . DOUBLE ELECTION S BOARDGREA1ED Measure to Remove One of Greatest Obstacles to Prompt Announcement of Reports. I KANSAS SETS EXAMPLE , Ballots by New Method Can Be Counted Almost Simultaneously Simul-taneously With Casting. New York, Mar. 3. Indications that s onc of 'he greatest obstacles to the I prompt announcement of election results, re-sults, such as handicapped the newspapers news-papers In the last presidential election, elec-tion, may be rcmov tl before another presidential year, arc reflected in the I action of the West Virginia leglsla- ture, following the example set by 3 Kansas, in the creation of what is called "A Double Election Board." The measure Is hailed by West Vir ginia newspapers as one that will be appreciated by the general public to I a greater extent than i? realized by tiiose not familiar with the present encumbrances which surround ballot-counting. ballot-counting. They declare that the suc-of suc-of the experiment in Kansas last fall should attract attention in other states as a possible relief such uncer talnty as the whole country labored under for several days after the last I election. Kansas Surprises Nation. Kansas, considering its difference In time as compared with the Eastern , states, was the first of all stales to begin to return figures on its election last November 7th. This was a surprise sur-prise generally to other states until it was discovered that the secret of Kansas promptness was a system known as the Double Election Board. This system does not in any sense revolutionize present methods of voting, vot-ing, but simply makes it possible that the ballots be counted almost simultaneously simul-taneously with the casting of them, with the result that the voU .is known i immediately upon the closing of the polls. The Kansas law provides that at all general elections the national and state tickets shall be printed upon one ballot and the district, county and township tickets shall be printed upon another ballot, and that at each voting vot-ing precinct five separate ballot boxes shall be provided, two boxes in duplicate dup-licate for the national and state bal I I lots, and that there shall be two " ? boards of election officers, one to be known as the receiving board to re- eeive ballots and guard their proper Tilneeiiient in the hnves rind the othin ' to be a counting board. Counting by Relays. A few hours after the opening of the polls the national and state ballot box es are removed from their designated Piaces and duplicate boxes placed in ! their stead, while the counting board! retires under proper safeguards, empties emp-ties the first set of boxes and counts ihe ballots. After another interval the boxes are exchanged again, and I ihe counting proceeded with m the (cf manner of simple relay throughout the day. The old method, wnlch still obtains in all the states except Kansas, requires re-quires me casting of the ballot before any counting is done, and this involved involv-ed in some places from six to forty-eight forty-eight hours, delaying a still greater time the compilation of a state or national vote. West Virginia Adopts Plan. The act of the West Virginia legislature legis-lature in following the Kansas example exam-ple la called the Well bill, after James Wi Weir, a newspaper man who is a member of the West Virginia legislature legis-lature and who deemed that some of the clerical and mechanical handicaps of election reporting belonged to the days when folks depended upon the stage coach mail for their news, instead in-stead of the present era of the telephone tele-phone and wireless telegraph. In West Virginia, for example, at the last election it was a week before it was known positively how the state had gone, and it was six weeks before the Mshe'd flgUros wcrc comP',ed and pub- What little opposition was met with m West Virginia in suggesting adoption adop-tion of the Kansas mothod was to th effect that th- double election board involved additional expense, but in the argument of the author of the bill it is as inexpensive to work two sets of nun one day as It la to work one set of men for two da b, Ohio to Pa6s Law. Ohio. Pennsylvania, New Jersev and several of the Middle and Western state.-! have for many years been particularly par-ticularly slow in completing their returns, re-turns, and it is such conditions that have handicapped The Associated Press in announcing the definite re -"lis of presidential elections on the night of election day. The sedious-ness sedious-ness of such delays as were encountered encoun-tered last November, when various newspapers announced the result before be-fore it was known, has impressed itself it-self upon Governor Cox of Ohio. In an address before the members of the Associated Ohio Dailies at Columbus recently the governor suggested an adoption of a law similar to that of Kansas so that tire general result might be known early in tho evening of election day, instead of, as ho said, "about Christmas time." Text of Kansas Law. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kan SECTION 1. That at all general elections in this stte, coming within the provisions of this act, the national and state tickets shall be printed upon one ballot, and the district, couniv and township tickets shall be printed upon another ballot and five separate ballot boxes shall be provided, two boxes in duplicate for the national and state ballots and one box for the district, township and county ballots and two in duplicate for the ballot on constitutional amendments, provided provid-ed that nothing contained in this act shall be held or construed to be amendatory of or repealing the pro visions of the election laws of this state especially the series of acts comprising sections 3248 to 3282, both inclusive of the General Statutes of Kansas for 1909, under the title of Australian ballot law; but that the operation of all such election laws shall be suspended in the voting districts dis-tricts coming under the provision of this act; provided, the provisions of the act shall be supplemental to any law on the same subject which may be in force at the time this act takes effect, ef-fect, in any city having more than 58,000 and less than 00,000 inhabitants. inhabi-tants. SEC. 2 At every voting precinct in this state at which there were cast an aggregate of two hundred and fif-' fif-' Or more ballots for the office of sec retary of state at the last general election, elec-tion, there shall be two boards of election elec-tion officers, each board consisting of three judges and two clerks, one to be known as the receiving board, and the other as the counting board. The iudt:- es of the receiving board shall have charge of ihe ballots in their respective respec-tive precincts and furnish them to me voters, as herein set forth. Not more than two judges of each board of election elec-tion officers and not more than one clerk of each board of election officers shall belong to the same political party or organization, provided there be Qualified voters vot-ers belonging to other political par-tles par-tles who are willing to act as such Judge or clerk. It shall be tho duty of the election commissioner and if not then the mayor of each city of the first and second class at least ten da a before the day of election to appoint ap-point ten persons in each voting pre cinct of such city at which two hundred hun-dred and fifty or more ballots were cast as hereinbefore specified who shall be qualified voters of the precinct pre-cinct for which they are appointed, to act as Judges and clerks at said election, elec-tion, and he shall designate which five shall serve as the receiving board and which five shall serve as the counting board Said mayor shall cause said judges and clerks to be not 'Med in writing of their appointment, and they shall each appear before the clerk of said city at least one day before the day ol election and take and subscribe an oath to faithfully perform their duties as judges and clerks of the elec tion. And it shall be the dut of the township trustee in each township, at least ti n days before the day of elec lion, to appoint and notify ten persons per-sons tor each voting precinct in his township at which two hundred and tiii or more ballots aro cast as herein before specified to act as judges and clerks of said election and he shall designate which ne shah serve as the receiving board and which five shall serve as the counting board, all to be qualified voters of the precinct for which they were appointed One of said judges of each board and one of said clerks of each board to be appointed ap-pointed by Bald election commissioner and if not then the mayor or trustee as aforesaid shall be taken from tho politieal party that polled ihe largest number of votes in the state at the last election for the office of governor, gover-nor, and one of said Judges for each board and one of said clerks 01 each board shall be chosen from the political politi-cal party that, at the snid election, cast tho nxt highest number of rotes for the office of governor. Said lour Judges and said four clerks shall be 'appointed by said election commissioner commis-sioner and of not then the mayor or trutee upon the recommendation of the precinct committeeman of said political po-litical parties provided there be such, provided that in the appointment of judges and clerks for city elections In cities of tho first class, the mayor shall be governed by the recommendation recommen-dation of the chairman of the city central committees of the several po litical parties; provided further, that in cltleH having a commission form of government and also having an elec tion commissioner, said commissioner shall have the appointing power sub Ject to the general provisions of this act, as to the party repre.sentafion on the board. The third Judge for each board shall be elected and appointed by the mayor, by and with tho consent con-sent of the city council or commission commis-sion or by the township trustee, without with-out such recommendations; provided, that such Judge shall be appointed by the election commissioner in those cities having such commissioners And if any of said judges or clerks shall fail or refuse to appear and serve at the proper timo and place, or for an cause are or become disqualified th the electors present shall Belect from their number viva voce such persons from the political portico ah are herein here-in designated to fill puch vacancies, who shall take and subscribe the same oath prescribed for Judges and clerks of election. On tho morning of election elec-tion day at the hour lor opening the polls tho receiving board shall organize organ-ize and 'shall take charge of tho polls and shall receive ballots and record the names of tho voters, and shall have entire and undivided control of the election in all its details as provided pro-vided by law except as in hereafter provided. The counting board shall proceed to their voting place four hours after the opening of the polls and shall take charge of the ballot box containing the national and state ballots already cast In that precinct. It shall retire to a partitioned room or space in the voting place provided for that purpose and there proceed to count and tabulate the ballots cast as they shall find them deposited in the national and state ballot box. The receiving board shall continue to receive re-ceive the. votes of electors in the other national and state ballot box provided, and in the county and township ballot bal-lot box until such time as the counting board shall have finished counting and tabulating the ballots cast in the first national and state ballot box. The shall then exchange the first box for the second national and state box. and so continue until they have counted nml 1-ilmlsilcH all tho votes CflRt OT1 that election day in the national and state ballot boxes until the hour of closing the polls arrives. When Ihe hour arrives for closing the polls, both i t he receiving and counting boards shall continue in th work of counting, count-ing, tabulating and summarizing the votes and making lueir certificates as to the result of the election ihe members of both boards shall unite in certifying and attesting to the returns re-turns of the election in the same manner man-ner as is now provided by law. Provided Pro-vided in the matter of question bal-j bal-j lots, the same provision shall apply I as is provided for national and state ballots; nd provided further that in I cities of the first class which have an election commissioner the duties of mayor herein assigned shall devolve on such commissioner. SEC 3 It shall be ihe duty of the 1 township trustees and celrks of incor-jporated incor-jporated cities to provide at the ex- pense of the township or cities, as the J case may be, all necessary ballot boxes box-es for each precinct or election district dis-trict and it shall further be their duty to see that such ballot boxes together I with the latest election laws are on hand and ready for use at the designated desig-nated places for holding elections, before be-fore the time of opening the polls on the morning of election day, and it is hereby especially provided that in all voting precincts or election districts requiring two boards of election judg-I judg-I es and clerks as hereinbefore provided, provid-ed, five ballot (or ballot) boxes shall be provided on or before the morning of the day of election The before mentioned copies of the latest election laws and the ballot boxes shall be taken to the places designated for I holding the elections as often and whenever necessary to meet the requirements re-quirements of the general election laws of the state of Kansas. SEC. 4 It shall be the duty of the township trustee and tho mayor and clerk of incorporated cities to provide suitable places in which to hold all elections provided for In this act, and to see that tho same are warmed, lighted, and furnished with proper supplies and conveniences Including B sufficient number of booths, shelves i and soft black lead pencils to enable the voter to prepare his ballot for J voting, and in which voters may pre-1 pre-1 pare their ballots, screened from all observations as to the manner in which they do so, no voter snail bo allowed to mark his ballot outside of said booth; there shall also be provided provid-ed a room or space partitioned off in such manner ns to prevent interruption interrup-tion or intrusion, which space or room shall bo furnished with all necessary equipment and cinveniences for tho canvassing and counting ballots and tabulating the results. A guard rail shall be so constructed and placed that only BUOD persons as aro inside such rail can approacn within six feel of the ballot box and of such voting booths. The arrangemenls shall be such that the voting booths can be reached only by passing within said guard rail. They shall be in plain view of the election oiheers and both they and the receiving ballot boxes -hull be in plHin view of those outside the guard rail. Each of said booths shall have three sides inclosed, one side In front to open and shut by a door swinging outward, or to be en I closed with a curtain. Each side of said booth shall be seven feet high, and tho door or curtain shall exi l to within two feet of the floor, and said door or curtain shall be closed I while tho voter Is preparing his bal-! bal-! lot, and each of said booths shall be I well lighted. Each booth shall be at least three feet square, and shall contain con-tain a shelf at least one fool wide, at a convenient height for writing. I No person, other than election ofh- rs and challengers allowed by law, , and those admitted for the purpose of voting as hereinafter provided, shall! 1 be permitted within the guard rail.l except by the authority of the election officers io keep order and enforce the law. The number oi such voting booths shall not be less than one for every fifty voters or major fractions thereof who voted at the last pieced ing election within such precinct. The expense of providing booths and guard rails and other things required by this act, shall be paid in the same manner as other election expenses. Said booths shall be constructed of any material that will form a screen j from public view and render the voter free from observation while marking I the ballot; and said booth shall bei deposited with the township trustee,! or city clerk, to be preserved for fu-i ture use. In all cases where it is not otherwise practicable in precincts out-' side of cities, elections may be held in public school buildings, and all damages to the buildlncs or furniture shall be a just claim against the township. town-ship. SEC. 5. It shall be the duty of the receiving judges of election or on one I one of them immediately before thel proclamation is made of the opening of the polls, to open the ballot boxe? in the presence of the people there assembled, and turn them upside down so as to empty them of everv-thing everv-thing that may be in them, and then lock them securely and thev shall noe be reopened, except Tor the purpose pur-pose of counting the ballots therein, at the close of the election or by the counting board at the stated periods as hereinbefore described and authorized. author-ized. SEC. 6 That at every voting precinct pre-cinct or election district coming under the provisions of this act. there shall be provided by the proper officers the L1CI '-.-.il ) OUU&B ,11111 i sioiinuwu records, ihe necessary election records rec-ords to comply with the provisions of this act, and each board shall have the exclusive control and jurisdiction over the books and records entrusted to its care until the boards are combined com-bined as a counting board at the olos lng of the polls and the combined boards shall then complete the counting count-ing and shall certify to the total vote east for each and every candidate in the precinct in the manner prescribed by law. SEC. 7. That whenever a petition signed by forty per cent of the electors elec-tors casting their bahots at the last preceding general election at a precinct pre-cinct or election district not within the provisions of this act as hereto fore set forth, shall be received b the board of county commissioners of any county of the state, praying that the provisions of this act shall be made to apply to said precinct or election elec-tion district, the correctness of the statements of the aforesaid petition being certified to by the township trustee, it shall be the duty of the board of county commissioners to declare de-clare that the provisions of this act apply to said precinct or election district dis-trict in all respects and details. Provided Pro-vided that said petition be filed in the office of the county clerk at least sixty days prior to said day of election; u.j r. . 1, ,. ,-,! ihnt tVila art yiUV 1UCU lllliu-l, inn' shall not apply whenever the city (council, city commissioners or election ; commissioner of any city or the country coun-try commissioners provide for election elec-tion precincts for each two hundred and fifty voters. SEC. 8. That the operation of the general election laws of this state, and more particularly of the series of election laws known as the Australian ballot law comprised within sections 3248 to 32S1I, both inclusive, of the. General Statutes of Kansas for 1909. Is hereby suspended so far as the. I same are inconsistent with the pro-' i ions of this act. in the election dis-, I tricts which come or which have elect-1 ed to come hereunder: but such sus-j pension shall not apply to any other district or precinct, and ns to all other such districts and precincts all such I laws shall be and remain in full force and effect; provided, that this act shall not comply In counties, or cities, in which voting machines are used. SEC. 9. That this act shall take I effect and be in force from and after Its publication in the statute book Approved March 1", 1915. |