Voting Machines

ín looking over the minutes of the Cöuncil proceedings at their meeting oí November 23rd,we flnd bilis allo wed from the contingent fund amounting to $560.25. This amount was all for election expenses. Under the existing eonditions this is all correst. and the bilis not larger than neeessary. But a few minutes seiïous thonght will show that it costs the city a very lare amount of money to conduot its elections. Thia of course being a general election costs a little more mney, but by the time we have paid for a city election every spring, and a state election every two years in the fall, a state spring election every two years, we find that the mere matter of elertions, costs us a great deal of money. How to reduce this expense is a matter worthy serious study. One method it seems to us would be the use of some of the various styles of voting machines authorized by law. After the machine is once installed the expense of maintaining and operating it is trilling. By their use the services of a number of attendants could be clone away witn, ana in ine aggregate oí' a number of elections this would amount to a good deal oí' money. Jn the late elecion, with the use of machines, the three insppctors, comprising the supervisor and two aldermen ín each ward, could easily have attended to all matters. ïhis would have disspensed with the services of 14 clerks, who drew $84.00, 14 gat keepers, 828.00. and their proportion of meáis furnished $38.52; a total of ilüO.52. Proportionally for the other eleetions, one can see that a large saving would be the result. But then there is "anotlier feature that should have weight- the matter of accuracy. Under the present method mistakes are m iny, and whea the re sult is close ballots are counted or rejected on technicalities and af ter abitter tight. Then, too, these votes must often be recounted at a large expense. Take, for instance, the late recount of votes forCounty Clerk. It cost the county, in round figures, about 400.00. With a machine this is all avoided. When the polls are closed the record is made. The machine is opene i and the results stand out in plain figures. There is no chance for mistakes, and no chance to make wrong returns if the figures are correct! y read. Again the matter of quick returns is important. With the returns of all precincts quickly available, less opportunity is given to jnggle the returns by holding back certain districts. We have already noted in the columns of this paper the promptness with which returns are made. From two to fifteen minutes aft er polls are elosed results are known. Ballot stuffing under the machine voting is impossible. Indifferent ways the machines have provided safeguards against repeating. When once you have voted for one candidate for a certain office, the machine is automatic ally locked so that you may not vote again for that candidate or any other for that same ofiice. This method of voMng is bound to come, sooner or later. It possesses many advantages, which so far outweigh its disadvantages, that its adoption is merelv a question of educating the people to understand it We hope Ann Arbor will study the matter somewhat before it is forced o'ntous because we are away behind the times without it.