Care In Ballot Marking A Must For, Absentees

Voting absentee? You can throw your vote away with the wrong mark. The League of Women Voters has pointed out that although instructions for proper marking accompany e v e r y absentee ballot, some voters are lost in every election because the instructions are not heeded. Why does it matter? The answer is in the history oL voting in this country. In colonial days voting was done publicly, by voice or show of hands. Later, the idea of secrecy gained favor and the use of paper ballots began. But not paper ballots as we know them. The elective process was ordered by the political parties, and the parties printed their own ballots, often on distinctively colored papers. They III [■■■■[■IMiaiMHI H listea only their own candidates and distributed only their own ballots. Early attempts to regúlate printing and distribution of ballots had 1 i 1 1 1 e effect. Then in t h e 1880's, labor and minority groups, experiencing intimidation and bribery, hastened the introduction of the "Australian" ballot, so named because of its first use in Australia druing 1956. It was gradually adopted in all states and is the ballot we use today. The objective of this ballot is secrecy, so it is distinguished by its strict requirments: it is an official ballot, printed at public expense, uniform in size and color, listing all candidates, distributed only at polling places by election officials and marked in a private booth. - - - WJ With all these requirements it was still necessary to guard against fraud. Votes could be bought. Ballots could be marked with identifying marks allowing anyone watching the vote count to teil whether he had gotten what he had paid for. Voting regulations were set up to help prevent identification of ballots. Any improper mark or mark outside the space provided, invalidates the ballot. The mark must be a cross, substantially within the box printed in front of the candidates name. Other marks will not be counted. The Michigan statute allows a certain amount of flexibility in fairness to the voter. If it is clear that the voter's intent was to make a cross, it will be counted.