Page:A History of the Australian Ballot System in the United States.djvu/39

 organizations, and she has also introduced an element of danger by the use of envelopes.

The important features of the Australian ballot may be discussed under the following heads: first, the printing and distribution of the ballots; secondly, the procedure for placing the names of candidates on the ballot; thirdly, the provisions for publicity; fourthly, the arrangement of the polling-place; fifthly, the form of the ballot; sixthly, the preparation of the ballot.

In every state which has adopted the Australian system, the ballots are printed and distributed at public expense. The use of any ballot other than the official ballot is generally forbidden, but even where the statute is silent the use of such unofficial ballots would probably be held illegal.

In all of the eastern states except Connecticut, ballots for the election of municipal officers are prepared by the clerk of the city or town at the expense of the municipality. In Connecticut the secretary of the commonwealth provides the ballots for the city, town, or borough elections at the expense of the city, town, or borough for which the ballots are prepared. For all officers other than municipal these states divide into two distinct groups. In the New England states the preparation of the ballots is done by the secretary of state, and the cost of printing the ballots and their delivery to the towns is borne by the state. In the middle eastern states the ballots are made up and printed under the direction of some county officer, usually the county clerk, and the expense of their printing and distribution is a county charge.

The number of ballots required varies greatiy. Usually the law states that one hundred ballots shall be furnished for every fifty voters, or fraction of fifty, in each precinct. These ballots are sealed in packages and delivered to some local officer, usually the town or city clerk, at a certain time in advance of the election, and are sent to each polling-place on the day of election a short time before the opening of the polls. If the ballots are not received, or if, after being received, they are destroyed or stolen, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York make it the duty of the town or city clerk to prepare substitute ballots. In Vermont this duty is incumbent on the presiding election officer, and in West Virginia on the ballot commissioners.