FEWER COMPLAINTS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31830, 7 November 1968, Page 11

FEWER COMPLAINTS

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5.

Despite a predicted record turn-out and charges by the various political groups of meddling and interference in polling, the Justice Department said tonight the Presidential election appeared to be one of the quietest in recent United States history.

A spokesman said the department's criminal division election unit had received fewer complaints than in the 1964 Presidential election. “This is the quietest General Election in recent years—so far,” he said. But in Doylestown, Pennsylvania—if you wanted to vote

for George Wallace and you pulled the lever for the American Independent Party your vote registered for the Negro comedian, Dick Gregory, according to a Wallace campaign worker. The alleged mix-up was in nearby Northampton township. A Wallace spokesman said some machines reportedly listed the former Alabama Governor as the Peace and Freedom Party candidate, while Mr Gregory was on the

tAmerican Independent Party ballot. The balloting in Louisiana—where the turn-out was reported “very heavy”—brought some complaints. Mr George Singelmann, of the Wallace headquarters in New Orleans charged that fewer voting machines were installed at “white precincts” than in times past and more in “Negro precincts.” Mr Singelmann said this was an attempt to weight the voting for Mr Humphrey and against Mr Wallace. Mr Nixon’s headquarters in New Orleans also complained. Mr Mike Ogden asserted that Democratic poll commissioners were telling Republican voters their names were not in the registration books when they really were. Nixon headquarters sent out poll watchers.