VOTING IN U.S.A.

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 January 1929, Page 2

VOTING IN U.S.A.

HOST OF TASKS. American politics are amazing and amusing to the uninitiated, with their huge conventions. Orators become perfervid, and the feelings of ordinary common-or-garden people are worked up in a welter of words. There rises a chorus signifying that John Jones, Republican or Democrat, is the man whom the people have been seeking in the political wilderness from the beginning of the world. As an election campaign develops so does the acrimony, and reputations are tossed hither and thither carelessly and happily for political purposes. All this fine frenzy must have an end, and that, of course, is polling-day. On that day, however, the richest jest of all, in the eyes of the New Zealand elector, is sprung on the public. It is the American ballot-paper, a copy of which has reached Christchurch, and which was shown to a reporter of “The Sun.” We in New Zealand have enough informal votes with our simple slips, but imagine a ballot-paper the size of a newspaper page, with four columns in it —three cotnaining names and one containing 21 questions and propositions submitted to the judgment of electors.

A cross is the mark of approval in America, and this must be used correctly. If it isn’t, the votei’ may obtain anothei* paper and set down his conisdered judgment aright. The crosses are not marked on the paper with a pen, but with a rubber 1 stamp. The first two columns of this paper —each ovex’ three inches wide —are occupied with groups of names of mexx of various parties who will be the electors of the President on January 14 next. Each State, according to its size, is allowed so many electors, and the paper, which was a Californian one, contains foux- groups of 13 names each, representing the Prohibition, Republican, Democratic and Socialist parties.

Whichever of these groups gains the vote of the people will represent California at the election of the President. The President is elected by the groups representing the various States, and not actually by the people en masse. The election of the President can be aririounced as soon as the votes are counted, however, as each group is pledged to vote for one candidate or another. SENATORS AND JUDGES. In the third column there are first of all the names of candidates for Senatorship in Congress, and then one name for a representative of the State in Congress. Next come the names of those who are candidates for a position in the Legislature of the State. Then below are the names of candidates for the position of judge in the Superior Court of the Uniteul States. Last in the column come the names of the candidates for the position of County Supervisor. Nearly every office in America is elective, and the appoiritment of judges and others is always on party principle. In the last and widest column of all are the questions and propositions to be submitted to the vote of electors, with spaces opposite “yes” and “no” for the imprint of that useful rubber stamp.

When there are so many crosses to be made it is easy to see why rubber stamps are not pens or pencils are used.

The propositions are varied. One deals with the issue of bonds’ for the 1923 Olympic Games, to be held at Los Angeles; another deals with boxing and wrestling contests and prize money; another with acquisition of rights-of-way by the State; another with waiving jury trial in criminal cases; and so forth.

Many of the proposals require much thought and deliberation, and some very little. It is feared, though, that many a happy-go-lucky voter would give his verdict alternately “yes” and “no” with 21 issues before him. America has the doubtful distinction of having more illiterates than any other country in the world. It now has the distinction of having the most complicated ballot-paper. With the illiterates and the ballot-paper combined on polling-day, the informal votes must assume great proportions, and the Returning Officers must have a purgatorial time. Even in America, there must be recounts demanded, too. This opens up infinite possibilities.