CHEATING THE BALLOT.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1025, 23 April 1883, Page 2

CHEATING THE BALLOT.

How they do it at Hawkes Bay. The Hatokes Bay Herald has the following :—“ During the recent political contest, when the scrutineers and the return* ing officer of the constituencies were making up the results of the poll, they were greatly mystified by discovering; in (he ballot-box a number of blank sheets resembling ballot papers in every respect, but not printed or written upon ; and’ the mystery became still thicker when several cases occurred of two ballot papers being found folded together. But a solution of the enigma has been discovered, and .it exposes a very ' smart electioneering dodge. The agent for a candidate having settled with a number ofthe ‘ free and enlightened ’ as to the monetary value they place uppnlheir right to the franchise, he adopts the following method of the votes : When No. 1 elector presents himself at the committee room he receives a piece of paper folded tcT represent a ballot paper ; f this the trusty;voter drbpjS into the ballot-box, retaining the numbered and initialled form which he receives from the returning officer, and 'which-be delivers safely to the agent, who .then, and not till then, ‘ disburses.’. When No. 2 voter appears, he receives No. I’s paper, which has been; satisfactorily marked, places it in the ballot box, and presents his own to the agent; and so the game goes on, until the time of closiiig draws near, when some one in-the secret, who lias for the-purpose refrained from voting previously, deposits in the ballot box -his own and the last purchased, ballot paper folded together.” ?