SECRECY OF THE BALLOT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 39, 29 January 1912, Page 5

SECRECY OF THE BALLOT.

In connection with the interesting topic or tne relative merits of tlie icohut* ’ method of „ ,-tixe older method, we learn that some ol tne officers engaged at Dunedin iu the general election have suggested an improved form of voting paper comoining the merits of born systems and affording additional advantages as will be seen from the following description :—There are already m use various systems of issuing voting papers at elections by ballot, including the two following :ln one system the electoral roll number is written upon a corner of the back of the voting paper, which corner is then turned down and an official stamp is impressed thereon and the voting paper is handed to the voter; in a second system the voting papers are in blocks ,n the same style as cheque books, and the returning officer writes upon the back of the voting paper and also upon the counterfoil the consecutive number of the voting paper in the order of issuing same, and writes upon the counterfoil only the voters electoral roll, number, and the initials the same, and after impressing the official stamp across the indenture or perforation so as to appear partly upon the counterfoil and partly upon the voting paper tears off the voting paper and issues the same to the voter. The first system ensures to the voter a considerable measure of secrecy, the second system ensures a measure of secrecy and affords a more expeditious and convenient method for the returning officer. According to the method now suggested the voting papers will be in blocks in the same style as cheque books, and consecutive numbers of the voting papers and their counterfoils either for each separate polling booth or for the whole electorate are to he printed prior to the ballot, both upon the counterfoils and upon the voting papers; the consecutive number upon the voting paper itself is covered and concealed by a separate wafer or adhesive slip of opaque paper similar to a postage stamp, which wafer may be plain or may hear a distinctive design showing for instance the polling booth to which it belongs, and which wafer : s gummed towards its edges only or at parts of its edges only or may have its centre in relief—the purpose being that in the event of a scrutiny the wafer may be lifted without materially defacing the consecutive number underneath. This wafer is .gummed down to cover the consecutive number upon the votihg paper either when the voting papers are 'being prepared or (under the supervision of the returning officer) at any time up to the moment when the voting paper is issued to the voter. The distinctive wafer itself may lie a sufficient official mark, but, if necessary, an official stamp may lie tin ally impressed across the indenture or perforation, and preferably so as to mark tire surface of the wafer. The voting paper is torn off and issued to the voter by the returning officer nr his deputy, who then or previously marks the voter’s electoral roll number upon the counterfoil only, and initials the same.

The novelty consists in the printing of the consecutive numbers prior to the ballot coupled with the sealing down of such consecutive number upon the voting paper, thereby combining the advantages of the two systems before described and at the same time gaining greater expedition than either for the returning officer and giving greater protection than either to the voter.