VOTING MACHINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 56, 24 July 1912, Page 5

VOTING MACHINE.

A CHRISTCHURCH INVENTION.

THE USE OF DISCS.

Mr. J. H. Newlyn, Registrar of Electors for Christchurch North, hti bee» working for a considerable time at a means of simplifying the system of Toting at elections. His experience in attending to his duties has now brought his invention to perfection. In explaining his invention, Mr. Newlyn said one of its features was the use of metal discs instead of ballot papers. A voter entered the booth and gave his name to the officer. If he were entitled to vote, he received a disc, about th# , same size as a penny. It bore on on# side the name of the electoral district, the number of the polling booth and the date, and on the other side a distinguishing number, say, 1925, and the initial® of the deputy returning-officer. The poll clerk wrote the number of the disc opposite Ihe voter's name on the electoral roll, 'the voter entered the booth with the disc in his hand. In front of him there Were boxes, securely locked, bearing the names of the candidates, or, if desirable, different colors to meet the case of voters who could not read. Tha boxes were hidden, and nobody could follow the voter's actions in the booth. Each box bad a slot, just large enough to take the disc. The voter dropped his disc into the slot of the box set aside for the candidate lie favored. The dis* rang a bell inside the box as it dropped to the bottom. The bell informed tho deputy-returning officer that a vote had been cast, and that the exercised his privilege, should not be allowed to stay in the booth any longer. There was nothing to cause delay, and the only limitation to the rate of voting was the celerity with which the deputyreturning officer and the poll clerk got through their work. When the poll closed, each box was unlocked and emptied in front of th® scrutineers. The discs in each box were placed in measuring tubes, each tuba holding a fixed number. Tn that way the discs were counted, and the numbeir of votes cast for the candidate were ascertained. When all the discs were counted to the satisfaction of those connected with the work, they were placed in a bag. which was tied, sealed and labelled with the candidate's name and the number in the bag. The bag was then returned to tha box, which waa again locked. Under the system, Mr. Newlyn said there would be absolutely no informal t voting. An informal vote would be ari impossibility. A voter might vote for the wrong candidate, but his vote would be quite valid, and would count for tha candidate for whom he had unwittingly voted. There would be no spoilt papers and much waste of time that occurred under the present system would be avoided. Fifty persons could vote by discs in the time occasionally occupied at an election at present, by voters explaining that they had spoilt their papers and needed fresh ones. The scrutiny of the roll and recount within'a few daya of the election would also be avoided, and the scrutiny could be undertaken latei on by experienced departmental clerks, when the work could be done much more / satisfactorily. ■ If a disc were stolen, it could be easily traced, and there waa no risk of wrong practices in that respect. If mechanical voting became lawful, arrangements could be made to have a recount without a deposit in a case wheTe two candidates were close together, but. if the recount disclosed no difference in the position the deposit should be forfeited. The advantages of the invention were a great saving in cost, mechanical accuracy, simplicity and saving in time. In connection with his method, Mr. Newlyn has prepared a simple but ingenious appliance for use if preferential I voting is brought into operation. Boxe* are prepared for all the candidates at an election, discs being used again instead of ballot papers. If there is provision in the law that every voter must record, his vote for all the candidates, in the order of his choice, the mechanism will prevent him from voting for fewer than the total number. It will automatically eject his discs, and, moreover, will announce to the deputy-returning officer that a voter has tried to "plump." Mr. Newlyn has taken out patent rights for his invention.