25 FEBRUARY 1837, Page 16

BALLOT VOTING.

THOSE who have seen the process of voting under the Reform Act, will feel no difficulty to understand the mode ill which votes will be taken by Ballot. As at present, the voter will, under the Ballot sys- tem, have the questions of the Reform Act put to him by the Re- turning Officer, or his Deputy; rind then, instead of telling aloud for whom he votes, will be directed to pass to the rear of the Ballot-box, in order simply to mark or puncture the voting-card opposite the name of the candidate of his choice. Ile will rio longer be called upon to bawl out as the squire or his landlord directs, but will have to express a conscientious preference by an act which can give no evidence of the manlier of its performance, that can be used by or against the voter ; and which, from the manner in which it will be necessary for the voter to perform it, can present to his mind no inducement to act corruptly. Be map: vote honestly ; and if he vote dishonestly, he can give no proof that he has done so. In fulfilment of the promise that we made last week, we present to our readers drawings of a Ballot-box, in order to explain the very simple:mods by which the secrecy of the vote may be secured, in the event of the Legislature sanctioning the adoption of the Ballot. The chief object of the drawings is to explain a principle, and not to give a precise sketch of the Ballot-box that may ultimately be used. Indeed, if Returning Officers could be depended upon as likely to act with good faith and a ready willingness to second the will of the Legisla- ture, no fixed specific plan would be needed, and all arrangements might be left to their discretion. But it is unfortunately too probable, that their efforts generally will be directed to nullify as far as possible the objects of the law ; and there is no reason to suppose that their conduct will render specific enactments unnecessary. Let us then suppose votes taken by Ballot, under direction of a Ballot Bill; and that our reader is about to give his vote. He comes into the polling-booth, or room ; and finds the Returning Officer or his Deputy, with his Clerk, as formerly, ready to search the register of electors for his name, and, in another part of the room, one or more Ballot-boxes, with a Superialtenshint at each, ready to put in the Ballot- case voting-cards; and, associated with him, nominees of the candi. dates, watching that no irregularity is committed. Perhaps our reader is a stranger to a poll-booth, and supposes that he can go tit once to the Ballot-box. He looks about him, and learns that he is forbidden, until he is examined by the Returning Officer. He presents himself for examination; his name is found to be on the register ; and all questions put to him are satisfactorily answered. This done, he is told that he limy go to the further side of the Ballot-box ; and the way to it is opened for him. Upon getting in front of the box, (Figure 1.) he finds a screen on each side, to prevent his being seen' ; and opposite to him, at a moderate height, the names of the candidates upon a card ( F), and a steel bodkin placed by him. The names are covered with a glass; how is he to touch the card? He sees the holes below the letter D ; he thinks COOKE and ADAMS good Radicals, men of ta- lent, of virtue, and of courage • and presses the bodkin-point into the holes opposite their names. courage; card is marked ; the vote is given ! If he please, he inay pull the slide (C) towards him, and see the card fall into the Ballot-box, ( B) •' or he may go away, assured that the curd he has marked will fall into the Ballot-box before another voter can reach it.

If our reader would see what is done on the side of the Ballot-box open to the public, let him look at Figure II. The Superintendent takes a voting-card with the names of the candidates on it. In the same manner as he would put a letter into the post-office, lie puts the voting-card into the case at the pert marked X, so as to face the voter. If the voter let the card be has marked fall into the box B, the slide Z is seen to be drawn towards the voter, and the light appearing through

the bole Y, the card has fallen into die box. But if the voter passes from the Ballot, box and the slide has not been moved, the Superin- tendent draws the slide towards him, and the card falls. Another voter comes towards the box ; and another voting-card is ready in the cote for him to mark.

Nothing can be more simple than the above process. A blind mits might fiesta, by feelings the boles opposite ahe mows) which are so re. gulated as' never tb be More numerous than the fiandblates ; illiterate persons, the possible loss of who-,e votes might induce all partieets teach them AO read, may di-eover the names of their candidates by being previously shown their relative position on the curd; and some infirm persons, whose votes the law HOW neglects, %vould be the only permits who could, as they may under the present or indeed under tiny system, complain that their votes may, by some accidental and very rare event, be lost.

FIGURE I.—VOTER'S SIDE,

Ballot-rrame.

Tt Balla•boir,

C Slider. lrieli being pulled out, lets-fall the voting-curd.

D The bar, 0.4 evil through, to guide the voter in piirciug for candidates. F The voting.eurd.

FIGURE 11.—Pear IC SIDE.

X livening to insert the votiug-eard.

Y Opening, through which tire turd is seen by the ASfaCt :tCS, &C.

Z Slider, to push in, it omitted by voter, in order to let the card 1.111

Mr G ors a mot'on for leave to br ng in the Bill, stir ds on the Notice-paper for Tuesday the 7th of March.