Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1890 — VOTING BY ELECTRICITY. [ARTICLE]

VOTING BY ELECTRICITY.

The Plan Proposed to be U*ed In the French Chamer. The plan of voting in assemblies by means of the electric current, and thus avoiding the time lost in making divisions, has been before the French chamber of duputies and a report on the subject was presented by M. Montant last November. In that report the advisability of employing a machine which would indicate not only the total votes“pour” or “contre” a measure—that is to say the ‘ ‘ayes” and ‘ ‘noes”—but also the number of voluntary abstentions from voting, as distinct from the number ot absentees was considered. Such an apparatus has been devised by M. le Goaziou. On every -desk in front of a member is placed a small box fitted with two handles, which the member works when registering his vote. The right handle registers His “aye,” the left his “no,” and both moved simultaneously indicate his abstention from voting. The results are printed by means of electro-magnets in a receiver and are visible at a giance. Provision is made for a member to recall and correct his vote during the time allowed for the purpose.