Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 275, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1910 — VOTING MACHINES NOT RELIABLE IN NEWTON. [ARTICLE]

VOTING MACHINES NOT RELIABLE IN NEWTON.

Cut Up Some Queer Didos in Grant Township and Many Votes Were i Lost All Over Udpnty.

Kentland Enterprise. The tricky voting machine is becoming in bad favor in Newton county. There is no doubt they fail to properly record the vote cast, as is conclusively shown in a study of the results of the recent election. The poll books show that 2,753 voters entered the various voting booths of the county and attempted to vote. The total vote recorded on the ten machines for secretary of state was 2,62'6, a shortage of 127; congressman 2,583, showing a shortage of 170; joint-representative the shortage was 22,4; clerk 159; treasurer 169; sheriff 135; recorder 183; coroner 167; assessor 231; commissioner first district 257; commissioner third district 228.

In Grant township Grant Whaley, republican candidate for councilman-at-large was recorded with but 29 votes, while his running mates, L. H. Dirst and Charles Hansen received 235 and 196. And again in Grant township Adam A. Adams, democratic candidate for judge of the appellate court from the second district, received 211 votes, Joseph M. Rabb, his republican opponent, received 255, and 7 votes were cast for the Prohibition candidate, a total of 473 recorded on the machine. The poll books shows that there were but 452 voters in that township to enter the booth; 21 more votes recorded on the machine than could possibly have been cast, allowing pone for mistakes that are shown to have existed on the remainder of the ticket.

As previously noted the machine in Iroquois township was found defective by the election commissioners, and complaints came in from Beaver, Jackson and other townships. Voting by machine is a great convenience, and it’ was believed by the commissioners who installed them that the system would be more economical, but a trial at two elections has convinced a large majority of the voters that the machines used in this country are not a success and cannot be relied upon. We are informed that the Columbia Voting Machine Co. has gone out of business, and that the style of machine used here has been taken off the market.

Mr. David Hess, a member of the board of commissioners at the time the machines were purchased, states that the machines were guaranteed and advises that future payments be withheld. In a letter to the Enterprise Mr. Hess says: “There seems to be quite a little complaint about the voting machines, ■and as I am one of the guilty parties that placed them in Newton county, I would like to call the attention of the people to the fact that if the machines are not doing their work the commissioners should withhold the payment of any more of them until they are made good. The company is under contract to keep them in perfect condition for five years, and they should be made to fill this part of the contract or take the machines away.” In view of the many complaints filed County Chairman Lyons, Prosecuting Attorney Longwell and R. R. Cummings, committeeman from Jefferson township, filed an affidavit with Judge Hanley Saturday asking an order of court directing the sheriff to accompany an expert over the county for the purpose of making an examination of the machines. The trip was made Monday and Tuesday and we are informed a number of defects were found. The Grant township machine is said to be in bad condition, and others refused to register correctly. In one instance when a certain key w’as turned it would throw another key in position, and some keys refused to work at all. The expert stated that the shortage of votes registered —on—the machines, in comparison to the poll books, was caused by the improper throwing of the lever. The expert making the examination promised a fulF and detailed report, and the same will be - published as soon as received.

Now that the subject is under discussion the machines should either be made right or abandoned.