Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 269, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1916 — Nichols Elected Clerk. [ARTICLE]

Nichols Elected Clerk.

Final Figures of Canvassing Board Elects Nichols By Four Plurality.

EXTRA TALLY SHEET TO DECIDE East Barkley and Gillam Boards '"'Slake Mistake In Figuring Hersbman's Total Giving Him Five Too Many Votes in Each Precinct. The extra tally sheets were opened at 2:30 this afternoon in the presI ence of Mr. Hershman, Mr. Nichols, Inspectors James Stevens, of Gillam, and A. S. Freeman, of East Barkley, County Chairman Welsh, Attorney E. P. Honan, the two newspaper publishers and several others. The tally sheets in each precinct were found to correspond and Attorney Honan gave an opinion that the only thing for the canvassers to do was to certify the result as they found it, which they did, and Mr. Nichols is elected by four plurality and will take his office as soon as his commission, is received.

sheets. One is to be used by the canvassing board in compiling their figures and the law requires the election board to seal up the other sheet, .jvhich is turned over to the county clc. where it is to be kept six months with the ballots and then destroyed. It was agreed to open the sack containing the extra tally sheets this Thursday afternoon at 1 o’clock and see if the two sheets correspond. If they do this will settle the matter. If they are different there will be a chance for a contest and a recount of the ballots will be necessary to settle the matter. The two inspectors, James Stevens, of Gillanx, and A. S. Freeman, of East Barkley, and the two Nichols and Hershman, were notified, and all agreed to be present at one o’clock this afternoon when the bag containing the extra tally will be opened to ascertain if the two tally sheets correspond. "Errors were found in several precincts on different candidates, but not enough to change Jthe result to any .material extent. ‘ In East Barkley Hershman was given 74 votes on the tally sheet, when he should have been given 69. In Gillam township he was given 87 when he should have been given 82. The mistakes-were made in adding up

The election canvassing board finished their labors and made their returns to. the county clerk a little-be-fore 6 o’clock Wednesday evening. In comparing their figures they found several mistakes, the two most important being in the east precinct cf Barkley and in Gillam townships. These two errors made a difference of ten votes in favor of Jesse Nichois for clerk and elected him by four votes.

the totals. , On treasurer, Brusnahan was given 68 votes in West Carpenter when he should have been credited with 67. On surveyor Yeoman was given 66 in Carpenter West, when the correct figures were 60. Rainier, for coroner, was given 97 when his correct vote was 102, ip Marion 1. Makeever, for commissioner, was credited by the election board in Marion 1 with 149 votes, when he should have had only 144. Bowie, for recorder, was given 69 in Carpenter West, when his vote was 65. In Union South his opponent, Scott, was given 78. His correct vote was 86. In Bowie’s home township, Wheatfield, a mistake of one was made. His vote should have been 123 instead of 122. This made Scott’s plurality 846 instead of 834. The corrected official vote will be found elsewhere.

The figures published in Wednesday’s papers were taken from the canvassers’ sheets before they had verified their figures and showed the election of Hershman, the democratic candidate, by six plurality. In both the precincts Hojrshman had been credited With fiv# too many votes. This made enough difference to elect Nichols by four. When the news was given out in the evening some of the democrats expressed dissatisfaction and at the request of Democratic Chairman Welsh the canvassing board agreed to reopen the matter. The election board provides for two tally