Voting Procedures (1955)

and the hours of registration are from 9 to 5: until this Friday be sure to register so you can vote the preceding was a presentation of the Westside Civic Club well you can go to the registar of voter's office in the courthouse but it just so happens that the deputy registration officers will be in your neighborhood next Tuesday afternoon would you prefer that I have them call at your house but I registered when we moved here last year do I have to register again you must register before you can vote you can register with your neighborhood Deputy registar or you can register at your local courthouse in the office of the registar of Voters may I help you is this where I register to vote Yes have you ever voted in the county before no I just moved here the first of the year have you lived in the state for the last 6 months yes have you lived in the county for the past 60 days yes have you lived in your precinct for the last 30 days yes all states have residence requirements such requirements vary from state to state your name David B Collins and your address 617 North Side Drive Drive you're in Precinct 7 and your polling place is Maple Grove School where were you born Dayton Ohio your age 42 sign on this line when you sign the registration form you testify that the information on the form is correct with your signature this form becomes the official record of your qualification to vote loss of registration results from changing your residence and in some States from failure to vote or from the periodic expiration of the registration list if for any of these reasons you lose your registration you must reregister when you cannot register in person you may register by mail upon application a registration form is mailed to you when properly filled out and returned to the registar it is entered with the other official registration records these individual records are used to make up the voting list only the persons whose names are on the completed voting list are qualified to receive a ballot on Election Day ballots may be different in color size shape and detail from state to state but the ballot you receive on Election Day will probably be one of two general types the party column type sometimes called the Indiana Ballot or The Office group type sometimes called the Massachusetts ballot on paper ballots of the office group type the candidates are listed under the heading of the office they are seeking their party affiliations usually ually follow their names on the voting machine the office heading is also above the name of the Party candidate however on the party column ballot you will find a different Arrangement on this type of ballot the candidates names are listed in a column under their party heading this arrangement of candidates names is the same as on the voting machine except that on the paper ballot the party column reads vertically on the machine panel the party column reads horizontally the details of marking ballots vary from state to state however instru instructions are clearly stated on every ballot read them carefully and follow them exactly special voting instructions may be given for some sections of the ballot they refer only to that part of the ballot the ballots of Most states provide blank squares beside each candidate's name to vote for a candidate make a cross X within the square of opposite his name a properly marked ballot might look like this some states provide a special means of making your mark such as this rubber stamp the proper marking equipment for your state will be supplied by the officials at the polls ballots may be disqualified in many states if a check or a plus Mark is used even the cross X may be disqualified if the lines do not cross inside the square if the lines do not cross to complete an X or if they extend outside the square here is the accepted Mark for your ballot you may vote a split ticket or a straight ticket voting a straight ticket means that you vote for all the candidates of one political party when you choose candidates from more than one party you are voting a split or scratch ticket when marking a split ticket you must vote for each candidate individually you may also vote a straight ticket by marking an X after each name however on the party column ballot of many states you may vote a straight ticket by placing a single X within the party name or symbol at the top of the ballot when you vote in this circle it is the only Mark you need to make and all of the candidates whose names appear in the column will receive your Vote many states permit a write-in vote so that a voter may add a candidate's name to the ballot since the techniques for a right-in vary ask your election board about the correct procedure in your state a referendum on public measures such as constitutional amendments may be included on the ballot or may be on separate ballots read the instructions carefully before you vote on the issue machines are used for voting in many places as on the paper ballot you can vote either a split or straight ticket you may have decided to vote a straight ticket after you have closed the curtains pull the lever of your party this action exposes an X by each name of your party's candidates your vote is cast when you open the curtains with the operating lever the tabs are also cleared and the secrecy of your vote is guaranteed there are two ways of voting a split ticket on the machine Let's suppose most of the candidates you select belong to one political party first pull the operating lever to the opposite position next pull the party lever of that party which includes the majority of your chosen candidates then push up the pointer where you wish to vote for another candidate and pull down the pointer of your new Choice before you make a new Choice make sure all the pointers for that office are pushed up otherwise the machine will not allow you to vote for your new choice now you have made your selection but you have not yet voted you cast your vote only when you pull the operating lever back to its original position your vote is then cast the voting panel is cleared the curtain is open and the booth is ready for the next voter with the other method of voting a split ticket you disregard the party lever and make your selections directly from the various Parties by pushing down the individual pointers for a right-in vote lift the slide above of the office and write in the name space for special propositions is found near the top of the voting panel selection is made by pushing down the proper pointer Again by pulling the operating handle your vote is cast and tabulated on the automatic counters inside of the machine if if you obtain a sample ballot and study it carefully before going to the polls you can become familiar with the ballot you will use on Election Day you would then avoid feeling rushed in situations where election laws limit the time you may use to mark your ballot on the day of either a primary or general election you should report to the specified polling place for your Precinct unless you have already been allowed to vote by mail using an absentee ballot the location of your polling place and the hours for voting are publicly announced before election day if you have any questions you may call your local election board or the local headquarters of your political party after your name has been checked on the voting list you may enter the polls only persons voting and election officials are allowed inside the polls this is a closed primary election when you sign for your ballot you must declare a party affiliation after you have received a ballot naming all the candidates seeking your party's nominations go directly to a vacant Booth to make your selections read the instructions carefully and make the appropriate marks in some states you are allowed to take your sample ballot into the booth if you should spoil a ballot return it with an explanation to the election officials then your old ballot will be voided and a new one will be issued remember the officials are here not only to check your qualifications to vote but also to protect your right to vote and to assist you with any problems this type of election employs the Australian ballot which means you vote in secrecy on uniform ballots provided by Public Authority when you have finished marking your ballot fold it so that no one can see how you have voted if there is an official seal or signature on the back of the ballot be sure it is visible when the ballot is folded after you leave the booth go to the ballot boxes and deposit your ballot in the proper box or hand it to the proper official who will deposit it for you now let's see how you would vote in a general election in a large city where voting machines are used you will notice that the procedure at the polls is similar to the rural primary we have just seen before you enter the polls your name is checked on the voting list by representatives of the political parties you enter the polls and the clerk checks your qualifications for voting in the registration book then you sign the voting book an election official will indicate which voting machine you are to use remember all you have to do to vote by machine is first pull the operating handle to the opposite side side second select your candidates use either the straight ticket method or one of the split ticket methods third pull the operating handle back to its original position to cast your vote