Citizenship Manual - The Boys State Citizen and Elections |
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Elections are conducted at Boys State to conform as nearly as possible to the Election Laws of the State of Illinois. Some changes are necessary in the procedure because of limitations of time and the number of citizens at Boys State. Elections Boards ordinarily consist of five people chosen by County Boards or by Election Commissions in the large cities of the State. The appointments are confirmed by the Circuit Court. The number of persons representing each political party is determined by the vote for Governor at the last preceding general election. The election precincts are supposed to contain 500 to 800 voters. In Boys State, each city is an election precinct. The Election Board consists of three election Judges who are chosen by the City Counselor. In order that there may be as many election Judges of one party as of another, two Federalist and one Nationalist are to be appointed as Judges in the odd numbered cities, while two Nationalists and one Federalist Judges are to be appointed in the even numbered cities. Click on the following link to see the number of particular cities: Governmental Organization of Boys State Nominations of candidates at Boys State for City, County, and Legislative Officers are made by the caucus or party convention system. Separate conventions are held by each political party, and each citizen is expected to participate in the conversion of his own party. Candidates for the six statewide Constitutional Officers are nominated at a primary election held on Wednesday, following the Party Conventions on Tuesday night from among candidates who have filed nominating petitions with the Election Commission prior to the deadlines established in the schedule. Names of statewide candidates will appear on ballot determined by draw as conducted by the Elections Committee. Ballots at Boys State are in approximately the same form as official ballots in regular elections. The election judges will indicate by encircling the names of candidates from the ward in which the voter resides, the proper portion of the ballot which is to be marked by the voter. Votes cast for candidates for Alderman in any other ward will not be counted but do not void the ballot. In general elections the ballot will have two columns of candidates, one for each party. The name of the party will appear at the top of the column together with a circle, known as the party circle. General election ballots are printed on white paper. In regular elections there may be a number of columns each representing a political party in Boys State we have only two parties. In party primaries there are separate ballots for each party. They are printed on colored paper with a different color for each party. As in regular primaries in the State of Illinois, a voter may request a primary ballot of either party, but not of both parties. A voter may 'switch' or 'cross over' party affiliation in the primary. No mark of any kind may be made on a ballot except a cross or crosses as the case may be. However, any voter may vote for any person of his choice whose name does not appear upon the ballot by writing the name of such person upon the ballot in the proper place under the title of the office and making a square before such written name and placing a cross in that square. Sometimes when no nomination has been made for an office, a square and a blank line will appear on the ballot. In that case the name may be written in and a cross put in the square already provided. The cross may be made with pen or pencil. Each cross must be marked within the party circle or written the square before the candidate's name. The lines of each cross must intersect inside the circle or square.
The following are examples of unlawfully marked ballots which cannot be counted:
A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are good because in each case a cross is used and in each case the intersection of the lines of the cross is within the circle or square. Number 1 is bad because the lines of the cross intersect outside of the circle. Numbers 2, 3, 4 are bad because crosses are not used. Numbers 5, 6, 7 are bad because the lines of the cross do not intersect within the square. There are three methods of marking the ballot: 1. The voter may make a cross in the squares at the left of the name of each candidate of his choice for each office to be filled. 2. If the voter desires to vote for all of the candidates of one political party, he may make a cross in the party circle at the top of the column in which he will find the names of his party candidates. 3. If the voter desires to vote for candidates of more than one political party, he may make a cross in the party circle at the top of one column; he may then make a cross in the square before the name or names of candidates in the other party. A ballot so marked is counted as being cast for all of the candidates in the column under the party circle in which the cross has been marked except as to the candidates in the other party column where the cross is in the square before the names of his favored candidates. In all cases, the cross placed before the name of a candidate takes precedence over the cross in the party circle. Voters are cautioned about marking a ballot by the last method when there is more than one candidate to be elected to the same office as in the case of Supervisors in the City election. By marking in the party circle, the voter indicates a desire to vote for all the candidates in that party column. By marking a square in the other column, only the candidate before whose name the cross appears would receive a vote. Election officials could not determine for which of the two candidates in the other party the voter wished to vote. When there is but one candidate to the elected for each office on the ballot, there is not this danger of confusion, and the method may be more safely adopted. If a voter desires to vote 'split ticket', the first method is the safest plan.
When the voter enters the designated polling place, he will sign an application for a ballot. The election Judge will hand him a ballot, or ballots, and the voter should see that the judge has put his initials on the back of the ballot. Only properly initiated ballots are counted. The voter must enter the booth alone to mark his ballot as he is not allowed to mark his ballot so that anyone else may see it. The only exception is when a voter, for some reason, is unable to mark his ballot. Then he is assisted by an election official from each party. A blind person may designate a friend to mark his ballot for him. If the voter makes a mistake, he should return the spoiled ballot to the election Judge, and ask for another. While an erasure does not necessarily invalidate the ballot. It may not be properly counted and the voter would then lose his vote. Election officials do not always know the law and the voter should mark his ballot correctly so there will be no doubt as to which candidate he wished to vote. Before leaving the voting booth, the voter should fold the ballot so that the crosses may not be seen and so that the Judge's initials are clearly seen. The ballot is handed to the election official in charge of the ballot box, who then deposits it in the box. Election officials have authority to call peace officers to stop any disturbances which may occur in or near the polling place. Soliciting of votes by candidates or others is not permitted in the vicinity of the polling place. A citizen may not run for two offices in the same election. All offices are deemed to be incompatible. A citizen may not run for office on the tickets of both parties. Statutes: Act of June 27, 1936 |
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