How they vote in France.
--A correspondent of the
London Examiner visited the voting polls in
Paris during the recent elections, and reports that "nothing can be more orderly and tranquil than the proceedings." He gives an interesting description of the manner in which the details of a French election are conducted:
‘
A police officer is stationed at the entrance of the bail of voting, who merely inquires whether you are an elector.
As a stranger, I was invited by the
Mayor, with my companion, to witness what was going on. The
Mayor presided over the table, on which was placed the ballot-box.
Every elector had at the door separate tickets given him, on which were printed the names of the candidates.
Each ticket resembled the others, so that when folded it was utterly impossible to distinguish the name of the person voted for. The elector presented a document printed on green paper, containing his name, quality, place of abode, and certificate of registration.
The name having been called out, the scrutineers, of whom there were four, examined the electoral lists, and on ascertaining that the name was found there the elector delivered his folded ticket to the
President, by whom it was dropped into the box. Voting always takes place on a Sunday, for the convenience of the laboring classes, and on the following
Monday.
If any question of identity arise, two known inhabitants of the district are allowed to identify the individual who comes forward to vote.
At four o'clock the ballot box is sealed; that of yesterday was courteously put into our hands.
We found that the great proportion of the electors vote on the second day, as an additional security against any tampering with the ballot box. There were at no time more than four or five electors in the room, and no one was detained a minute after his certificate or registration was found to agree with the electoral lists.
’
