Oughton v. Black

Citations

• 212 Pa. 1
• 61 A. 346
• 1905 Pa. LEXIS 538

Syllabus

<p>Election law—Constitutional law—Marking ballots—Straight party vote— Freedom and equality of elections—Constitution of Pennsylvania, sec. 5, art. 1, Acts of June 10, 1893, P. L. 419, and April 29, 1903, P. L. 338.</p> <p>The proviso in the fourteenth section and the clause in the twenty-second section of the Ac't of June 10,1893, P. L. 419, amended by the Act of April 29, 1903, P. L. 338, relating to the marking of the ballots for a straight party vote do not violate sec. 5, art. 1, of the constitution of Pennsylvania, which declares that “elections shall be free and equal.”</p> <p>The fact that the elector who votes a straight party ticket may prepare his ballot more quickly than one who does not, does not in any way interfere with the freedom and equality of elections within the meaning of the constitution.</p> <p>Dean, Mestbezat and Thompson, JJ., dissent.</p>