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The Polling by William Hogarth (1755); Before the secret ballot was introduced voter intimidation was commonplaceThe secret ballot is a process in elections where the choice of the voters is kept confidential. The basic purpose of this process is to allow the voter to record their choice without intimidation.
The system is one means of achieving the goal of political privacy. Secret ballots are suitable for many different voting systems.
The system provides for pre-printed ballot papers listing the name of each candidate together with a box next to each name for the voter to record his/her voting preference. Provision is made at the voting place for the voter to record his/her preference in secret. These ballot papers are then placed in sealed boxes, later emptied for counting.
The practice was pioneered in the former Australian colony, now state of South Australia in the early 1850's. Today the practice is so commonplace that most voters would not consider that any other method might be used. Although the colony of Victoria enacted legislation for secret ballots on March 19 1856, credit is generally given to South Australian Electoral Commissioner William Boothby for creating the system finally enacted into law in South Australia on April 2 of that same year (two weeks later).
In the United States the practice is known by the name "Australian ballot". The first President of the United StatesThe President of the United States is the head of state of the United States. Under the U. Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and commander in chief of the armed forces. Because of the superpower status of th elected under the Australian ballot was president Grover ClevelandGrover Cleveland Order 22nd President 24th President Term of Office March 4, 1885 March 4, 1889 March 4, 1893 March 4, 1897 Followed Chester A. Arthur ( 1885) Benjamin Harrison ( 1893) Succeeded by Benjamin Harrison ( 1889) William McKinley ( 1897) Date o in 1892Events January 1 Ellis Island begins accepting immigrants to the United States. January 14 Death of Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, second in line heir to the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Next in line is his younger b. Elections in the United States are now almost always held by secret ballot, with party nominating caucuses in some states--most significantly the leadoff Presidential nominating state of Iowa--requiring an open casting of ballots. A Pennsylvania state legislator long active in election reform issues, Rep. Mark B. Cohen of Philadelphia, said "The secret ballot guarantees that it is one's private opinion that counts. Open ballots are not truly free for those whose preferences defy the structures of power or friendship."
1 Chronology of Introduction
