‘Very Expensive to Preserve’: NH Preserving ‘Secret Election’ Ballots

By David Brooks
THE CONCORD MONITOR
Up to about 140 years ago, anyone who wanted to cast a vote in a state or federal election in New Hampshire had to get a ballot from the political party of their choice – whether Republican or Democrat or some group that has long since faded away, such as the Prohibition Party.

This meant that bystanders at the polling place knew which candidate voters were choosing, because every party’s “ticket,” as they were known, looked different. This made it possible for outsiders to threaten or bribe voters – hard cider was a common reward – and ensure the result they wanted. Political parties made extensive use of this ability.

“There was real corruption in elections,” said Brian Burford, New Hampshire state archivist. “It got very bad. The reform movement in 1880s said we’ve got to do something about this – we’re going to have the state-run (elections) and have some way to have some secret ballots.”

Secrecy was ensured by what is known as the Australian ballot, so called because it was first used in that country in 1856. Its design, still used today, puts all political parties on a single ballot. Bystanders couldn’t tell how anyone voted so they had less of an incentive to use bribes or threats.

“The first election that used them was 1892,” said Burford.

Sample ballots from that election – when, as I’m sure you’ll recall, Grover Cleveland became the only person to be elected president for two non-consecutive terms – and from all subsequent elections are stored at the state archives on Fruit Street in Concord. In a program started by former Secretary of State Bill Gardner, they’re being carefully preserved, one election at a time.

“They’re very expensive to preserve,” said Burford. “We’ve done 1892 and 1986 and now we’ve done the 1900 election.”

In the conservation process, fasteners are removed and ballots are cleaned. After tears in the paper are repaired, each ballot is washed in a special solution to neutralize the acid and then placed in an archival plastic sleeve to support the paper’s fibers.

Up through the late 1800s paper was made from old rags and cotton, a technology that can last for centuries, but then it was found how to make paper out of wood pulp, the method still in use today.

“Paper made with wood pulp was quite a lot cheaper so everybody used it. They didn’t realize lignum (from wood) was highly acidic and would eat through the fibers,” said Burford.

The old preserved ballots can be seen by request, he said: “I’ve got them put away in a cooler in a dark vault, but anybody who’d like to see them can ask and I’d be happy to bring them out.”

Making it impossible for outsiders to confirm an individual’s vote has long been a concern of the Secretary of State’s office. It was the reason, for example, they oppose so-called “ballot selfies,” in which people posted online pictures of their finished ballot, because that practice links individuals to their votes and might make them susceptible to pressure.

However, a law recently signed by Gov. Sununu weakens ballot privacy for some voters. Senate Bill 418 requires voters who are registering to vote in New Hampshire for the first time on election day but don’t have I.D. to use a special “affidavit ballot” which identifies them. Under the new law, if they don’t mail in proof of identity within seven days their specific ballot will be tossed out.

It was supported by the Republican majority in the legislature, who say it might deter hypothetical voter fraud, and is one of a number of restrictions on voting that GOP legislators have passed in recent years. The lack of voter privacy is one reason that a lawsuit by a number of organizations is challenging the legality of the requirement.

These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.