votes
where certain precincts show more votes on the amendment than
names recorded in the poll books and altogether 15,898 more names
are found on the poll books than there were ballots cast on woman
suffrage. If this proportion is maintained in the other
fifty-five counties, there would be approximately 30,000 more
voters listed than there were votes on the amendment. The
question the investigator raises is: "Did 60,000 men go to the
polls and fail to vote a primary ballot, and did 30,000 of these
fail to vote on the amendment? Did 30,000 go to the polls and
fail to vote for anybody or anything?"

The W. C. T. U. can draw but one conclusion from this condition,
namely, that they were defrauded out of their right to the
ballot.

The investigators found that in the 44 counties ... 4,743
ballots, shown to have been cast by the list of voters, are
absolutely unaccounted for.... In 15 counties it was found that
in certain precincts 2,239 more ballots were certified than there
were names on the list of voters.... In 15 counties there were
8,067 more ballots on the amendment than there were voters
checked as having voted.

In 30 counties where the combination poll books were used no
voter was checked as having voted, but the certificates show that
55,107 votes were cast on the amendment. In 27 cities canvassed,
a total disregard or ignorance of the registration laws in nearly
all precincts appears and in many of these the violations are
most flagrant.

The law requires that the judges and clerks of election shall
make out a certificate showing the total number of votes cast,
the number voting "yes" or "no" or "rejected." A total of 9,320
votes in these counties are not properly certified to and the
"true return" is not signed in many instances by any of the
clerks or judges and in others not by all. In this class 27,362
votes were affected. In six counties certificates properly signed
by the clerks and judges had been changed by a different hand and
in some cases several different precincts had been changed by the
same hand....

Many other instances were given of incompetence and dishonesty beyond
question, but, notwithstanding this positive evidence, the legal
requirements and restrictions were such as made any effort for a
recount or anoth