Ballot Box Battle in Goldendale
A tight election leads to accusations of fraud, lost ballots, and an appeal for funds in a county split by Populist politics.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
In Goldendale, election contest cases have been in progress before Judge Smith of the superior court all the week. The defeat of D. E. Brooks by three votes by G. F. McKinney, Republican nominee for county clerk, greatly excited a number of the Populist leaders in this county who had bitterly fought Mr. McKinney from the start. Immediately after the result of the election became known, a subscription paper was started around, and the Courier, the Populist paper of Goldendale, claimed $1,000 had been raised to contest the election of G. F. McKinney. This sum was probably raised on paper and will likely not materialize. However, the contest against McKinney was filed in due time. Contests were also filed against Populists D. W. Collins, sheriff-elect, Treasurer-elect C. K. Morris, and one county commissioner. The case against Morris was subsequently withdrawn. In recounting the ballots it was found that in two precincts, both Populist strongholds, there were no initials of the officers of election, and said precincts being thrown out, the Republican sheriff and commissioner were declared elected. Notice of appeal was given, but it is not believed the case will go any further. Judge Smith rendered a decision to the effect that no ballots could be introduced as evidence unless testimony was first given showing that the ballots have been kept in custody of the proper persons until the time of their introduction into court.
“Immediately after the result of the election became known a subscription paper was started around... this sum was probably raised on paper and will likely not materialize.”
Election administration and the integrity of the ballot remain at the center of American civic life, though the specific 'initialing' requirements of 1892 have been replaced by modern technological verification. The tension between local party strongholds and judicial oversight is a recurring theme in Washington’s history of civic expansion.
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