Curio | January 2, 2026

On This Day | Counting Only the Votes Cast

159 words • 1 min read

Author

Josh Wolsky

Ever since the canvassing board declared the amendments passed, on the strength of an opinion signed by Attorney General Langer, who held that the clause in the constitution required that an initiated amendment to pass must have “a majority of all the votes cast in the election,” meant a majority of votes cast for and against the amendment, it has been regarded as certain that a test would be started.
January 2, 1919 | Ward County Independent

Why We Chose It

Counting ballots after elections has always been contentious business, and those seeking an outcome well press every advantage and loophole. And when it came to initiated measures, it took a courageous politician and a matching court to ensure that empty ballots did not count as “no” votes.