Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-04-08
GENERAL. ASSEMBLY.
SENATE.

CENATE.
SATURDAY APRIL 2.-The Committe on
Elections reported back the bill providing
for general election with the recommended
ton that it pass.
The Senate concurred in the House
Amendments to the Senate bill for the reg
istration Of voters with one exception, which
the House receded from. The following is
the bill as it passed both Houses
An Act to provide for the General Regis
tration Of Voters:
1. Be it enacted by the General Assem-
bly,, That the Judge of the county and hus-
tings courts Of each county, city, and town
of this Commonwealth. Immediately after
the first election and qualification Of the
said judges under the constitution, and
every second year thereafter, counting from
January, eighteen hundred and seventy, at
the January term of their respective courts,
shall appoint a registrar for each township.
ward, and voting place Of their respective
counties, cities, and towns, who shall be a
discreet citizen and resident of the town
ship or ward to which appointed.
g. Each registrar SO appointed and quail
fled, as hereinafter provided, shall register
all male citizens of his election district,
who shall be Of the age of twenty one years
at the first election to be held after the
registration, and who are citizens of the
United States, and shall have resided in the
State twelve months, and in the county. city,
Or town in which they propose to register,
three months next preceding any election at
which they may offer to vote: Provided,
that no officer, soldier, seaman, or marine
Of the United States army or navy shall be
considered resident of the State by reason
Of being stationed therein and provided
also. that idiots and lunatics, persons con-
victed Of bribery in any election, embezzle-
ment OF public funds, treason or felony, and
any person who, while a citizen Of this
State has, since the adoption Of the present
constitution, fought duel with a deadly,
weapon, sent Or accepted a challenge to fight
duel with deadly weapon, either within
OF beyond the boundaries of this State, Or
knowingly conveyed the challenge, or assist
ed, in any manner, in fighting duel, shall
not be registered as voters and provided
further, that in the event that any person
claiming to be naturalized citizen of the
United States shall not be able to establish
the date of his papers, Or the court in which
thy we're issued, by reason of his having
lest the same, or from any other cause. then
his oath or affirmation to the fact that he
has been duly naturalized, shall be accepted,
and shall eDtitle him to register.
B. The secretary of the Commonwealth
shall cause to be prepared suitable books
and blanks for the registration of voters,
and shall forward them to the clerks of the
county and hustings courts of the several
counties, cities and towns, to be by them
distributed to the registrars Of their respec-
tive townships, wards and voting places
The books aforesaid shall be so arranged as
to admit of the alphabetical classification of
those registered. and shall be ruled in par
allcl columns. in which shall be entered the
number, name of voter, the fact that he is
sworn, his age, occupation the place Of resi-
dence at time Of registration, the length of
time of his residence in the county, city or
town. If in city, stating the name of the
street and number of house in which he
resides, provided the same be nun bered, the
time of his residence in the State, and if
naturalized, the date of his papers and the
court by which was issued, in case the same
can be ascertained. The list of voters,
white and colored, shall be kept and arranged
in separate books.
4. Before any registra. shall register the
name of any person as voter, he shall be
satisfied of his qualification, as heretofore
prescribed and all persons applying for
registration shall, before they are registered.
take and subscribe the oath prescribed by
the constitution, which is as follows
II, -, do solemnly swear Cor af-
frm) that am not disqualified from exer-
cising the right of suffrage by the constitu-
ton framed by the convention which assem-
bled in the city of Richmond on the third
day of December, eighteen hundred and
sixty seven, and that l will support and
defend the same to the best Of my ability
The constitution referred to III this oath
is understood to he as adopted by the pco-
pie on the sixth day Of July, eighteen hun
.dred and sixty niue.
5. Each registrar shall, before entering
upon the duties Of his Office, take and sub
scribe, before some officer authorized by law
to administer oaths, the oath of Office pre-
scribed 10 the constitution of this State,
which oath or affirmation he shall subscribe
and file in the clerks Office Of the county or
hustings court of his county or corporation.
He shall receive compensation Of three
dollars for each day actually employed, to
be paid out of the county or corporation
treasury
G. No person who acts as registrar shall
be eligible to an Office to be filed by election
by the people during the term for which
said registrar is appointed:
r. Each registrar shall, annually, on the
fourth Tuesday in April, at his voting place,
proceed TO register the names of all the
qualified voters within his voting district,
not previously registered in his said district,
in accordance With the provisions Of this act,
who shall apply to be registered, commence
ing at sunrise and closing at sunset, and
shall complete such registration within five
days thereafter: Provided, however, that at
the FIRST registration under this act seven
DAYS shall be allowed to complete such reg
istration. Fifteen days previous to any
State, county or township election the reg
istrar shall sit two days, for the purpose of
amending and correcting the list, at which
time any qualified voter applying and no.
previously registered, may be aaded. The
registrars shall give notice of the time and
place Of all registrations for at least ten days
before each sitting, by posting written or
printed notices thereof at five or more public
places in their townships, wards and cleo
ton districts It shall be the duty Of the
registrar within ten days after the compile
ton of any general registration Of voters
under this act, to have posted at three (3)
or more public places in their townships.
wards, and election precincts written OR
posted lists Of all persons admitted by them
to registration
s. BE it further enacted. that the clerk
of thatcounty and hustings courts shall at