The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-08-30
IMPORTANT TO VOTERS.
REGISTRY LAW, 1877.
AN ACT supplementary and amendatory of the
act entitled " an act to amend sections two four
and twenty of an act entitled an act to pre-
serve the purity of elections" ;"


SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General
assembly of the State of Ohio, That no person
shall be permitted to vote at any election,
unless he shall have been resident of the
State one year, a resident of the
county three hundred and sixty days, and a
resident of the township, village or ward in
which he resides and offers to vote, three
hundred and fifty-five days next proceeding
the election; Provided, (tirst), no person
shall be prohibited from voting by reason of
not having been a resident of the proper
county, or township, village or ward, the
time above specified, if such person shall
have been bona fde resident of the county
thirty days, and of the township, village or
ward in which he resides and offers to vote,
twenty days next preceding the election,
and shall have complied with the provisions,
and registered as required by section five of
this act Provided, (second), that any per-
son being the head of family, and having
actually resided in the State and in the
county wherein he may offer to vote, the
time required by this act, who shall bona
fde remove with his family from one town
ship, village or ward in such county to an
other township, village or ward therein,
shall not be required to reside in such townl
ship, village or ward to which he shall
so remove, the time specified in this Sec
ton, in order to vote therin at any election,
except at elections for municipal officers.
All Judges of election in determining the
residence of a person offering to vote, shall
begoverned by the following rules, SO far as
the same be applicable:
1st. That place shall be considered the
residence of a person in which his habitation
is fixed, without any present intention of
removing therefrom, and to which, when
ever he is absent, he has the intention of re-
turning.
End. A Aperson shall not be considered to
have lost his residence, who shall leave his
home and go into another State or county
of this State for temporary purposes merely,
with the intention of returning.
Sd. A person shall not be considered to
have gained residence in any county of
this State into which he shall come for tenn
porary purposes merely, without the in
tention of making such county his home.
4th. If person remove to another State,
with an intention to make it his permanent
residence, he shall be considered to have
lost his residence in this State.
9TH. If person remove to another State,
with an intention of remaining there an in
definite time, and as a place OF present
residence, he shall be considered to have
lost his residence in this State, notwith-
standing he may entertain an intention to
return at some future period.
9th. The place where O married mans
family resides, shall generally be considered
his place of residence; but, if it is place
for temporary establishment of his family,
or for transient objects, it shall be otherwise.
7th If married man has his family
fixed in one place, and he does business in
another, the former, shall be considered his
place of residence.
8th. The mere intention to acquire new
residence, without the fact of removal, shall
avail nothing; neither shall the fact of re-
moval without intention.
9. If person shall go into another State,
and while there exercise the right of a
citizen by voting, he shall be considered to
have lost his residence in this State.
10th. All questions of the right to vote
shall be heard and determined by the Judges
of elections, who shall require at least the
sworn testimony of an elector of the proper
township or ward, and known to one or
more of the judges, as to the truth of the
statements of such person whose right to
vote has been challenged.
SECTION 2. Trustees of townships, and
the council of cities and villages forming
one or more election precincts, shall, on the
fourth Monday next preceding the general
elections in October of each year, appoint
two suitable persons of opposite politics,
for the registration of voters in each elec-
ton precinct in such township, city or vii
lage, who shall be electors of the proper
election precinct, and shall hold their Office
for one year, and shall take an oath or
ing to law. If, for any cause, register or
registers shall not be appointed, or, if ap-
pointed, shall be unable. Tor any cause, to
discharge the duties ha-ein enjoined, OF
shall refuse to discharge the duties of such
Office, it shall be the duty of the clerk OF
the proper township, or Mayor of the
proper city or village (as the case may
be), to fill all such vacancies, by appoint
ment, and the person or persons so ap
pointed shall be electors of the proper elec
ton precinct, and shall hold their office
during the continuance of such cause, anC
shall take an oath or an affirmation to dis
| charge the duties of such appointment ac
cording to law.
| SECTION 8. The place for the registration
of voters in and for every township. city
| or village, shall be the usual places of hold
ing elections therein.
| SECTION 4. Registers shall be in attend
ance at their respective places for the regis
tration of voters, on the third Friday mex
preceding every general election in April
| October and November, from eight O'Clock
a. M, until nine o'clock p. m, for the pur
pose of registration; and, if necessary, t.
give all making an application an oppor
| tunity to register; they shall continue there
at, between the hours Aforesaid, for tw,
days, and shall personally supervise al
registrations
| SECTION 5. Any person to be entitled t.
vote under the first provision of section one
shall appear before the registers of tn
proper election precinct wherein he expect
to vote, at the time and place designated fo
the registrations of voters, and make an
subscribe statement, in a book to be pre-
vided at the expense of the proper towI
ship, city or village, for the purpose, an
kept by the registers open at all times t
public inspection and examination, whic
statements shall contain the name of tn
last preceding place of residence therein
the date of his removal thereto, his age, an
whether married or unmarried, and shall b
subscribed by such person. Such stat'
ments shall be dated and numbered col
secutively, beginning with No. at the b.
ginning of each year. And the register
shall make, over their own signatures an
deliver to every person so registered befol
!, them, a corresponding statement with a lik
number and date, which such person sha
. present to the judges of election when b
offers to vote. No person shall register
any other time or place than as above de
ignated.
SECTION 6. That if any person or person
, shall willfully make, or authorize to
made, any statement herein required, falls
in any particular, or shall violate any pr
vision of this act, every such person or pc
sons shall be deemeed guilty of a misd
meanor, and on conviction thereof shall
fined in any sum, not less than twenty, nj
more than three hundred dollars, or be il
1 prisoned in the county Jail not exceedir
Q six months, or both, at the discretion of IL
Y court
SECTION 7. Registers, at least ten days b
fore any general election aforesaid, sha
: make an alphabetical list for their votir
precinct, of all persons registered as resi-
g ing therein and not before so listed, givir
}, with each name the date of removal to sue
}, precinct, and the last preceding place
+ residence, which list he shall forthwith pos
g or cause to be posted up, conspicuously
. the usual place of holding elections in SUI
a precinct; and a copy thereof, with Il
t proper number and date of registry in eat
e case added, he shall deliver, or cause to
It delivered to the judges of election
the proper precinct on every such electi,
day, and before the opening of the poll
. and as persons so listed shall present Il
y statements aforesaid, evidencing their re
Il istry and vote, their names shall be check
$ off on said list. Provided, any person ha
# ing duly registered in another precinct, al
IS removed, as in the second provision of s,
o. ton one to the precinct wherein he offers
= vote and being otherwise uualified shn