Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-09-20
THE REGISTRY LAW AGAIN
Who Must Register, and Who
May NOt-Variefy of Ques-
tiOnS Asked.

OFFICE OF THE Atty GENERAL,
COLUMBUS, o., Sept. 15, 1877.
To the Editor of the Cincinnati Gazette:
have received so many letters OF
inquiry touching the registration ACT
that L am disposed, with your permis.
sion, as requested by some of the writ.
ers, to answer through your columns,
the subject being of general interest
The questions will be given, followed
by my answers.
l. us it necessary for all persons tu
register? II not, who must register ?''
1t is not necessary for all voters tC
register. Those who have resided i'm the
county $50 days and in the township,
village or ward in which they expect
to vote 355 days previous to the election
are neither required or authorized to
register. The head of a family who
has resided in the county 800 days, and
who bona tide removes with his family
from one township, village, or ward to
another in the same county, is not re.
quired to register; he is entitled to vote,
if otherwise qualified, in the township,
village, or ward to which he SO re.
moves without registration, and ex-
reference to the length of time he may
have lived in the precinct.
The head of a family who has not re.
sided in the county 800 days, but has
resided therein thirty days or more,
and registered at some township, viii
lage, or ward therein and who after
registration removes bona tide with his
family to another township, village, or
ward in such county, is not required to
register in the latter in order to vote
therein; but when offering to vote he
must present his certificate of registra-
tion in the former precinct and be quail
flied to its correctness.
All other voters must register-that
is to say, all those who have resided in
the county at least thirty but not 800
days, and in the township, village, OF
ward where they expect to vote at least
twenty but not 355 days, except heads
Of families removing as aforesaid, must
register in such township, village, or
ward In order to vote.
1t will perhaps aid in understa nding
this subject to keep these things i'm
mind, namely: The registration act
has increased the time of residence re-
from thirty to $50 days in the county
and from twenty to 355 days in the
township, village, or ward. The regis
ton provisions do not apply at all to
these voters who have resided for the
Increased time in the county and pre-
cinct, nor to the heads of families bona
fide removing with their families from
one precinct to another ia the same
county.
Registration is for the sole benefit and
required only of those desiring to vote
whose residence has not been for the fh-
creased periods. With registration
these may vote after residence for the
old time (thirty days 10 the county and
twenty days in the township, etc. J;
without it, not till after residence for
the new or increased time. g.
The act, In thus limiting registration
to comparatively few, seems to be
based upon the idea that residence OF
voters for the increased time will en-
able those in precinct decreased in
size as they are in large cities) to be-
come generally known to each other,
and their registration thereby rendered
nnecessary-illegal voting being usu-
ally accomplished by or through per-
sons claiming TO be voters not so
known, and that the registration Of
such as by their short residence can
not be so generally known will answer
the purposes, and free the great body
Of voters from the trouble of general
as minor who will be of age at the !
election entitled to register?'
Yes. The time of residence is refer
rable to the date of the election, and
not to that of registration. An appli.
,ant for registration is not required at- |
'eddy to have reside d thirty days in
he county, etc. 1t is enough If, on
election day his residence shall have
been for the required time.
8. "Is one convicted of felony, who
las served term in the penitentiary,
entitled to register"
Yes, if otherwise entitled. Regis
ers are not made the judges of the
of voters. 1hit author
ty is reserved fur he judges of election.
'heir duty in the matler Of registra-
ion is confined to securing and ma.
ing the statement provided for in sec