St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-27
THE NEW ELECTION LAW.

The Whiteman election law, under
which the next election in this state will
be held, is considered by many of our
citizens as an experiment. But
there is nothing in this law
which is experimental, for it is
almost an exact copy of the election
law of the state of New York, where it
has been in force for years, and where
it has given general satisfaction. The
particular aim of this law is
elections held in the large
cities and towns. and to give
every honest voter a chance to use his
elective franchise as he thinks best,
freely and without mGlestatiOn, and to
have the same accredited to the candi-
dates, for whose benefit the franchise
was exercised.
The section of this law which fixes
the maximum number Of voters to be
contained in any one election precinct,
gives every voter chance to deposit
his ballot without delay, which is
a right which was seldom en-
joyed under the old law.
The section requiring the posting in a
conspicuous place in each election pre-
Clllct Ol lllt lltlHltS anu IcSluellCeS Vi all
persons registered and entitled to vote
fore election day, allows time
to ascertain whether the persons regis
tered are bona fide residents of
the precinct, and effectually does away
with fraudulent registration and re-
peating. The eighth subdivision of the
section, defining the legal resi-
dence Of voter, is as follows:
1.-THE mere intention to acquire
new residence, without the fact of re-
moval, shall avail nothing; neither
shall the fact of removal without inten-
ton. And no person employed temper
arily in the construction or repair of
any railroad, canal, or other work of
public nature, shall acquire residence in
any election precinct into which he came
for that purpose, SO as to entitle him to
vote therein. In any question that may
arise as to the right of any person in the
employment of any railroad corporation
to be registered or to vote in any cleo
ton precinct, it must first satisfac-
torily appear to all the judges of
said election precinct, that the said
party is an actual bona fida resident of
said election precinct, and not there for
temporary purposes merely; and the
mere affidavit of such person shall not
be received as conclusive as to any fact
necessary to entitle him to vote.''
X y
This section, it will be seen, prevents
large gangs of men EN- loyed temper
arily in grading railroads from acquir-
ing residence at the place of their
temporary employment, and outvoting
the bona fide residents, as has been the
custom too often heretofore. 1t also re-
rnnyaS tho ppnrlnuar from tho ,>oo,+;1,.
he has so long held in this state, as the
arbiter of the way the men in his en-
plOy shall vote.
Another subdivision on the same mat
ter effectually sets at rest the question
of allowing students of the state uni
versity and other colleges and schools
to vote at their temporary abode, and
which question has been the cause of
considerable controversy and cOnten-
ton in former elections. 1t reads as
follows: "a person shall not be con-
sidered to have gained residence in
any county into which he comes for
temporary purposes merely, without
the intention of making such county his
home"
The manner of registering is quite
different from the system under the old
law, when nothing was entered on the
register but the voters name and resi-
dence. The new law requires in addi-
ton to the name and residence of the
person registering, the place of nativity,
length of residence in the state, county
and election predinct, and the place last
registered, and if the applicant is for
eign born, the fact that he is natural
lied, with the date of the naturalization
papers and the place where they were
obtained.
~
Another good feature of the law is
that in all cities of 5000 inhabitants and
upward, the time for closing the polls
shall be z O'Clock, which is two hours
later than under the old law, and conse-
quently men engaged at days
work, will have chance to
vote after quitting work. Under
the old law they were compelled to vote
at the noon hour, or else take time from
their working hours. The sec
ton in regard to tickets re-
quires that the ballots shall be
divided as follows: A ticket
Endorsed ELECTORS" shall contain the
names for presidential electors voted
for: the ticket indOrSed ssState,3 thu