The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-08-16

Yesterday, the fifteenth instant, was
the first day for the registration of voters
ut the coming general election, to be held
on Tuesday, October 1st, 1880.
NECESSITY FOR nEGIsrRAT1ON.
1t must he borne in mind by every .vot-
er that no voter will be allowed to deposit
his ballot whose name does not appear
upon the registry list. The registering
Of their names, rs required by the new
election law, being something novel here,
it may by some be slightly considered
and by others overlooked altogether; hut
every active, vigilant republican who has
the welfare of Montana at heart and who
has an eye to his own personal security
from the misrule Of democracy and the
calamities that the free-trade and low
wage party would precipitate upon us,
will go aud register, that he may cast his
manhood and his influence in favor of
protection, home labor and home in
terests.
Each county has been divided into reg
istration districts by the county commits
sioners and each district numbered.
These districts have each one registry
agent, except in cities Of 5000 population
or over, where two may be appointed.
The first agents under the new law have
in accordance with that law been appoint
ed to serve until June 4, 1890. After that
date they are to lie appointed biennially
each regular general election year, no
candidate for, or incumbent of any office
being eligible to the position. For the
elections of this year the law provides
that registration shall begin-that is, the
registration books shall he opened and
the agent at his post-on August Is,
yesterday and continue till September
18th. After this year the time will be
from September 18th to October 18th.
THE METHOD OF REGISTRATION.
Applicants for registration must quail
fy by oath, if they have not done so at
some previous registration and the agents
are empowered to administer oaths and
affirmation. Qualifications which entitle
IL man to register are as follows: He
must be II years of age, bona tjde resi-
dent of Montana for not less than six
months next preceding the day of cleo
ton, a citizen of the county thirty days
and resident of the United States.
Agents shall question the applicant UNI
der oath. Change of residence in pre-
cinct, district or county necessitates a
new registration. Naturalized citizens
applying for registration must produce
certificate Of naturalization or subscribe
to an oath that they are citizens Or have
legally declared their intention of he
coming citizens.
Any person, not a qualified elector, vot-
ing or offering to vote, or any person who
shall vote in the name of any other reg
istercd clector, shall he deemed guilty Of
o felony, and upon conviction punished
by Imprisonment not less than one nor
more than three years. Frauds in reg
istering or attempting to register, and the
aiding or abcttiny of such frauds consti
tute misdemeanors and are subject tn
both tine and Imprisonment False
swearing before any registry agent shall
DC deemed perjury and punished us such.
Registry agents wilfully failing to per-
form their duties or corruptly permitting
persons to register not so entitled shall
be punished for each and every offense
upon conviction by fine and imprison-
ment. When, through failure OF the
agent to open books, voter finds no
, place In his own district, he may register
. elsewhere OH subscribing tn the proper