The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-10-14
Information for Those Who Will Vote
at the Election Held in
November.
Rights of FOreign.BOrn Persons I'm
der the Laws in Force in
This State.
No Swearing In on Election Day-lt
IOu Want to Vote You Must
Register.

So many questions are daily present
ed to various parties as to what are the
qualifications of voters for the election
next month, that below are briefly sum-
married. the following statements of law:
First. No person can vote unless he
will be twenty one years or over upon
Nov. 8, 1892.
Second. No person can vote under
any circumstances unless he will have
been a bona fide resident of Montana
for one year Immediately preceding
Nov. s., 1892, and unless he shall have
been a bona tide resident of the county
where he offers to vote for thirty days
preceding Nov. 8, 1892.
These qualifications are general.
They apply to any and every person, no
matter who he is or where he may Of
fer to vote. Persons who are not native
born or fully naturalized citizens of the
United States must also be governed by
the following rules:
First, if a man had lived in Montana
six months before the constitution was
adopted. that is to say. six months be-
fore Oct. |, 1889, and had declared his
intentions of becoming a citizen of the
United States any time before Oct. l,
1889, such a person was a qualified cleo
tor at the time Of the adoption of the
constitution of the state, and had a right
to vote in October, 1889. He may have
voted, or he may not have voted. but he
had the right to vote. And such a for
eign born person can vote at the gen
eral election to be held next month. If
he has resided in Montana since No
vember, 1891.
The test is, Did the right to vote exist
Oct. |, 1889, or the day the constitution
was adopted: Ii it did the voter need
not now become a full citizen of the
United States.
But if a foreign born person had not
declared his intention to become a citi-
zen of the United States prior to Oct. l,
1889, and had not lived six months in
Montana before that time, then he can
not vote under any circumstances at the
election to be held next month unless he
becomes, on or before Oct. ID, 1892, a
full naturalized citizen of the United
States.
Now, a few words as to citizenship. If
a man declared his intention to become
a citizen of the United States on or be-
fore Oct. Is, 1890, and has lived in the
United States five years, the last year
of which time he has lived in Montana,
such person is entitled TO become a full
citizens of the United States, provided
he brings witnesses to prove to the salts
faction of the court the above facts and
that he is well disposed to the American
government. The court generally re-
quires two credible witnesses besides
the applicant.
Foreign born persons who came to the
United States before they were Is years
old, and who have lived from the time
they were Is up to the time they are
%, or over, were within the United States
can be admitted to full citizenship upon
proof of residence and friendliness to the
United States without any time elapsing
between first and second papers.
Further, no person can vote, under
any circumstances. for the location Of
the capital. or for presidential electors,
or state or county officers. unless he has
been regularly regi jtered under the reg
istration laws of the state.
Let every voter remember this. and
what follows:
Registration closes Oct. II, 1892. at 10
o'clock in the night, and unless the
voters are registered before that hour,
no matter whether they be qualified or
not in all other respects, there is no le-
gal or possible right to vote on election
day.
There is no such thing as swearing
in a vote on election day. That law
applies only to city elections held in April
of each year. 1t has no application to the
election next month.
Finally. let every mar study the quail
itication plainly set forth as above. I'm
mediately see to it that he is prop
erly naturalized and registered before
Oct. 10, 1892. if he desires to avail him
self of his right to vote for president of
the United States; for Great Falls for
the capital: for state officers and county
officials at the election to be held on
Nov. s, 1892. Cut this out ana put il in
your hat or pocket for reference.