Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-12
THE WALTON LAW.
Several Points IN II Construed BY The
Attorney General.
THE AFFIRMATION OF NAMES.

What IL Meant by Ouc u0ItOt-UOW
Tickets for County and District
Officers Must lie Prcparcd-Thc
Duty of ConstRb,cs.
The Dispatch prints below the construc-
ton Of Attorncy-Genorsl Scott OF seNcrai
points involved in the Walton law that
he has been asked t. construc by those
charged with CARRYING ont the law ana
others. These opinions are OF interest ana
value in view or the approaching spring
elections. The first Of these Is embraced
IN the circular sent ont by Sccretary-oi-
thee commonwealth Lawlcss prior t. inc
November elections. and bears only upon
the questions whether there must be any
particular arrangement of The names 81
the candidates on tho ballots and whether
there should be separate ticket FOR inc
vote on the ratification OF rejection "i the
constitutional amendment.
THE IAWLESS CIRCULAR.
The fun circular reads:
OFFICE or THE SECRETARY OF THE
COMMONWEALTH
RICHMOND, VA. october ~ lN'l
Electoral boards VIII take notice inat
nothing shall be printed ON the w al
ton ballot except tne names oi the
candidates ana tn" offices Tor WilCh th'N
arr candidates. and Inst the vote on the
constitutional amendment shall hc 10y
separate ballot. 10 hc deposited III
separate ballot-boN.
The tickets for the vote on the consN-
tuiional amendment viii hc printed here
ana sent out as promptly a. possible
;iom TINS office 70 the secretaries oi the
v4tious electoral boards.
Respectfully. j. T. LAW l-t-''S'
secretary OF the Commonwealth.
COMMONWEALTH or VIRGINIA.
EY-GTNERALs OFFICE.
WARRENTON. VA. oct. II. 1891
Hon. J. r.. Lawless. Secretary ot the
commonwealth. Richmond. Va;
Dear Sir-Your letter OF the lV'h IN
slant. forwarded from my Eehmoni
once. has been received, and 10 It's en-
quiries VIII ulake reply.
/ 10 Mn Onward L. {. Scott. secretary
Of the Electoral Board OF Hanover
county. who asks. Whether IN printing
the election tickets II will be necessary
tor me. as secretary Of my board 10
mint the names on the tickets IN The
O-dcr OF arrangement furnished 10y you
secretary OF the Commonwealth II
moi. Will you please advise me whether
our board mus. follow any particular ar
raneemont Of names on tickeis
! reply. the ballot law" prescrihcs no I
order or Arrangement for the names "i
candidates upon "th. ballot as | CON /
s,ruc IL. the arrangement ana order in |
Which the candidates names are pat -,
uuon the ballot j. left 10 the judgment +
and discretion Cf the electoral boards OF :
inc cities and counties Of the Common /
wealth
=. You ask that give my opinion re- .
cardlug the ballots To- be used III the f
vote upon the constitutional amendment .
~ he submitted t. the people at the ,
coming election on the IN - NoNem"'r, /
wnoiher the ballots should l." separate /
and deposited IN a separate hallot-boN?
Tn. Walton ballot law was passed /
after the at which directs the proposed .
constitutional amendment 10 be submit |
ted 10 the people.
The f;tn section Of this law enaCtS
that 1T shall he the duty 90 tho electo-
ral boards ot the several counties ana .
cites Within IT," state within thirty p.
days preceding such election L. cause - .
J.. ,,rf.f.l
'.Tn,so ballots shall contain tin names
OF al Can1iaates complying With tn" pro
visions Is above required printed IN
black ink. Immediately below the oiilcr
Tor which they have 50 announced their .
candidacy bat Con'crS no iuTth-G CT
other powers.
/ ma experienced judges and able law
Vers diner aS - how the vote uDon the
proposed amendment To the Constitution D.
shall be taken. and ths sisht OF the
Electoral Board - print upon 'the Wal
ton ballot" L.e words ioiioWing-Viz, .
For the amendment 20 the Consttu-
tlon." Against the amendment to the .
Constitution Upon careful consdera-
ton ! think II safest and best and adj
wise that the ballot prepared hr the
electoral boards shall conform strictly
70 the requirements Of section - 90 the
new law. and contain only 'he Offices
voted for and names OF candidates.
Further that the voter provide his own
ballot on the constitutional amendment
nd that these ballots shall be placed in
q separate bal,ot-boX prepared for that
rrrpose. Very truly YOUR.
X. TAYLOR SCOTT.
Att0ruey-Gencral.
.D1-NTY AND DISTRICT OFFICERS.
on February 1st the Attorney General
,4ceivei the subjoined letter from AIR.
Graham Clayton, chairman OF the Lice
oral Board of Bedford county This let
'er IL Will be observed. Is confined sim
ply 20 the question whether there shall
10 separate ballots OF tickets for county
and district candidates II does not touch
upon the matter Of arsangement or afeT-
nation OF the names upon the ballots
a point which Was fully covered in the
Attorney Generals letter to Secretary
Lawless:
BEDFORD CITY. VA, January 81. 1875.
Hon. J. TAYLOR Scott, Attorncy-Gene!al,
Richmond, Va:
Nv Dear Str.-As chairman Of the Flee
toral Eoard for my county. | desire 70
get your opinion as to the proper manner
Of preparing ballots for the spring cleo
ton Attention is called to the fact That
we Will have two sets OF officers 10 elect
- Wit, one set 10 embrace all the county
4ficcrs-that is, those officers elected by
-n. voters Of the whole county, "a distin- /
-1ished from district Oihcers-thdt l.,
lose elected by the voters of the several
irdgisteriaI districts. II We are required
CD print the names Of all the candidates
A.! over the county on one ticket, 1t VIII
.. a very long and troublesome matter.
lv idea il. that while every ballot should
contain the names OF all the candidates
.or county offices. yet. ia reference TO the
district Offices, ii should contain in add
ton only tho names Of the candidates
i0r tho district offices in the respective
districts. To illustrate. take my county
Bedford In the Central District, the bal
lot. with the proper healing as To the ON
GERS for the county. would contain the
names of all the candidates for the cOun-
~ Offices: below this con the same ballot.
with hea iiIg for district OttcersD should
be printed tne names OF all the candidates
for the Offices ia the Central District,
and 40 In reference 10 all the other DIS
tricts. These tickets 20 be distributed IN
the several Districts in conformity with
section OF the act.
VIII state that | have consulted Judg"
Burks (who is my neighbor. and whose
opinion / greatly esteem and he concurS
with me IN this construction ~ the act.
viii be glad II YOU Will look into the
matter and give me your opinion. TINS
view OF 1t certainly siinplfics matters
very much
Very truly yours.
GRAHAM CLAYTOH.
MAJOR SCOTS REPLY.
To this the Attornoy-General replied:
COMMONWEALTH or VIRGINIA,
ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE.
RICHMOND. VA. February /, 1875.
Graham Clayton Esq, Chairman OF Flee
tOral Board Of Bedford County. Va:
Dear Sir.--Your letter Of January &lst
past came this A. NJ asking my CON I