The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-18
VOTERS NOW REGISTERING.
THE BOOK IN CHARGE OF TAX coll
LECTOR J. }. MCGOWAN.

Qufte n Number Have Already signed
It-Voterz Must Have n Clear Rec
ord of the Payment of All Taxes
4 Required since 1S7s-The Oath
That Must he Subscribed TO-sOme
Features of the New Law That VIII
BE of General Interest.
/ Tax Collector J. J. MCGOWAN Is now
[ well under way with the duties assigned
/ 20 him by the new registration Jaw. which
/ was made applicable by the last legisla-
ture TO every county in the state.
The book for the registration Of voters
was opened In Capt. McGowan's Office in
the latter part Of February, and now has
enrolled upon 1t 81 names of voters. AS
there seems to be plenty of time to regis
ter before any more elections are held,
citizens do not seem to be in any hurry
about registering. but few drop in from
day 70 day and have their names added
to the roll.
Every voter who registers has the rec
ord Of his occupation, age, residence, etc,
placed on the book. after which he signs
his own name. one feature Of the law
upon which many will stumble is that
it requires that every person whose name
Is registered on the book must have a
clear record Of the payment Of taxes for
the last seventeen years. that is, he must
have paid every dollar Of taxes due the
state and county since 1878 This has led
some persons, who have been voting in
recent elections, to inquire into the con-
dition Of their accounts with the tax col
lector, and in some instances they have
found TO their surprise that there have
been several lapses in back years, and
that their record is not such as will allow
their names to go on the books until
{ their accounts with the state and county
are settled.
OF course those who have become of
age since that time, and those who have
more recently moved into the state or
county are not required to have paid
their taxes so far back, but the require
ment is made of all who were liable at
that time. The registration book is to
be kept open the year round, but under
the law the commissioners of registration
provided for examine the books in July
and make all corrections that they deem
necessary II that time For this reason
IL is advisable for voters to have their
names upon the book before that time
The text of the oath which is required
to be taken by every person registering
Is a summary of what is required of each
one. 1t is as follows:
Il do swear, or affirm, that / am cit
izen of the United States; that / am
twenty-One years of age, or will be on the
- of of this calendar year; that 1
have resided in this state for one year,
and in this county for six months i'm
mediately preceding the date of this OATH
or will have so resided on the of of
this calendar year; that 1 have paid all
taxes which, since the adoption OF the
constitution of 1877, have been required
of me. except taxes for this year, and
that l am not disfranchised from voting
by reason Of any offense committed
against the laws of the state. / further
swear or affirm, that l reside in the -
district G. NJ, or in the ward of the
city of - at number on - street; my
age is - my occupation -"
Some of the material points of the
law which will be of interest to those
who Will desire to register are given here
with.
The tax collector shall keep one of
such voters books open for signatures
at his office at all times when open.
Any male person desiring to be regis
tered as voter may apply
to the tax collector or his
clerk, and after reading the oath,
or having it read to him, shall subscribe
to it by signing his name in the voters
UDOk. ms signature Snall De DflIla
facie evidence that the person signing
swears or affirms the truth of every ma
terial fact contained in the oath, and
also of the written entries preceding his
signature, giving age, residence and oc-
cupatiOn. No tax collector shall allow
any person to sign in the voters book,
unless satisfied, at the time, that the
taxes due by said voter are paid, and that
he is otherwise qualified.
The tax collector, the ordinary, and
the clerk of the superior court shall
prepare and file a list of all persons dis
qualified from voting by reason of non
payment of taxes since 1877, or by reason
of idiocy, insanity, or conviction of a
crime.
The county registrars shall compare
the names signed in the voters books
with the list of disqualified persons. and
shall make up a list to be known as
registered voters" All names appearing
on the voters books, and not on the
list of disqualified voters, shall be en-
tered on the list of registered voters,
unless the registrars are convinced by
legal proof that such person is not quail
flied to vote. No name appearing on the
list of disqualified voters shall be en-
tered on the list of registered voters"
unless by legal proof that such person
was not disqualified, or that the disqual-
ification has been removed. No name
shall be entered on the list of registered
voters unless 1t was signed in the voters
books. provided, however, any person
who, after application. was unlawfully
denied the right to sign, may, upon sat
isfactory showing made to the regis
trars, have his name placed upon the list
of registered voters.
1t is made a misdemeanor: "to sign
the oath in the voters book when not in
fact qualified or to sign more than once
for the same calendar year." or to Sign
any assumed or fictitious name therein"
or ITO aid or abet any other person" in
committing the last two offenses