The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-10-08
THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE,

THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.
The Plan Introduced by Senator Till
man as Chairman Of the Sunrag,
| Committee.
Section l. All elections by the people
shall be by ballot.
Sec. 2. Every qualified elector shall
be eligible to any Office to be voted for
unless disqualified by age. But no per
son shall hold two offices of honor OF
profit at the same time except officers
IN the militia or notaries public.
Sec. ). Every male citizen of the
United States, II yeas of age and up.
wards, not laboring unCer the disabiii.
ties named In this constitution, and
possessing the qualifications required
by it, shall be a legal clector.
Sec 1. The qualifications for suffrage
shall be as follows:
a. Residence in the State for two
years, in the county one year, in the
election district in which the elector
offers to vote four months, and the
pay of Il poll tax six months be-
fore any election: Provided, however,
that ministers Of the Gospel in charge
OF an organized church shall be en-
tilted to vote after six months resi-
dencc in the State, if otherwise ouali
fed.
b. Registration which shall provide
for the enrolment of every elector once
in 10 years.
C. The person applying for registra-
tlon must be able to read and write any
section OF the constitution or must
show that he owns and pays taxes on
$500 worth Of property in this State
Provided, That at the first registra-
tlon under this constitution and up to
January |, 1898, all male persons of
voting age who can read a clause in
THIS constitution or understand and eX-
plain 1T when read to them by the reg
istration officer shall be entitled to
register and become electors a sepa
rate record OF all illiterate persons
tnus registered, sworn to by the regis
tratlon officer, shall be filed, one COPY
with the clerk of court and one in the
Office OF the secretary of state, on or
before January /, 1898, and such per-
sons shall remain during life qualified
electors, unless disqualified by the pro-
visions of section 6 Of this article. The
certificate OF the clerk of the court or
secretary OF state shall be sufficient
evidence to establish the right of said
class of citizens to registration and the
franchise.
d. Any person who shall apply for
registration after January |, ,lS0S, if
otherwise qualified, may be registered:
Provided, That he can both read and
| write any section of this con ,titution
or can show that he owns and has paid
taxes during the previous year on prop
| erty in this State assessed at $500 or
more.
G. Managers Of election shall require
OF every elector Offering to vote at any
election, before allowing him to vote,
proof OF the payment OF all taxes, in
Guiding poll tax, assessed against him
! for the previous year.
[. Registration certificates when lost
shall be renewed if the applicant is
qualified under the provisions of this
constitution, or if he hao been regis.
tered as provided in subsection &C."
| Sec. .. Any person denied rcgistra
tion shall have the right to appeal tC
any and al courts of this State to de-
| tCrminc the question under the limita
tiOns imposed in this article. and the
| general assembly snail provide by law
for the correction Of illegal or fraudu
| lent registration and the punishment
| OF the same.
Sec. Is. The following persons are
disqualified from being registered OF
| voting
First. Persons convicted of burglary
under false pretcnscs, perjury, forgery
robbery, bribery, adultery, cmbezzle
mcnt, bigalny. Or crimes against The
election laws Provided, That the par
don OF the governor shall remove Suci
disqualiiications,
Second. Persons who are idiots, in
sane, paupers supported at the public
expense, and persons confined in an,
public prison.
Sec. /. For the purpose of voting n
person shall be deemed to have game,
or lost IL residence by reason Of his at
scnce while employed in the service O
the United States, nor while engages
in the navigation of the waters of thi
State, or OF the United States, or of tn
high seas.
Sec. 8. The general assembly shal
provide for the registration Of all qua
ifed electors, and shall prescribe tn
manner of holding elections and of a
ccrtaining the results of the same
Provided, That each of the two partie
casting the highest number of vote
at the preceding election shall hav
representation on the board of mar
ayers at each precinct, and on TIN
board OF county canvassers in eac
county.
Sec. 8. The several counties in TIL
State shall be divided into election di
tricts, with one precinct in each of I'll
same at which alone the voter regi
tered for that precinct can cast h
ballot: Provided, That voter may |
transferred from one election distrit
to another.
Sec. 10. The general assembly sha
: provide by law for the holding of par
y primary elections and punishing frat
+ at the same.
Q Sec. Ill. The registration books sha
o close at least 30 days before an electio
o after which transfers and registrati,