The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-12-12
A NEEDED Law.

Oregon has adopted 9, @Qst ,pertecll+
system of voting, one that could hardly.
be improved upon, as under the Aus
tralian ballot system now in vogue,
there is little or no opportunity for
fraud at the polls, and the ballot is
about as nearly secret as is possible to
make it. But in order that there can be
no fraud in elections, that is, that none
but those duly qualified shall. be al
lowed to vote, strict registration
law is required, and one should be
passed by the coming legislature.
The state constitution, however,
stands in the way of making regis
tration a necessary qualification OF
an election; but E. W. Bingham,
of Portland, has drafted a bill
that will be presented to the next ses-
sion, which it is believed will meet all
requirements, and still be consti-
tutional.
After providing as to forms OF regis
tration, blanks and books to be used
therefor, the bill proposes to make it
the duty of evefs elector in, the state
to register with the clerk of the county
in which he lives between the first
Monday in January, 1898, and. the 18th.
day of May, 1898, and between the same
dates biennially thereafter.
Every elector may be registered
without charge by personally appear
ing at the Office of the county clerk.
The elector must be sworn, and his
name must be entered in the general
county register. with date of registra-
tion, the age of the elector, his busi-
ness or occupation, his actual and pre-
else place of residence, the country of
his nativity, and if naturalized, the
time, place and court of naturalization.
Other minor details are prescribed for
such persons as are not the heads or
proprietors of the houses where they
live. 81. W.
If an elector is unable for any reason
to appear personally and register as
required above, he may register by.
using blank as designated and de-
scribed in the bill; which blank he
must ell out, in the presence of two
witnesses, free holders of the county,
who shall certify to the qualifications
of the elector, and, with the elector,
make oath to the same before some
officer a2thorized to administer and
certify oaths. This blank, SO filed
and certified, must be fled With the
county clerk, and the entry must be
made by the clerk in the general regis
try of the county. Provision is made
to meet changes of residence, between
the time of registration and the time
OF election. From the general regis
try o. the county q registry is to be
made up by the clerk for each precinct,
which shall be in the hands of the
judges for use when the election is
held, :"
If the eiector shall not be registered
in the precinct in which he applies to
vote, he is to be considered as chal-
1enged and must subscribe and swear
to particulars furnished in another
blank or form designated by the act.
and in addition shall be required to
produce before twelve, free-holders OF !
the county and have them take and
subscribe to an oath as to the qualifi-
cations of the elector. This would be,
in many cases, a serious business, in.
yolying much difficulty. The double
object is to cause the elector to regis
ter in the formal way, SO as to avoid all
this trouble,ia and at the same time
meet the constitutional objection that
is made to registration as Prerequisite
to voting. That is to say. the act
would not. require registration; it
would only require the elector to make,
proof that he was possessed OF the
necessary qualifications of an elector;
but the proof required would be much |
mora easily furnished by him through
tSaa otherwise.
The bill seems to have few objec-
,ionable features, and since it does not
make registration necessary, but !only
,he most convenient method by WHICH |.
,he electer shall prove his eligibility,
t does not appear to eopfiet4withi t9asj
It;would be a good law
@ place upon the statute books. and if
t or a similar ane caaHet be passed at
he next. session. q resolution for a
amendment should be
ldopted. f..:..-..