The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-08
SOLDIERS
WILL VOTE
Preparations Made by
Secretary OF State.
THE BLANKS FORWARDED.
II Regiment is in Service Oct. 20
Ballots Will Be Sent.
WILL BE NO SECRET VOTING.

Secretary of State Bennett is max
the citizens of Rhode Island who are
with the First Rhode Island Volunteers
and the work is being done i'm accord
ance with an act passed at the May
session of the General Assembly. Mr.
| Bennett delayed the work as long as
| possible. as there was probability that
the regiment would be mustered out OF
the service, but there does not seem to
be any probability of this being done,
at least for the present.
The act, as passed at Newport, pro-
vides that at least GO days before the
election the secretary of state shall
send to the several city and town clerks
and to the clerk OF the board OF can
vassers and registration OF Providence,
certified copy OF the act passed at
the May session relating To this matter.
The act further provides that he shall
also send one TO each commissioned Of
ficer OF every company enlisted i'm this
state i'm the military service of the
United states, and i'm addition n form
of requirements TO be signed by the
electors on the back of the ballots to-
gether with a certificate and endorse
ment on the package containing the
ballots, to be signed by the command
ing officer OF the company or regiment.
The certificate to be enclosed with
the ballots for representatives i'm Con-
gress reads as follows: II hereby cer-
tify that the ballots herein sealed up
are the ballots cast for Representative
in Congress by the qualified electors of
Co., First Regiment Rhode Island
United States Volunteers, on the Tues
day next after the first Monday i'm No
vember. A. d., 1898. pursuant to the
provisions of chapter 5S4 OF the public
laws, passed June Is. 1895" Then fol-
lows the name of the officer and his
rank. A similar endorsement is pro-
vided to be placed on the package of
ballots in addition. stating that the bal
lots were sealed up by the officer whose
name is signed pursuant TO law. ON
the back Of the ballot is a space for the
name OF the elector with instructions
to write full Christian and surname.
Below the voting residence, town or
city street and number is to be written.
These blanks have been sent to the
officers and a number of acknowledge
ments of their receipt have been receiv-
ed by the secretary of state. IL the reg
iment is still insth service on October
20. the secretary Of state will forward
TO the regiment a sufficient number of
ballots. certificates and wrappers TO en-
able the qualified electors in the regi-
ment to vote. According to the act
there is nothing secret about the ballot.
and the commanding officer OF the COM
pany or regiment to which the voter
belongs knows how each man votes The
voter fills out the ballot as he desires
He then hands IL to the commanding
officers of his company or regiment. who |
'ertifies TO the ballots having been |
given him by the elector. whose name
s written on the back OF the ballot The |
,fficer then seals the ballot up and re- |
urns II. with others, to the secretary |
,f state.
The soldier while in the field cannot /
'ote I'm town and city elections. for the |
lct states that they shall have a right |
q vote In all elections in the state for
electors Of president and vice president |
" the United states. representatives |
# CONGRESS and general officers OF the
state. Nothing is said about the town
,r city officials.