Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-23
YOU MUST REGISTER.
This Is Mandatory and Voters
Should Heed 1t.
DAYS ARE OCTOBER Is, Is AND II.
The Language of the Statute Would
Indicate That Voters May Register
November 3.-voters Defined.-How
to Mark Ballots.

Every voter in Ottumwa and Wapel-
10 county should remember that he
cannot vote at the next general cleo
ton November 6, for the candidate
of his choice whether that be Nc
/ kinley or Bryan, Lacey or Steck, or any
of the state, county or township Off
GERS, unless he is registered. He should
! remember that an entire new registra-
ton list is made out this year and no
matter how long voter has resided
i in a ward or how often he had cast
| his ballot there, he cannot vote I'M
less he visits the boards of registrars
and has his name recorded during the
days they are in session, which will
be October 25, 26 and q, November
and on election day. The language of
the statute concerning the two last
days, viz: November and election
day, is just slightly obscure, hence it
| behooves the voter to register on the
three first days above given. This is
a duty that no citizen can afford to ne
elect. In this connection the question
( arises, who are voters, what is the
4 language of the statute on registra-
ton, and the old, old story, how are
the ballots marked on election day?
! Information concerning these matters
1 follow:
Voters Defined.
Article two of the constitution of the
state of Iowa concerning the right of
suffrage says:
Every male citizen of the United
States, of the age of twenty-one years,
who shall have been resident of the
state six months next preceding cleo
ton, and of the county in which he
claims his vote, sixty days, shall be
entitled to vote at all elections which
are now or hereafter may be author
lied by law"
Concerning Registration.
Concerning the three days of regis,
tration, October 25, 26, and ~ the law
says:
THE registrars shall meet on the
second Thursday prior to any general
city or special election at the usual
voting pace in the precinct in which
they have been appointed, and shall
hold continuous sessions for two con-
secutive days, from o'clock in the
forenoon until o'clock in the after
noon, and in presidential years such
sessions will be held three days.
amy person claiming to be voter
or that he will be on election day, may
appear before them in the election pre-.
cinct where he claims he is or will be
entitled to vote, and make and sub
scribe, under oath a statement in .
registry book, to be provided by the
clerk, and furnished the registrars, al
the expense of the city or county, and
kept open during the time fixed fol
the registration"
The Other Two Days.
Conditions are attached to allowing
man to register on election day, but
on the Saturday prior thereto, it seems
from the language of the statute, {
voter, or one who will be a votel
. on election day may register. The sec
, ton of the statute concerning registra
, ton on these days follows:
: con the Saturday before any cleo
, ton at which registration is required
/. the registers shall meet at the plac
Y where registration was last made, an
] hold continuous session from
2 o'clock in the forenoon until 9 o'clocl
3 in the afternoon, at which they shall
S revise and correct the registry boo
. of voters, adding thereto, consecutive
: ly numbering them and the names Q
t all applying for registration, who o.
2 election day will be entitled to vot
e in that precinct.
"In case man is sick on registrs
e ton day and cannot appear in perso
o or register, on the filing of an AFFIDAVIT
e to that effect by voter, the boar
s. of registers will visit the sick man an
g register his name.
e 1.-THE registers will be in session O
Y election day and those who were al
r sent from the city on previous elet
n ton days, or those just naturalize
e OF those enormously erased from tn
: list of voters by the registers, may al
J. pear and be registered that they ma
= vote"
Marking the Ballot.
q There seems to be a difference {
p opinion in regard to the provision
4 Of the law in marking a ballot whe
4 names of candidates on more than on
a ticket are to be voted for, and thu
q as it now stands the law is similar
4 the old Martin statute under whic
6 the voter could mark his ballot in tn
- circle at the top and then go over an
vote for any individual candidate o
another ticket by simply marking
cross in the square opposite the nam
u IL. I, = 10 20