Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1900-03-09
No Municipal Registration.


No Municipal Registration.
To the EDITOR OF the FREE Press:
Complying with your request,
| submit herewith, briefly, what
consider the only solution of the
much mixed and uncertain regis
tration law of this state, in SO far
as it applies to municipal elections.
Section l OF the act, which pro-
vides that all elections, shall be
conducted according to the provi-
sions of this act, would seem to
settle the question Of municipal
registration, were it not for the
fact that the provisions referred to
in said act are 90 conflicting and
uncertain that it leaves one in
doubt as to whether or not the
real intention of the legislature
was that that part Of the act
pertaining to registration should
also govern in municipal elections.
Section 81 Of the act provides
that the Board of County commits
sioners OF this state must, at their
regular meeting in July, 1892, and
at their regular meeting in July
next preceding each general
election thereafter, appoint a
registrar for each election precinct
in the county, who must be a
qualified elector, etc.
Section 80 of the act provides
that said board Of commissioners
shall, prior to the first day of
August next preceding any general
ELECTION, cause notice to be given
fetc., giving the names and general
description of the election pre-
cincts, the name of the registrar
for each, and the time during
which registration may be made
as follows: For every general
election to which the provisions oil
this act are applicable during
every Saturday from the first day
of August to and including the
last Saturday next preceding such
election, etc.
1t will be observed from the
foregoing that that part Of the act
pertaining to registration gives 8
fixed and definite time and place
when and where such registration
shall be conducted.
Section 60 of the act pertaining
to cities and villages provides tina
villages shall hold an election TO-
the election Of village officers or
the first Tuesday Of April of eacl
year. There is no further provis
ion in the act providing TO
a registration, nor is there any othe
provision in the act pertaining Il
the election providing for munich
pal registration or affecting
!, municipal elections in any manner
> excepting general provision tina
municipal electi shall be con
Quoted in manner and form a
q nearly as possible to the method
q of conducting general elections.
! While the acts pertaining I
! registration provides n defnit
a and certain method of registering
! SO far as the general provision 70
. registering is concerned, yet it
absolutely inapplicable to munici
> pal elections for the reason tina
o such registration pertains t
E general elections held in the fall
= and not to municipal election
held in the spring, and for ths
&c reason the time mentioned fc
= such registration is impracticab
!. so far as spring elections al
70 concerned; and it is my opinio
4 that where the statute, as in tn
o. case, does not provide defnit
% % time and place, or any otht
10 provision whatsoever, for muniC
Vi pal registration, the mnnicip
a. authorities have no right to I
"A their own time and place t
Nv holding such registration, and we
20 boards allowed to do SO without
II definite time and place prescribe
w by law, it would open an aven
m to much fraud and political CT
mo- canery.
lie lie After giving the matter carel
no consideration, l am unable to s
hr wherein the two conditions can
Il reconciled. In other words, t
re- present registration law cannot
ON so expanded or construed as
be contemplate registration in nun
20 ipal elections. +. M. GRIFFITH.
nd Village attornt