Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-10
TWELVE PAGES
SATURDAY. MARCH 10, 1900.
PURGE THE REGISTRATION
BOOKS.

No primary, or general election, can
be conducted in this city which will
prove satisfactory to the people. when
they distrust the accuracy ana fairness
of the registration books which should
represent only the names OF duly quail
fled voters; yet are believed TO contain
the names OF persons long since dead,
or who have changed their place of
residence. or for other causes have for
feited the right to exercise the elective
franchise.
The law provides two remedies for
the correction of this evil,-one by
means of new anu complete registra-
ton, and the other by means of purg
ing the registration books.
The first method is the one which
this paper has advocated but which it
is now too late to adopt in time to be
of any material service in the coming
primaries.
The general law of the State requires
that sixty days notice Of the time and
place of registration shall be given be-
fore the date OF registration, and the
registrars are required TO sit for five
days for the purpose of registering all
qualified voters who may present them
selves. The next general election TO
be held in this city will be on May the
oath, but by law the primaries cannot
be held less than ten days prior To the
general election, or not later than May
14th. So If new registration were to
be ordered to-day (thc 10th of March)
st would be sixty days, or May the 10th.
before the books could be opened for
the purpose of registration. and as the
registrars are required TO sit for i've
days, 1t would be May 10Th before tHe
hooks could be closed, whereas by law
the primaries would have To be held on
MAY 14th at the latest or one day prior
to the last day of registration.
While It Is too late for n new regis
tration Il Is not too late to purge the
registration books of all names Illegally
upon them, and the people of Norfolk
should leave no stone unturned where
by this end may he accomplished, and
dead men and absentecs prevented from
voting vicariously.
Section Sc, Of the Code, provides that:
"It shall he lawful forany five qualified
voters Of any election district fifteen
days previous to either OF the regular
days of registration, to post written or
printed notices ai not less than three
public places IN said district including
the voting place therein of the names
of all persons alleged by said voters 10
be improperly on the registration books
of that district. The notice shall be
signed by the persons posting the same.
llt, of ti,,, . 1,a
registrar shall hear testimony produced
for or against the right of persons
named in said notice to be retained on
the registration books; and il he be sat
iSfied that any person mentioned in said
notice mas removed from the election
district. has died, or for any other rea-
son Is ndt qualiiied voter he shall
strike his name from the registration
books. From such decision Of the reg
1strar any person may appeal in the
= same manner ,as is provided in section
83 q. e., to the Corporation Court The
registrar shall Immediately after the
regular day of rcgiSy rat ion post written
or printed notices mt the voting pIacc
and at two other public places in his
election district. of all the names
stricken from the registration books.
If the registrar should be unable 10
hear the evidence in reference 10 the
names posted on the regular dave of
registration, the books may be- kcpt
open as to such names only, for four
other days"
1t goes without saying that time.
energy and money must be expended
in! order to thoroughly purge the books.
Z but the Importance of having; clean
registration books in cur coming cleo
tions cannot be overrated, for upon
them no less than upon upright judges.
depends the honesty and fairness of the
4 ballot.
Tho virglnlan- PllOs suggests that