Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-13
Rigid Requirements for Those Resid-
ing Outside the State.
PROVISIONS OF new ELECTION Law
Affidavits Must Be Made Before
April 20 by Non-Residents.
o T III e r ECES SITES

side of the state, who do not go to their
legal voting places on or before April 20
next and take the oath required by the
provisions of the recently enacted election
law will lose their rights of franchise.
There seems to be considerable lack of
knowledge concerning the new law which
was passed by the general assembly in
extra session and approved March 81, 1901.
The substance of the act in brief requires
all citizens of Maryland, who were absent
from the state prior to the passage of the
act to appear in person before the clerk
of the circuit court if in a county, or the
clerk of the superior court if in Baltimore
city, within thirty days after the passage
or the act and make oath in due form that
they will return to the state and take up
their habitaton or abode and live there
continuously six months prior to the Tues
day after the first Monday in November
next, succeeding the making of the affida-
Wit Failure to do so on the part of such
voters will be presumptive evidence that
they have abandoned their legal residence
in the state, and will result in denial of
their rights of citizenship.
AS the act was approved March p the
thirty days limit provided therein expires
April 20, and the six months residence re-
CURED by the act begins May D.
The Governing Section.
Inc PROVISIONS OF the law covering THESE
requirements are to be found in section %,
which declares as follows:
ga. All persons who, prior to the pass
age of this act, shall have vacated or re-
moved from, or have gone with their par
ents from the place of their actual abode,
domicile, dwelling place or habitation with
in this state, and shall have taken a domi-
Gle, dwelling place, abode or habitation out
OF this state shall be conclusively pre-
sumed to have thereby intended to abandon
their legal residence in this state, and to
have surrendered their right to registration
as legal voters in this state, unless within
thirty days after the passage of this act
they shall go in person before the clerk of
the circuit court for the county from which
they shall have so removed, or before the
clerk of the superior court of Baltimore
city, If their removal shall have been from
said city. and make and acknowledge be-
fore such clerk an affidavit that when they
30 removed they did not intend to change
their legal residence within the state, but
that they had a fixed purpose to return at
definite time, and that they intend to
turn to this state and take up their actual
domicile and habitation therein, on or be-
fore six months next preceding the Tues
day after the first Monday of November
next succeeding the making of such affida-
Wit.
The form of such affidavit shall be SUBJ
stantially as follows: State of Maryland,
county or city OF Baltimore, set:
HcIcOy ScItlly IildL Oh lillS ------ Udy
of --- 10. before the subscriber.
clerk of the circuit court for
county COR Of the superior court of Balti-
| more city,, personally appeared -
and made oath or affirmation in due form
of law, that up to the day of --, or
thereabouts. he was an actual resident and
! inhabitant of the election district
Of off,. -, ~ county or Of the e. pre- pre-
islative district of Baltimore city. that on
! or about the --- day of -- he re-
| moved from his said domicfle or place of
| residence In said county or city and took
| up his domicfle, habitatfon. dwelling place
| or abode out of the state Of Maryland, to
wit Gin here insert minute and definite de-
! scription of the place of abode), that when
| he so removed out of the state he had
| fixed and definite purpose to return thereto
| by certain time, and that he did not in
tend, by such removal, to change his resi-
! dence within the state, or to return, or not
| to return to this state, as circumstances
thereafter might make expedient Sworn
| to before me signature of clerk seal of
| COURT: and unless the persons, respective
| ly, making such affidavits shall actually
| return to this state, and shall actually take
| up their abode, domicile or habitation
therein, six months before the Tuesday
| after the first Monday in November next
succeeding the making of said affidavit,
| they shall be conclusively presumed to
| have lost their legal residence therein and
| Shall not be entitled to registration therein
| as legal voters. and the officers of registra-
ZION snail Strike OH tne1r names from the
registry If they be entered thereon and
after the passage Of this act all persons
VINO Shall vacate and remove from the
place of their actual domicile, abode dwell
ing place or habitation within this state.
and shall take up a domicile, abode, dwell
ing place or habitation out of this state
shall be conclusively presumed to have lost
their residence in this state, and shall, In
consequence thereof become disqualified to
vote unless at or about the time of such
removal or within ten days thereafter
they shall go in person before the clerk of
the circuit court for the county from which
they shall SO remove, or before the clerk OF
the superior court of Baltimore city If
such removal be from said city, and shah
make and acknowledge before him an affi-
davit declaring that notwithstanding such
removal from their dOmicile, abode dwell
ing place or habitation they do not intend
thereby to change their legal residence
but that they have fixed and definite
purpose to return to this state on or before
SIX months preceding the next succeeding
election in November
The clerk is entitled under the law to q
fee of 30 cents for each affidavit
Singular Condition of Things.
1t Is said that recent inquiry at seyerar
courts developed the fact that the clerks
had not yet been supplied with the law IT.
Self, nor with blank forms for affidayits
and that no provision had been made to
receive the oaths Of those wishing to COM
ply Win Lle law one MATylander informs
The Star that he appeared before the clerk
of the superior court In Baltimore, April
8, to make the aff1davits.
Il was informed" he said, "by those In
the clerks Office that they were not yet
prepared to receive the oaths, and that l
was the first to appear and make inquiry
regarding them. I was sworn as to my
Intention to comply with the law and ad-
vised that certificate to that effect would
be issued later I have since been advised
that the oath was not in proper form and
that I would be required to appear again.
There are evidently large number of
Marylanders here in Washington. employees
of the government, having legal residence
| in Maryland. who are In blissful ignorance
of the requirements of this act, and il they
do not comply with its requirements before
April 20. will find they have been deprived
of their citizenship and right of suffrage"
| 1t is expected that a good many Mary
! land voters from different parts of the
| state, after taking the oath, will take I'D
| their residence by May in Montgomery
county or one of the other adjoining coun-
| ties.
| VardOn Defeats Braid.
| Harry Varden met James Braid on the