The daily Republican., 1902-12-03
QUESTIONS ABOUT
REGISTRATION
For Special Election in Ninth
Representative District
Of Kent.
ANSWER BY Il. Il. WARD.
Persons Entitled to Register
Before General Election
But Who Failed to do
so Cannot Register.

: At the request OF George W. Mar.
shall, Herbert H. Ward has given
his opinion on five questions relat-
ing to the special registration in the
Ninth Representative district Kent
County, preparatory to the special
election there. Mr.. Ward was ask.
ed to answer in his official capacity
as encouragement, but says he has
no official duty to perform in the
matter, not being the legal adviser
OF committees or registration officers.
He does answer, however, in his
private capacity rs Il lawyer. The
law on the subject is found in sec
ton q, chapter Is, volume 81, and
section s of the same chapter.
Section 81 provides that on the third
and fourth Saturdays Immediately
preceding the special election, the
registration officers shall sit and
add to the lists tho names of all
persons applying to them who may
have become qualified to vote since
the day of the last general election,
or who may become qualified to
Vete by the day Of such special
election.
Mr.. Ward construes the quoted
words to mean the exclusion of any
person who was qualified to vote,
whether registered or not registered
at the time of the last general cleo
tion, whether such person resided
within or without the Ninth Rep
resentative district. Only those
who may have become qualified to
vote since tho last general election,
or who may have become qualified
to vote by the day of such special
election, should be allowed to regis
ter, in his opinion.
In answer TO the first question
MI. Ward is of the opinion that
pers ons who have arrived at the age
OF Il years since the 4th day of last
November, or who have completed
one years residence in this State
since that date. or who have com. d"
pleted the three months residence
in Kent County since that date, or
who have completed the, thirty days
residence 10 an eleetioa district in
said Ninth Representative district
since that date, are entitled to regis.
ter, provided that such persons were
neither qualiiie ed nor competent to
qualify and vote in the SAID Ninth
Representative district OF any other
election district In the State at the
last general election.
The next question was whether a
person entitled to register for the
regular election but who failed to do
30, can register for the spcci al elec.
tion Mr.. Ward thinks not. r.,
A person entitled to register in
another Repre- district but
who failed TO do so, who since the
elec tion removes into the Ninth
district 50 thst lie
will have lived there more than
thirty days prior to December 3Oth,
The date OF the special election, is
not entitled to resister.
a person who reg gistered and voted
n another Representative district
and removes into the Ninth Repre-
sentative district thirty days or more
'rlor to The special election is not
entitled to register and vote. "Such
4 person, says Mr.. Ward. "has OK.
rclscd his franchise at the general
election for a different territory of
he State" |
The fifth and last question was
will a person who registered and
'oted in the First Election district
II the Ninth Representative district
nd subsequently to 1.-THE date of the
ast general election moved into the ,
second Election district ofthe Ninth
district, in which
econd Election district on the 3Oth
ay OF December next he will have
cen Il resident for mora than thirty
ays, be entitled to vote at the said
pscial election!'
MI Ward replies:
"This question involves no right of
cw registration for such special e,ec.
on. t would seem great hard.
up that d person qualified to vote
said Ninth Representative district
lould be deprived Of his right 10 (
ote by the mere fact Of taking up ]
IS residence in another portion or
ectlon district Of the same repre- ! {
ntativc district" /,
Mr. Ward believes that section 8.
llich applies for the transfer of r eg. {
tered voters in case of removal
ON cne election district to another,
ter registration and before voting, {
wide enough to cover this case.