Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-05-22
POLL-TAX FEATURE OF
THE SUFFRAGE LAW.
Attorney General Anderson Render an
Exhaustive Opinion.

son In regard TO the poll tax feature
the suffrage law of the new constitl
tlOn. 1t is of so much importanc
that we reproduce it in full:
10 Honorable J. F. Ryan, Speaker {
the House of Delegates ofVirginis
Sir:-I have the honor to submit m
resporsa to the resolution adopted b
the house of delegates, calling for m
opini' n as to the proper construction
of the constitution of the State, 'rela
tive to the payment of poll taxes as
requisite to the right to vote afte
Jan. 1. 1904,' in the particulars men
toned in the resolution.
Before considering the several Ell
quries propounded, it will be we'll tt
remember that by the terms of section
Is of The constitution, no person car
vote in Virginia unless he shall be irs,
reg stored as voter in accordance
with the provisions of the constitu.
tion. 1t Is necessary also to dist in
guish the requirements as to the pay
ment OF poll taxes as pre- requisite to
to the right to register and vote,
prescribed as to the voters registered
after Jan. ], 1904, from the require
ments in that regard as to the voters
enrolled prior to that date.
The only persons to whom the pre-
payment of any poll taxes applies as
prerequisite to the RIGHT TO REGIS
TER are those who apply for registra-
tion after jap 1, 1904
There is no such requirement as to
the REGISTRATION of those who are
entitled to be registered upon the per-
manent rolls during the years 1902 and
1913, under the registration ordinance
adopted by the convention.
Bearing in mind these features of
the suffrage plan embodied in the con-
stitution, and having especial refer
ence to section 20 and 21 of that instru
ment, my answers to the several en-.
quiries propounded will he better un-
derstood
l now proceed to re-state those en-
quiries and to answer them in their
order:
THE FIRST QUESTION.
lst. when does the poll tax, as
prerequisite to the right to VOTE
begin to accrue?
10 this my answer is as follows:
la) As to person applying for RE-
1IsTRATIoN after Jan. 1, 1904, 1t begins
With the poll-tax which was assessed
II assessable in 1901; for, by section
o, be is required, before he is entitled
o be REGISTERED, to have paid to
be proper officer all State poll taxes
ssessed OR assessaDle against him '
NDER THIS OR THE FORMER CON-
for the three years next =
receding that in which he offers to
egister.' i
A person applying to REGISTER y
uring the year, 1904, must have paid a
1e State poll tax of 81 for each of the f
ears 1901 and 1902 assessable against
i'm under the former Constitution, =
nd the State poll tax of 81 so for the t,
ear 1903, assessed or assessable under q
'ction l73 of the present Constitution
course, this requirement does not =
pply to the poll taxes for any year in
hich the applicant was not, by rea- r.
IN of age or residence, legally liable o.
J be assessed. -
10Y AS 10 a person, REGISTERED IN al
'O2 OR 1903 on the permanent roll, in
is requit ement begins with the poll :!
x of 81. so for the year 1903, assess tl tn
Die under the present Constitution, ST
'ction q, prescribing the prepayment di
capitation taxes assessed under III
IL PRESENT CONSTITUTION ONLY as ai al
to the RIGHT TO VOTE, til
fore be is allowed to vote at any IN
actiOn.
In 1903, the voter REGISTERED aftert
IN. /, 1904, must have paid the poll tn
xes assessable against him for the st'
ars 1902. 1908 and 1904. ca
Before being allowed to VOTE at any do
sctiOn in 1905, the voter registered in tai
o. or 1908 must have paid the poll of
xes astessable against him under the OF
tn,
'EsENT CONSTITUTION, namely, th,
Ose for the years 903 and 1904. SUI
After 1905, the requirements in bo
Spect TO the prepay ment of poll taxes no
ii be the same as to the voters reg ~.
;ered before Jan. l, 1904, that they fne
g rs to those registered after that res
te. ea'
SECOND QUESTION. H.
I'd. us it necessary that poll taxes no
r the three years preceding 1904 be
i'd to entitle an elector to the right
vote in 1904 p .
This inquiry has already been ans b.,
'red in my response to the preceding !
esti0n.
person, hot registered in 1902 or ~,
u, desiring to vote in 1904, must
We paid all State poll taxes asses ,edI
assessable against him for the three
ars prior to 1904 before he can be
and he must be registered eat
fore he is entitled to vote. IN
4 person registered in 1902 or 1903 Iu
lst pay the State capitation tax of The
50 for the year 1908, assessed or aci
essable against him under the pres Ne
t constitution before he can vote in lit
"A
THE THIRD QUERY.
). III the Doll tax becomes effective
and after Jan 1901, at what time is FIR
poll Tax as pre- requisite to the
,ht to vote, due and trlNahla that