The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-29
The Qualifications Of q Voter.


The Grocery's attempt to frighten
qualified citizens of New York away
from the polls this year has stirred up
many of them to investigate their rights
in order that on Nov. they shall not be
cheated or bullied into surrendering
anything to which they may be entitled
under the law. From one citizen comes
this letter:
To THE EDITOR or THE SUS-!Sir: Can you not
follow up the enclosed editorial by one outlining
the actual qualifications requisite for . voter and
q specimen list Of legal questions that may be put
by an inspector of election which voter may law
fully be compelled to answer retire with honor1
"The point Is that. II q voter knows precisely
what he Is going UP against he will do 90 much
moro confidently by knowing II In advance than II
Il Is sprung on him. w.a.F.
BROOKLYN. Oct. n
Every male citizen Of the age Of 81
years, who has been citizen for ninety
days and an inhabitant Of this State for
one year next preceding an election,
and for the last four months resident
of the county, and for the last thirty
days a resident of the election district
In which he may offer his vote, Is entitled
to vote for all officers elected by the
people and on all questions submitted
to the people, unless he shall have failed
to register, or Is felon who has been not
pardoned and restored to the rights of
citizenship. or is bride giver or bride
taker or q bettor on the result OF the
election.
Those excluded from the right to vote
are minors women, naturalized citizens
whose final papers were issued less than
ninety days before election day, unreg-
istered qualified citizens, felons who
have not been pardoned and restored to
the rights Of citizens, bride givers and
takers, and bettors on the result OF the
election.
The questions that may be asked OF one
who attempts to vote and Is challenged
will be such as are necessary to bring
out clearly his qualifications or disqual-
ihcations. They are asked by sworn
officer Of the State, and the applicant is
obliged to swear or make affirmation
to the truth of his answers. II he an
swers falsely he commits perjury. The
election law in Section loS provides that
the applicant shall take an oath to an
swer truly and fully the questions that
shall be put to him. Then it says:
The inspectors or one OF them shall then aues-
ton the person challenged In relation to his name
his place Of residence before he into that cleo
ton district his then place OF residence his citizen
ship: whether he be a native naturalized citizen
and II the latter. when. where. and In what court
or before what otIicer he was naturanxed: whether
came into the election district for the purpose OF
voting at that election; how long he contempates
residing in the election district. and all other mat
tiers which may tend to test his qualifications as .
resident OF the election district and hight to vote At
such election at such polling place
If any applicant refuses to answer
the questions put to him, his vote shall
be rejected If his answers do not
satisfy the board of inspectors, they
must point out to him the qualifications
in which he appears to them deficient.
If, after this, the applicant persists, one
Of the inspectors must put to him the
general oath, which covers the qualifca-
tions OF voters as described in Section
Of Article II. of the Constitution. Having
taken this oath, the applicant may be
required to swear that he is not disquali-
fed as a felon. or as bride giver or
taker, or as bettor. II the applicant
takes these oaths, the inspectors must
receive his ballot deposit it in the box,
and count it in the canvass of the votes.
When citizen 30 well known as ROBERT
W. DE FOREST finds himself arraigned
as one not entitled to register or vote,
every qualified citizen should inform
himself on the law and 60 to the polls
prepared to assert his rights and swear
in his vote. Mr.. DE FOREST may be
obliged to do this, and il it is necessary
we venture the opinion that he will. The
laws are not made to keep qualified
voters away from the polls. 1t is the
duty Of every qualified citizen to see, in
his own case, and among his friends
and neighbors, that the Governor Of the
State shall not succeed in disfranohis-
ING anv man entitled To n vote