The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-10
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10, 1904.
ABOUT INTERPRETATION.
Jackson. Ala. Feb. 8. l90

Jackson Ala. Feb. $. lsO4 Editor The Advertiser:
 John Smith registered in Marengo County prior to January l, 1903 He has lived in Clarke County for the last twelve months. Can he vote In Clarke County without reregister!ng? If not, when will be his first opportunity to re- register? I note what Is said in Section IS of the new election law. but I want your opinion. Does a change of residence from one precinct to another Tn the same
 John S. Graham.
 Tn reply to the first question The Adver- tiser answers as follows: The Constitu- tion in paragraph 1S7 CArticle 8 provides that unless he shall become disqualified under the provision of this Article any one who shall register prior to January 1, 1903, shall remain an elector during life, and shall not be required to register again unless he changes his residence, in which event he may register again on production of his certificate"
 Section 15 of the Act approved October g. 1903 to further regulate elections in this State, provides that "any elector who registered prior to January 1st. 1903, who has changed the county of his residence shall be registered on application on pro- duction of his certificate unless he has since become disqualified" Paragraph IFS (Article 8 of the Constitution provides that ''to entitle a person to vote at any election by the people, he shall have re- sided in the State at least two years. in the county one year, and in the pre- cinct or ward three months immediately preceding the election at which he offers to vote;" provided that "any elector who within three months next preceding the date of the election at which he offers to vote, has removed from one precinct or ward to another precinct or ward in the same. county, incorporated town or city. shall have the right to vote in the precinct from which he has so removed if he would have. been entitled to vote at such precinct or ward. but for such removal"
 The Act of October g, 1905 complies with this paragraph of the Consultation. The Act also creates a board of registra- tion, to be appointed within sixty days after its passage by the Governor, State Auditor and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries. who shall hold office for four years. The registrars are made judicial officers and they shall act judi cially in all matters pertaining to the registration of applicants.
 The Act fixes the time within which ap- plicants must attend for regular registra- tion and also the time when an applicant who has reached the age of 2l years since the last date of registration or by physical disability or sickness in his family or absence from the county, had no opportunity to register. must apply. But there is nothing in the constitution or the Act which prohibits the registrars from exercising the functions of their ofice at other times. On the contrary it seems to The Advertiser, that in order to give full force and effect to the con stitution and the Act the general board should in a case where registered voter has changed the county of his residence and who on the day of the election will have resided in the county to which he removed one year and in the precinct or ward three months, next preceding that date, upon application on production of his certificate register him as an elector. The Advertiser is of the opinion that a change of residence from one precinct to another in the same county does not render it necessary to re-register, but if the removal is within three months next preceding the election, he must vote in 4he precinct from which he has removed.
 -S-a-S
 MT. Hearst is a rich man and is stated to have said that he would be willing to serve as President without the salary.