Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-01-10
THE NEW CAUCUS LAW.

The law relating to political primaries
was materially amended by the Legisla-
ture. but the changes made NAV not he
what were expected in some quarters Ac
cordlng to the new law there must he =
check list of voters in any event, bu,
whether a party check list is to be used
or not depends as formerly upon the filing
Of a petition with the town clerk asking
for the use of such a check list.
In order to make the use of a party
check list obligatory in any town. AT
least five per cent of the vote for COVER
nos in the preceding election must be
represented on a petition calling for the
use Of check list, and this petition
must be filed with the town clerk between
March Is and April l. In case these
conditions are complied with. then every
person qualified to vote in such town at
general election who desires to vote ut
caucuses for State, congressional. county
and representative tickets must insert in
the blanks furnished the name of the
party with which he intends to act and
vote at such election, sign and deliver the
same to the lister to whom ne delivers hi.
inventory, and If he is not required for
any reason to make an inventory, he must
deliver his certificate of intentions to one
OF the listers on or before May 20.
Cot
vote in any Of the caucuses in question.
In the event of the filing Of n legal peti-
tion for the use of a check list for vo,ers
IN caucuses it is provided that on or be-
fore May % the selectmen Of n town and
the proper officers OF city must prepare
check list. Such list must be arranged
DO that the names of all legal voters who
have certified their intention OF voting
and acting with the republican party
shall be placed in alphabetical order on
the left of such list; those who intend to
act with the democratic party next IN
order on the right side; those who intend
to act with the prohibition party next on
right side, and next in order on the right
eide those of any other political party.
If no petition calling tor this sort of n
party check list is filed with the town
clerk, then the selectmen or the proper
officers must make an alpha betical list
of all persons qualified to vote at the
next general election.
If a party check list is used. the space
assigned to the several parties on the HISS
must be separated by perpendicular lines
at least one-cighth of an inch wide, and
the spaces so assigned must be designated
at the top in clear, legible type the name
OF the party to which such space is as
signed In all check lists opposite the
name OF the voter must be given the
dence is so designated this provision APP
plying Of course to cities or large villages
in which residences are numbered.
The check list when completed must be
the list used at caucuses during the year
for which it is prepared and no person
whose name does not appear on the list
can be allowed to vote in any of the eau
cuses named, and no person can legally
vote in more than one caucus in any one
year for delegates for the nomination of
State and county officers and for repre-
sentative to the General Assembly.
Any person who violates the law is
made subject to a fine not to exceed one
hundred dollars.
1t is evident that the declaration Of in
tentions or registration to which some
people objected Is retained and when one
stops to think of it, difficulty would be
experienced in devlsing check list which
did not require some declaration OF inten-
ton on the part of the voter. 1t would
be possible, of course, to allow some au-
thorized man or body of men make up a
check list for party caucuses. but the re-