Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-03-21
NEW LAW FOR VOTERS
REGISTRATION MEASURE APPAR-
EMILY RIGOROUS
Other Laws Affecting the Ballot Il
Passed at the Special
Session.

/ ture winch adjourned recently. enact
ed more and better laws relating to the
qualification Of the ballot than have
been passed for many years. Besides
the Montgomery corrupt practices act
which specifies what shall be termed
as proper expenses of candidates, and
the new ballot law which viii become
effective for the next general cleo
ton. the lawmakers passed an eff
ficient registration bin to tasTe the
place of the present farcial measure
on the statute books and law linn
ting the time within which certain Of
fenses may be punished. There is only
one section in the latter measure and
it reads as follows
mo prosecution shall be had for
any violation of the laws concerning
elections by the people, CT or the laws
concerning offenses relating to cleo
lions. or of the laws relating to the
nomination OF candidates for public Of
fee, unless Indictment be found, or
| presentment be made, or prosecution
begun for the offense within one
! year after the same was committed"
The registration law, known as sem
ate bill No. 40. is conceded to be one
of the best measures enacted at the
session and was put through right at
the close of the session. the legisla-
ture taking cognizance of the distinct
sentiment abroad for an efficient reg
istration law.
Section Of the hi'1 nrovides that
the coUntv courts Of the several
counties shall appoint not later than
September / in years when a general
election is to be held, a registrar for
each voting precinct in the state. The
succeeding section directs the county
courts to have prepared suitable books
and blanks for the work or registering
The voters and shall distribute the
books to the registrars in the voting
precincts. The book shall be arrang-
ed so as to admit of alphabetical elias
sifcation of the voters and in columns
shall be entered the name of the per-
son registered, age place of birth.
time of residence IN precinct. district.
county and state. and If naturalized.
the date OF papers and the court by
which issued.
Before the registrar shall s.egister
the name of any person he must be
satisfied Of his qualifications and he
is endowed with authority to admin
lister oaths, and may require the per-
son desiring TO register to answer I'm.
oath the following questions
Are Won citizen Of the United
States?
2. Are You native or naturalized
citizen?
3. VIII YOU have resided ii this
state for one year Immediately pre-
ceding the coming election?
A. Have you been absent from the
state within the year Immediately
preceding the coming election? Gf
yes, when2)
5. When you left this state did YOU
leave for temporary purpose with the
intention of returning: or for the pur-
pose of remaining away?
g. Did you while absent look upon
or regard this state as yours?
q Did YOU while absent vote in
any other state?
s. Win you have resided in this
county sixty days prior to the coming
election?
8. When did YOU last come into this
county?
10. When You came into this coun-
ty, did YOU come for a temporary pur-
pose or for the purpose of making it
your home?
II. Did YOU come into this county
for the mere purpose of voting in this
county?
10. Did YOU come into your pre-
cinct merely for the purpose of voting
/
in it?
10. Are YOU an actual resident Of
that Precinct?
a. Are YOU 81 years of age, or wild
you be at the coming election to the
best of your knowledge and belief?
The registrar has also been endow-
ed with authority to ask any other
/ questions to ascertain the qualifica-
lions Of the person desiring to be reg
istered The registrar shall not allow
the name of any foreign born or resi-
dent citizen to be registered until his
naturalization papers or certified
copies of the same be produced, or the
applicant take oath that such papers
! have been lost or destroyed
The new law requires that the reg
istrars shall have completed their
work on or before the LIST dav of DC.