Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-03-26
A LOCAL OPTION CAUCUS LAW

ment this year with q new, and in many
respects, a unique, caucus law. The act
of 1901, providing for a general deciara-
ton of party affiliations by voters at the
time of filling out the tax inventories,
and for party caucus checklist, upon
petition by five per cent of the voters,
proved quite unsatisfactory in its work.
ings, when tried out, for the reason that
in many towns the voters neglected or
refused to declare themselves, so that but
small percentage were qualified to parti-
cipate in the caucuses. The legislature of
1906 remodelled the caucus law to a con-
siderable extent, ands as it now stands it
is about the extreme limit Of local OPP
ton in the matter of caucus regulation.
It was left this way purposely. Many
towns do not desire or need to invoke
such a law, their caucuses being conduct
ed in a generally satisfactory way. OF
others, this cannot be said. So matters
are left decidedly open, for every town to
determine whether it will use the caucus
law or not, and if so, which of two ways
it will conduct its eauCuses.
In other words, these two options, are
as follows:-
/. On petition of five per cent of the
voters of town, filed with the town
clerk on or before the fifteenth day OF
year shall be held in one of the two ways
prescribed by thezlaw. If no such petit
ton is filed, then the caucuses may be
held ''any old way" according as the
party committees decree.
,. On petition of five per cent of the
voters of a town, filed with the town
clerk between March 18th and April LIST,
the voters of that town must declare their
party intentions on their tax inventories if
they wish to take part in caucuses in that
town that year. If no such petition is
filed, ana the petition referred to under
No. above is filed later, asking for eau
Gus regulation, then the selectmen ar
range an alpha betical list of voters quail
fled to take part at the coming elections,
but without party designation or divi-
sion, and this checklist is used at all the
party caucuses that year, each voters
name being checked off at the time, and
voters being prohibited from voting at
the caucuses of more than one party dur
ing the year.
So there are really three options:-
l. No checklist or caucus regulation
by law.
,. a general checklist, requiring pc
tition filed by May 18th.
3. A party checklist, with advance
declarations, requiring petition between
March 18th and April Is, followed by
second petition by May 18th.
Each town may, by action of five per
cent of its voters, choose according to its
particular desires and needs. The remain
ing 50 per cent will have to acquiesce.
The new tax inventory blanks contain
the declaration clause, as matter of ne
cessity, since it cannot be known in ad.
vance what towns will, and u hat will not.
use them, but in any town where there
has been no petition filed by April LIST
asking for their use they " i'll be dead
letter, and listers will not require them to
be filled out. Few towns, if any, will be
likely to resort to the declaration plan
this year, we imagine.
There will be quite a thorough trial of
the general alphabetical checklist this
year, we believe. 1t is simple, fair and
honest. On the whole list of qualified
the first party caucus. The town clerk
has charge of this list, attends to the
checking at all the party caucuses and
sees that no erasures or alterations are
made. When the caucuses of the remain
ing parties are held, this list is brought
out again and those only whose names
are not already checked off have the right
to vote now. There is 800 fine for
anybody who tries to vote in more than
one party's caucuses. or alters the check
list, or violates any other provision of the
act
Though the act does not specifically
state. it is a fair construction to draw
that the town pays the bills for checklist,
ballots, services of officers and clerks,
hall rents, etc, only when the law in in
voled in one way or another. If there is
no petition for any kind of caucus regula-
ton, then the caucuses are held and bills
paid in any way the parties determine
But when legal caucuses are held, the
town must foot the expense.
4 Novel Idea.
1t is free and deeply interests every
body who has aches or pains, or who is