The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-30
LOCAL OPTION IN CAUCUS.
Provisions Of New Law Make Three AL
ternatives.

tcruatlYeS.
Vermont win have chance to expert
ment this year with anew, and in many
respects, unique, caucus law The act
Of 1904, provided for a general decla-
ration Of party affiliations BY voters at
The time Of filing out the tax invcn-
tories, and for party caucus checklist,
upon petition Of five per cent. Of the
voters, proved quite unsatisfactory in
its workings, when tried out, for the
reason that in many towns the voters
neglected or refused TO declare them
selves, SO that but a small per centage
wre qualified to participate in the eau
cIlses. The legislature Of 1905 remodell-
Cd the caucus law to q considerable ex-
tent, and as it now stands it Is about
the extreme limit Of local option in the
matter Of caucus regulation. 1t was
left this way purposely Many towns
DO not desire or need to invoke such
a law, their coueuses being conducted in
a generally satisfactory way. OF 9TH
ers, this cannot be said. So matters are
left decidedly open, for every town to
determine whether ii will use the can
Gus law or not. and If so. which of two
Ways it viii conduct its caucuses.
In other words, these two options, are
az follows
/. On petition Of five per cent. Of
the voters Of town, filed with the town
clerk on or before the fifteenth day Of
May, the cancuses III that town for that
year shall Be held in one Of the two
ways prescribed by the law. II no such
petition Is fled, then the caucuses may
be held amy old way" according as the
party committee DEGREES.
2. On petition Of five per cent. OF
the voters OF town, fled with the town
clerk between March 18th and April 1st
the voters Of that town must declare
their party intentions on their tax in
ventories if they wish to take part in
caucuses in that town that year If no
such petition il filed. and the petition
referred to under No. | above il filed
later asking for caucus regulation, then
the seectmen arrange an alphabetical
list Of voters qualified to take part at
TIE coming elections. but without party
designation or division, and this check
list Is used al all the party caucuses
that year. each voters name being
checked Of at the time, and voters BE-
ing prohibited from voting at tine eau
cuses Of more than one party during
the year
So theye are really three option;-
/. No checklist or caucus regulation.
by law.
2. A general checklist, requiring a pc
tition fled by May 18th.
Z. a party checklist, with advance
declaration, requiring petition between
March 18th ana April Isl, followed by Il
second petition hY May i5tn
Each town may, BY aeti0n Of five per
cent OF It's voters, choose according to its
particular desires and needs. The re-
manning % per cent. will have to &c
auisce.
The new tax inventory blanks contain
tho declaration clause. a. matter Of
necessity, since II cannot be known IN
adgance what towns will, and what viii
not, use them, but IN any town where
the has been no petition tied by April
Isl asking for their use their viii be a
dead etteh, ami listers viii not require
them to be filed ont Few towns, ii
ny, will be likely to resort 0 the deela
ration plan this year, we imagine
There will be quite a thorough trial
If the general alphabetical checklist Of
qualified voters are checked those who
appear at the first caucus The town
clerk has charge Of this list, attends to
TIE checking at all the party eaueuses
md sees that no erasures or alterations
are made When the caucuses Of the
parties are held. this list is
brought out again and those only whose
aames are not already checked of have /
.lie right To vote now. There Is 500 /
Che for anybody who tries To vote III
pore than one partys caucus. or alters 4
thc checklist, d violates any other pro /
.ision Of the act
Though the act does not specifically I
state. IL is a fair construction to draw
hat the town pays the bills for cheek
lst ballots, services OF officers and
Jerks, hall rents, etc. only when the
an Is invoked ii aae way or another
u there il no petition for amy kind Of
ancus regulation, then the caucuses ave
leld and bills paid IN any way the par
les determine But when legal caueuse
ire held, the town must foot the ex
lenses. Randolph Herald and News.