The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-11-18
AMEND REGISTRATION LAW.

In the recent election, and in others
that preceded it, a considerable num-
Der of Montana citizens have been
deprived of the privilege to vote
through a provision of the registra-
tiOn law that requires amendment.
Their removal from one precinct to
another, during the time that inter-
venes between elections, prevents their
registration in the new district unless
they obtain q transfer from the registry
agent attheir former home, and in many
cases-owing to the distance and poor
mail facilities-this transfer cannot
be secured in time to qualify them to
register and vote in another precinct.
In some Of the registration districts
the letter of the law is strictly fol-
lowed, and many citizens properly
qualified in every respect other than
registr alton are deprived of the vot-
ing privileges; ia other districts the
intent of the law is considered, and
the matter of previous registration
elsewhere is not regarded as a fatal
objection. A voter who registered
two years ago did so for the election
of 1906, and not for the election of
this year, but according to the letter
of the law his registration holds good
for eight years, and he cannot register
elsewhere unless he obtains an official
transfer from the registration agent
Of his former district.
An illustration of the absurdity of
this requirement, and the inconven-
fence that occasionally results from
it, appears in a report from Flathead
county which says the United States
marshal for Montana will be prose.
cuted for voting in a precinct in which
he was not registered. The offender
against the Montana law was regis.
tered elsewhere but could not be at
his home precinct on election day,
n for this reason, it is alleged,
should be refused the privilege of
casting his ballot.
The right Of suffrage is conferred
upon citizens of Montana by a pro.
vision of the state constitution which
says every male person OF the age of
twenty-one years or over, who pos-
sesses certain qualifications, shall be
entitled to vote at all general elections.
These qualifications are that he shall
be Il citizen of the United States, and
shall have resided in Montana one
yearimmediately preceding the election
and In the town, county or precinct
such time as may be prescribed by
law. The Legislative assembly is au-
thorlzed to pass Il registration and
6uch other laws as may be necessary
to secure the purity of elections and
guard againt abuses of the elective
franchise.
An amendment to the registration law
by which a properly qualified eIector
may vote in a precinct to which he
has removed, without the formality of
securing a transfer from his former
pTecluCt, Notlu not encourage fraud
at the ballot box and would in a large
measure protect the right of suffrage
conferred upon Montana citizens by
the constitution. 1t is a right they
should be able to exercise under all
conditions.
The Importance Of protecting every
Montana citizen in his right to par
ticipate in elections appears from time
to time in official returns which show
that certain candidates are elected, or
certain questions decided, by a very
small majority, Defects in IA regis
tration law which may result in pre-
venting a full expression of the will
Of all citizens who possess the ncces-
sary qualifications to vote, should be
given Legislative attention.