The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-26
VOTE ON LICENSE UNDER OLD LAW
 SAYS H0LC0MB
Attorney General Tells Secre- tary Rogers Ballot Statute of 1909 Will Not Regulate Me- thOd Deciding Question

Hartford. July 26-Attorney General Marcus H. Holcomb has given to the Secretary of State the following opin- ion in regard to voting on the license question by which it will be seen that the vote must be taken under the law as it existed before the passage of the ballot act of 1909:
 Hartford. July p, 1910. Hon. Matthew H. Rogers, Secretary
 Dear Sir-You submit the following question:
 Are the provisions of the general statutes relating to the taking of a vote on the question of license for the Chapter 250 of the Public Acts of 1909, Concerning the preparation. form and use of ballots ?'
 Section 1 of said chapter provides that all ballots used at elections held on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November and at all special cleo tions "held for the purpose of electing officers voted for on said day. shall be prepared, etc.; and that all ballots used at all regular town, city and borough elections. and at all special electors meetings held 'for the purpose of electing officers voted for at such cleo tions" shall be printed by the Secre- tary of the State. etc. All of the pro- visions of the twenty-six sections of that chapter-with the exception of Section 3-I think clearly relate to bal lots upon which appear the names of the political parties who are to take part in the elections and the names of the candidates and title of the of flee. I think this is further evidenced by Section 27, which expressly repeals ten sections of the general statutes, one chapter of the Public Acts of 1905, and one chapter of the Public Acts of 1907, all of which relate to elections held for the purpose of electing officers voted for at such elections and of bal lots used for said purpose, and makes no reference to the statutes which reg ulate the vote to be taken upon the question of License or "No License.' D
 Section of this chapter provides for a column to be placed upon these bal lots to which said section relates for voting upon certain questions which may be submitted to be voted upon. Said section provides:
 Whenever at any election any vote for the approval or disapproval of any constitutional amendment submitted TOT ratification, or any vote for or against any educational purpose under the special laws of this State, or any other vote upon any question shall be taken by ballot in any town, city or borough pursuant to any special law, the ballot hereinbefore prescribed, pro- vided for towns, cities, or boroughs, affected by any such question, shall in addition to the columns hereinbefOre provided for. contain two additional columns, each of which shall contain spaces of the same general description as the spaces in the party columns, except that such spaces provided for each such question may be of sufficient depth to contain the designation of such constitutional amendment Or oth- CT question submitted, and the word yes or the word no printed there under" etc
 The provision "or any other vote up- on any question shall be taken by bal lot in any town. city or borough pur- suant to any special law evidently refers to referendum submitting to the decision of the electors in any community affected by some special law, a city or borough charter, or other matter of special interest to some municipality.
 The vote upon the license question is taken pursuant to the provisions of the public acts and not of any special law.
 In my opinion Chapter 250 of the Public Acts of 1909 does not relate to or affect the taking of vote upon the question of a license for the sale of intoxicating lcuors.
 Respectfully submitted,
 M. H. HOLCOMB.
 Attorney General.