The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-10-29
POLL TAX MUST
. BE PAID NOV. |
THIS WILL B ENEcEssARY, RE-
CARELESS OF DATE OF SENA.
TORlAL PRiMARY-ATToRNEY
QUOTES THE LAW.

The Jacksonville Metropolis says
in a recent issue:
If the Interpretation placed upon
the primary law by Attorney John E.
Hartridge is the right one. all the
argument among candidates in regard
to the date of the Senatorial primary
to save voters the extra poll tax and
the cost of registration is based upon
an erroneous view Of the question.
Mr.. Hartridge's views upon the sub
ject are expressed in the following
letter to the Metropolis:
To the Editor of The Metropolis:
From an article In your paper yes.
terday afternoon, quoting Mr. Dignan
and Mr.. Bryan, it seems that the i'm
preston prevails that if a primary
election is held this year after the
first day in November, 1t would not be
necessary to pay poll taxes for 1910,
but if held after December 81, 1910,
it would be necessary to pay the poll
taxes of 1910.
the first proposition, and it needs only
straight
relating to primary elections, is as
follows:
The Exact Requirement.
''Voters Must Be Qualified Elec-
tors.-No person can vote or take
part in the proceedings Of any pri-
mary election who is not by the laws
Of the State lawful elector, who has
not paid his poll tax legally due not
less than ten days before such pri-
mary election is held, and authorized
to vote in any legal election in the
ward or precinct for which such pri
mary election is held"
The only particular in which this
section has been changed is set forth
In section Is of chapter 1929 of the
Laws of 1909, relating to primary
elections, which makes provision
Il nat where the payment of poll or
capitation tax is necessary to quail
fy voters for participation in the pri-
maries herein provided for, that such
poll or capitation tax shall not be
paid later than the second Saturday
in the month preceding the month in
which said primary Is held"
1t will be observed from section 258
that to vote in primary election the
person must be a lawful elector and
he must have paid his poll tax legal
ly due.
When Are Poll Taxes Due7
This is answered by section 541 of
the Revised Statutes, which is as fol-
lows:
"All taxes shall be due and payable
on or after the first Monday of No
vember, of each and every year, and
the collector is hereby vested with
~hrn hi let
to collect by levy and sale Of the
ments assessed, all taxes that re-
main unpaid on tina fret Monday in
April"
This section of the Revised Sta
tutes was amended by Section Al,
Chapter 1896 of the Acts of 1907, as
follows:
"All taxes shall be due and pay
able on the first day of November of
each and every year, or as soon there
after as the assessment roll may
come into the hands of the tax col
lector,' etc.
So it will be seen that all taxes
are due on the first day in November
of each and every year, and are dis
trainable if not paid on the first Mon
day in April.
Must Be Paid.
It Is readily apparent, therefore,
that no person who has not paid
his poll tax for 1910 on the first day
in November, or before a primary
election is held, whether held in 1910
or 1911. is not legal elector author
lied to vote in primary election, be-
cause he has not paid "his poll taxes
legally due"
So it is of no consequence, so far
as poll taxes are concerned, wheth-
err the primary election be held in No
vember or December. 1910, or some
month in 1911. In either event the
poll taxes of 1910 must be paid as a
prerequisite for voting.
What Is said here, of course, has
no application to the general election
! to be held in November, as under the
| general election law any person who
| has paid his poll tax for the two
| years next preceding the year in
| which the election Is held is eligible
| to vote, so that all persons who have
| paid their poll taxes for 1908 and 1908
are eligible to vote in the general
election.
Not so in the primaries. as all poll
taxes legally due must be paid as d
condition precedent to make one eligi
| BILE to vote in the primary.
| Respectfully,
| JOHN E. HARTRIDGE.
| ..>- A., ><>rA,~ aaeAl