The Detroit times., 1910-01-22
MUST ENROLL IN
APRIL TO VOTE IN
PRIMARIES
New Election Law Makes Vital
Change, Which Is Likely To Re
suit in Light Polling for
Nominations.
Plan Devised To Prevent Gross
vOting-No Opportunity To Change
Party Allegiance Between En-
rollments.

A very vital Change made by the
new state primary law, as affecting
elections in Detroit. is the provision
which allows only electors who have
qualified by partisan enrolment in
April TO participate in the party nom
nations in September.
This means that every voter in De
tToit who wishes 10 have any vote in
the nomination of mayor. sheriff OF
any other city or county official next
fall will lave 10 enroll at the April IN
rollment The former law applied
only TO state officers. the enrolled
voters alone having the right to vote
ION state nominations. Manv were
shut out under this law through lack
or early interest ana failure TO enroll.
Judge James o. Murfn pointed out
the more widespread application OF
the new law in a speech Thursday
evening. His view OF the law Is in
dorsed by Judge E. o. Durfee, who
has served on the county election
commission for years and made a
special study of election laws.
April can take part in the primaries
later" said Judge Durfee briefly.
"That Is the law"
The theory of the law is that all
persons who are active members or
a political party will enroll In that
party. II Is intended 10 bar out men
who do not belong 10 any party from
participating In the caucus OF that
party and also to prevent 'cross-vot-
ing whereby Democrats have often
voted in Republican caucuses and
sometime vice versa.
That Is the reason that the enroll
ment date is fixed early. AS matter
of fact. the effect Is apt to be the
cutting down OF the list or those
eligible to take part in nominations
TO n very large extent. Out In the
state the enrolment is simultaneous
with the spring election and the vot'
ers will enroll. but in the city where
there is no election at that time.
great share of the citizens who co
not take an intense interest In poll
tics will not 60 near the election booth
on that day, and will find themselves
barred from voting at the primary
election later.
Voters may change their party alleg-
lance after the first enrolment by
notifying the enrolment board. But
this can be done only on enrolment
day. the first Monday in April. IL,
therefore. offers no loop-hole for the
man who wants to change his politics
between the spring enrolment and the
fell primary.
This is the most vital section OF the
new law with regard 10 Detroit and
Wayne county elections:
Sec T. No person shall be per
mitted TO vote at any primary
election held in this state unless
he shall have been enrolled. in the
manner herein provided. as a
member OF a particular political
party, except in cases OF new
political parties.
This section also provided that Il
man may enroll even II he is not reg
istered Electors who were enrolled
under the previous act need not re-
enroll
Section 10 Of the law provides for
enrolment of persons who were III or
nnayoidabiy absent from the election
precinct at the time OF the regular
enrolment, this supplementary enroll
ment to be made on primary election
DAY. II also provides for transfers Of
enrolment the same as transfers of
registration.
The primary election will occur on
the first Tuesday after the first Mon
day In September. the nominations for
United States senator governor and
lieutenant governor being made at the
some time as the local nominations