The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-01-26
ATTORNEY GEN. KUHN
Explains the Enrolment
= Law
Everyone Must Enroll II They Wish to
Vote at the Primaries For the Nom
inAtion of State. Congressional
and County Officers.


inAtion of State. Congressional
and County Officers.
So many inquiries were received by
Attorney General Franz Kuhn con.
cerping the primary enrolment law
enacted by the last legislature thst he
decided to make the following state
ment:
3 We are receiving many inquiries re-
lative to the enrolment feature of the
primary election law, which leads me
to believe that 1t is not generally nnder-
stood. l therefore take this means Of
explaining the requirements relative to
party enrolment:
First-Section a of act 279 of the pub
lie acts of 1911 requires every voter to
enroll. The fact that person may
have been enrolled under any former
act does not constitute him an enrolled
voter under the present law. The
above section expressly provides that
no elector shall be deemed a qualified
enrolled elector who has been enrolled
prior to Aug 1, 1911. This is manda-
tory and every voter who desires to
participate in primary election is re-
quired to enroll.
Second-The enrolment board in
each case is the board of election in
spectors, the latter board being pro-
vided for in the general election law.
(See section five of act 2S1 of the pub.
lie acts of 1909. Any enrolment board
or the members thereof failing to hold
an enrolment to afford the voters an
opportunity to become enrolled shall
upon conviction thereof be deemed
guilty Of a misdemeanor and are sub.
ject to the penalties prescribed in the
general primary election act. See Sec
tion 6 of act 279 Of the public acts of
1911
Third-There- are two enrolment
days provided for during the pre- ent
year, namely, the last Saturday in
January and the first Monday in April.
1t is the duty of every enrolment board
in this state to be in ses ion on each Of
these days to afford voters an oppor.
tunity to enroll Personal application
must be made to the enrolment board
for enrolment on each of these days
Fourth-A. voter may also become
enrolled by delivering to the city or
township clerk or the officer in charge
OF the enrolment book, at any time, a
written request for such enrolment ac-
companied by affidavit setting forth
that he is qualified elector and that it
is his bona fide intention to affl ate with
the political party to which he seeks to
enroll. This affidavit may be delivered
personally or may he mailed to the
township or city clerk, as The case may
be. If, however, voter enrolls by
affidavit he cannot participate in any
primary election that shall occur with
in two months from the date of such
enrolment.
FifSh-A voter who has not enrolled
in the manner provided above Except
as hereinafter specifed) cannot partici-
pate in and will not be permitted to
vote at primary election.
Sixth-The enrolment board Is re-
quired to write the name of the politi-
Cal party given by person making ap-
plication for enrolment and section
of act 279 of the public acts of 1911 ex-
pressly prescribes that ditto marks
shall not be used to indicate any voter g
political affilation. The use of rubber
stamps for this purpose is not author
lied
Seventh If qualified voter applies
for enrolment but neglects or refuses
to give the name OF his party, or If he
has none, he shall not be enrolled by
the enrolment board.
Eighth-A qualified elector who fail
ed to have his name enrolled on enroll
ment day by reason of sickness or un-
avoidable absence and who is qualified
elector on primary election day. or any
person who may not have become 81
years of age or qualified elector until
after enrolment day, may haye his
name enrolled on primary election day
upon making oath to any of the fore
going facts. Any person who has been
enrolled but has changed his residence
may, by procuring certificate Of en-
rollment, Or by satisfying the enroll
ment board of the new precinct, be en-
rolled in the new precinct and may
vote therein.
Ninth-Whenever an enrolled voter
has changed his party sffiliation and
desires to be enrolled as a member OF
another party, he may do 80 by per
sonally making application to the en-.
rollment board on any enrolment day.
Tenth-The enrolment board is re-
quired to be in session during the same
hours that the polls are required to be
open at q general election, which is