Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1912-04-04
WHO MAyvOTE N MISSISSIPPI
ATTORNEY GENERAL REPLIES TO
MAYOR OF WEST POINT.
Points Out censtitutisasl ouahhestisas
snd Duties Imposed Upon Voters
BY the State Statutes

Jackson.-rhe mayor Of West Point
has ssked the attorney general for an
opinion ss to the qualifications Of an
election 20 BE- held in that city.
Assistant Attorney General Frank
iohns,ou. in giving an opinion. goes
deeply into the matter, stating that the
question involves the eatire question
Of the elective franchise. synopsis
Of the opinion is a. follows
This question involve. the entire
question Of the elective franchise. and
az \ qualified elecfor in municipal
election must. in the first place. BE =
duly qualified siector IN a state or county
ei~stiaa- the inquiry h'gins at the pc,nt
as to the qualifications Of electors in
such general elections.
As all primary questions, IN respect
to the qualifications Of electors partiei-
Pating in municipal elections, are gov
erned primarily by the constitutional
qualifications of electors in general el.e-
;ions. We must look first to the constitu-
tional provisions on this subject, and
then to the general statute law prescrib-
ing suPeradded qualifications for electors
IN municipal elections
The qualifications prescribed BY the
constitution, in respect to voter, in the
general elections. are a. follows;
Every male inhsbitsnt OF the state.
twenty-oue years OF sge and upwards.
except idiots. insane persons, and In
diaRs not taxed. who is a citixen Of the
United States. and who has resided in
the state two years. and one year in
the election district or the municipality
in which he ofers 10 vote, and Who IS
duly registered. and who has paid, on or
before the first dsy Of February Of the
year in which be shall offer 20 vote.
all taxes which have ben legally re-
quired Of him, and which he has had an
opportunity OF paying according TO Law.
for the two preceding years. is declared
to b. a 9ualised voter. Ministers Of tbe
gospel in charge OF an organized church
are required TO reside only ak noa;h.
in the election district, If otherwise qusl-
iiisd.
No person. under thi. section OF the
constitution. is a qualified elec,or. Who
has b-eu convicted OF bribery. burglary.
theft, arson, obtaining money or good.
under false Pretensss. perjury, forgery,
embeEHlement or bigamy.
Section ss3 Of the eoa.titution pre-
scribes, a. a eoaditioa Of the sHffrag~.
the psyment. BY all persons. between the
ages Of twenty-one and SIXTY wears, Of
a poll tax Of two dolhrs; eNemptInS
from this tax. however. p~rsons Who are
deaf and dumb. and Blind, or who are
naimei BY the loss OF hand or foot.
The poll tsS Tor the two pree~iiag
Years must b paid on or before the
first dav of February Of tb. year ia
shieA the eleetsr SHALL offer to vote
He must b. able 70 read Any section
Of tke Constitution Of the stat. Or n
shall b able TO gaderstand the san
-heH read 10 him, or give a reAsonasie
Interpretation thereof.
Finally. eleetor. must b registered
within four month. n>xt before sny
eleetioa AZ which they NAV offer TO vote
No person, Who in respect 20 age and
residence. would become entitled TO vote
within the said four months. shall b. e1-
eluded from registration on Aecouat OF
his want Of quali6ea tiOa NJ the time OF
the registration
The eisetor mus; have paid al ,axes
Shieh have eesn leg1lly required Of him
II tax claimed against an el~ctor hss
not been legaiiy assessed. there = no
liability. and therefore. noa payment
does not involve dsrelietion or delin-
queuey. There can b no disfrsnchise-
meat wiihou. legal delinquency.
while the constitutions requires q poll
tax Of s. or 8. in the discretion Of the
board OF supervisors. this poll tax -
quires an assessment On the regular lis..
aE9 without the assessment % IA. poll
'sx. there can BE- ~ delingu~ney A.
siectoF sh9 has not pad an uuass~s>si
poll tax = rot thereby Hi.ausliSe<"