The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1912-11-21
MARTlNDALE DISCLAlMES
RESPONSIBILITY
Secretary Of State Frederick


ing upon the Equal Suffrage. amend
ment in several Michigan counties
MT. Martindale puts the difficulty
squarely up the County election COM
missioners. He claims to have fuln-
lshed each election board in tile state
with copy OF the correct form of
ballot together with the provisions of
the state law regarding submission
OF constitutional amendments to the
people.
When asked what reply he had TO
make to Mr.. AIartindales contention
County Clerk Wertman said this
morning:
If Mr.. Martindale sent the let
ter telling us about the mistake in
the ballots did not soc it. l am sure
that the letter to which he refers
was not sent to this city If it was
never reached it's intended destina-
tion. The only communication that
the election commissioners received
from the secretary of state was the
one which directed us to print the
ballots as they were printed We
received 10 notice of a change"
County treasurer Otto 2. Graf
said, As far as | know we did not
see it and am sure that / did not.
Where il went TO if it was mailed |
Il pA+ IA1 &c
alleged by Martindale l do not see
how We could have missed 1t, but
we did"
The only inference said c. o.
Swsyze, Judge of probate, that can
be drawn from our failure to receive
the second letter from Lansing is
that Mr.. Martindale did not send it
or that il was lost in the mail. That
it was directed to me may be true.
All | know is that l never received
it, and knew nothing about the mis-
take OH the ballots until after eleo
tion. 1t is most unfortunate that the
mistake occurred. No blame can be
attached 10 Wertman, Graf and me,
f0&-u is fact that we did not get
fN econd letter"
Secretary Martindale's statement
follows:
II has come to my attention that
\ in some sections of the state / am
held accountable for the improper
form used in printing the ballots re-
latiug TO the right of women to vote.
In order that all interested citizens
of the state may have the actual
fac,s ! deem it proper to give the
course pursued in giving notice of
this amendment to the various cleo
ton officials.
The resolution in question is Con-
current Resolution No. 1 of the sec
ond extra session of 1912 and the
legislature in this resolution pre-
scribes the form Of ballot as follows:
1T shall be the duty of the board
of election commissioners of each
county to prepare ballot for the
use of the electors for voting upon
said amendment, which ballot shall
be in substantially the following
form:
'.yote on amendment to section
one of article three of the constitu-
tion. relatives to the right of women
to vote
Amendment to section one of ar
ticle three of the constitution, rela-
Continued from Page ID
five to the right of women to vote,
Yes }.
Amendment to section one of ar
tic,e three of the constitution, rela-
tive to the right of women to vote.
fNo ~
by statute, (Sec. 1924. c. l.. 1870,
No certify proposed amendment or
olhpr question not less than fifteen
DAYS before election to the county
clerk of each county in the state.
caused a certified copy of the resolu-
| ,yon relative to the right of women
A cote Concurrent Resolution No.
k,,. as well as copy OF Concurrent
RtiSn No. 2 relative TO charters
!of cit pad villages to be mailed to
each county clerk under date OF Sep
ssr rnher ieth. After such resolution
!, a. been certified, as required BY
utstute, the duty OF the,secretsry OF
~..,e ~ to notice to election COM
!, Isssoners is complete.
Knowing that this resolution. No.
as passed ~ the legislature. vas
-, in proper form ~ prescrised BY
80 epustitutiea- and realizing that
~-r,Cvs cvnpsscstiens might result
!, tps vsrssus sosrdse Of election com
,,,ss,ossrs did net discover the error.
caussl q Be mailed By arst class
..ssr~. "a .sacA county board Of