The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-04-04
ATTORNEY GENERAL
GIVES OPINION ON
LIQUOR ELECTION
CONTINUED from First page.)

Continued from First page.)
Il. e. before December Q, 1919, all poll
taxes assessed or assessable against
them during three years next preced-@
ing the year 1914 e. e. during 1913.
1912, 1e11).
III All such 60 other persons who
shall become of lawful age at a time
when no capitation tax was assessable
against them for the year 1913, and
shall thereafter register by reason Of
becoming of lawful age prior to the
date herein fixed for the holding of
said election.
The relevancy Of the word such"
in this section is not apparent 1t
seems TO have no meaning whatever,
because it does not refer to any OF
the prior classes.
Under this class, any person be-
coming of lawful age before the
fourth Tuesday in September, and
after the time when n capitation tax
was assessable against him for the
year 1913 fthat is, after the LIST of
February, 1879. who can register.
will be allowed to vote. 1t will be
noted that. under section 90 of the
constitution, such person will not be
entitled to register unless he has paid
one dollar and fifty cents in sSatisfac-
ton of the first years poll tax as
pay at any time before he registers
and he may register at any time be-
fore the election.
The only point on which there
seems to be any doubt is the question
as to when a person fulfilling all of
the conditions under class two. but
who has not registered. may be al
lowed to register In order to vote IN
the September election.
sa,etipn Of the coda
amended by the acts of 1906, p
571) each registrar is required an
nually. on the third Tuesday In May
at his voting place. to register the
names Of ali qualified voters within
mis- election district not previously reg
istered In said district. who shall APP
ply TO he registered, and thirty days
prior to the November election, the
registrar Is required to sit one day
fer the purpose Of amending and cor
rectinE the lists. at which any quail
fed voter applying and not previously
registered may he added; and section
IS goes on to provide that 1.-The reg
istrar shall at any time previous to
the regular days Of registration. reg
lister any voter entitled to vote at
the next succeeding election who may
apply to him to he registered" Now.
the provisions Of section 4. quoted and
anaivzed above. require. first. that the
qualifications of voters at such eiec-
tim shall he such as are prescribed
by the general law. and in class two,
set out above, all other persons VINO
are otherwise qualified and have per
sonaiiy paid, etc. certain poll taxes
shall be allowed to vote. Constituting
these provisions together. Il seems 10
me that the general law must gov
ern as to when parties. who are on
the treasurer's list referred to in
class two above. may register. 1t may
he noted in passing that parties com
ing under class three may register at
any time prior 10 the date Tor holdihs
the election. Certainly. 1t will be
tho duty OF the registrar. under sec
ton rs Of the code, quoted above, to
register at any time before October
3. 1914. ali voters who may be quah-
fled to vote in the November election.
Therefore, when the judges of cleo
tim are called upon 70 decide who
are entitled To vote in Inc september
tslestion IL will he their duty 10 de-
eermine whether the name of the per
son offering to vote is on the trst
...reasurer's list required by section
II. that in. as one who has paid at
the proper time poll taxes for 1913.
IIaI2 and 1911: or II not, whether
his name is on the second 'treas1r-
ers list" required by section i, that
liz, as one who has paid at the proper
time poll taxes required for 1917, 1911
and 1910; or If he he not ON either
LIST whether he he an old soldier OF
the perula list of 1923. If he
he on the first or second list afore-
said then the judges must ascertain
whether he has registered; and II the
registrar is bound to register all per-
sons otherwise qualified up to october
4 1914 cannot see how the judges
Gould prevent such a one from Young
This construction Is borne out ny
1.-The fact that under the second para
graph Of section :. II is provided mat
any person who shall have paid his
en- nftation tax. but whose name is
omitted from the certified list may,
after five days written notice 10 'tne
treasurer apply 10 the Circuit court
or the Judge thereof in vacation. TO
have the same corrected and his name
Ientered thereon, IL ne can nave ms
name nut on the treasurer's list, but
has failed to register he would be
certainly allowed TO register for the
November election; and II wouiJ~be-
icome necessary for the judges. in every
case to determine the date OF reglstra-
ton Of all persons who would be
qualified TO vote under class two
above.
The act does not seem to contem
Mate a new method of registration;
in fact the act does not provide any
method of registration or fer new
registration. but would rather seem to
indicate that the general law will gov
ern on the question of registration.
and as we have seen above. the gem
eral law will allow registration or per-
sons qualified 10 vote up to thirty
DAYS prior to the November election.
Therefore. l am of opinion person
who would be qualified under class
two, set out above. may register at
any time before the election in Sepsem-
Der,
Respectfully submitted,
(Sicned) JNO. GARLAND POLLARD,
Attorney-General of Virginia.