The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-05
Neu, Charter
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Of illegal registration Is made. that,
when II Is tmpossibl to serve a sum;
mons on the person so registered Il
will be taken as prima facie evidence
that no such person resides in the
precinct, and his name shall be ,strick.
en- from the register. hut not until a
notice has been published stating
that such action lis about to be taken.
The registration law. provides that
the two registrars shall sit, at sta.
ted advertised times, in their several
wards and the voters must appear
and sign the register. After the reg.
istrars have, completed their work.
the Board Of Election Supervisors
shall sit for two days at the city hall
for the purpose OF correcting the
register, registering those who may
not have been before registered, and
issuing transfers to those who may
have changed precincts since they
were registered. No transfers can be
issued on election day.
The two registrars will also be two
OF the election commissioners for
their precints, to serve with two 9th:
ers to be appointed by the Board OF
Supervisors, as provided by law.
The system, 1t is believed by many
is wrong, which permits board OF
commissioners to sit as their own
returning board when they are cand-
idates for reelection and then there
Is the temptation to appoint election
officials who will favor them at the
polls. The plan will take this out OF
the hands OF the incumbents of of.
fee and place the election machin-
cry In non partisan disinterested
board, which seems to be the fair and
reasonable thing to do.
The election board will be required
to meet at their precincts to organ
ize at Z o'clock on the evening pre-
ceding the election. This will pre-
vent the usual custom OF ousting elec.
ton officers at an early morning
session and putting in some one who
has not been designated TO fiji the
place, always making one sided
board which usually returns the cleo.
ton to suit the exigencies of the oc.
casion.
The new charter also provides a
corrupt practices act. It will prevent
corporations from contributing TO city
campaign. funds. 1t will provide that
no candidate shall spend over $4,000
and no individuals may contribute
over $1,000 to the campaign fund. 1t
will require reports of expenditures,
the same as in state or county cleo
tions. 1t will require any person who
collects, solicits or disburse. any cam
paign fund to report under oath the
same as a candidate or committee
is required to do.
1t does not seek SO much to punish
for bribery. but 1t does seek to pre-
vent It. It does no good to fine n
man or send him to Jail fer buying Or
selling vote after the election is de.
cided but 1t will do great deal OF
good II such practices are prevented.
and IL these provisions are enforced
and they must be because. penal
ties are provided for their non en-
forcement. The possibility of bribery
and corruption will be reduced to q
minimum. The law also provides,
Just as the Ohio law does, that all
persons shall go into a booth to fill
out their tickets, and no election Of
ficer shall help any voter fill out 4
ticket unless the voter is physically
disabled from blindness, paralysis.
old age or some other physical in.
trinity apparent to the commission
ers.
Summed up, the new charter pro.
vides for registration OF voters. !
corrupt practices act to meet local
conditions. A fair unbiased election
board, A fair count and safe guards.
An economical administration as far
as the limitations of salaries are con.
cerned. An efficient administration
because it places responsibility OIL
the shoulders OF man hired to do
the work who will be held response.
BILE for failure to make good. The
election law also provides for a spe-
cial prosecutor and a4special grand
Jury to investigate any alleged frauds
that may be charged in any city cleo.
ton. The Judge OF the circuit court
may be required by petition to en-
panel a special grand jury and the
special prosecutor will be named by
the petitioners and with all the att
thority as the prosecuting attorney
OF the county.
Do not the people know that all
these safe guards will more to
eliminate the corrupt practices that
Fairmont stands indicted before the
world for using than all the crittctz.
ing and philosophysizing that can be
done in life time. At any rate
LIT will cost no more to make these
provisions and can any party or any
set Of men who favor fair elections
and non partisan form Of govern.
ment removed from the protection Of
party. emblems and made to stand on
its own foundation. object to any such
provisions? Does anybody who does
not want to buy or sell votes care il
the law makes such practices