Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-08-20
Defines The Primary Law.

Attorney-General Edgar Allen Poe has
made public an opinion in which he held
that persons now on the registration books
as declined" voters may affiliate with
either of the parties and may vote in the
primaries to be held September Ia. He
also held that young men coming Of age
after the primary and before the general
election to be held November may vote
in the primaries If they possess the other
legal requirements.
Mr.. Poe's opinion that declined" voters
may affiliate and vote in the primaries is
based upon Section 160-E of Chapter 1872
of the Acts Of 1914. which says, in effect
that voters may state. at the primary, the
party with which it is desired to affiliate
and. thereupon. shall have their names
entered in the proper column and be per-
mitted TO vote in the primary then and
thereafter The exercise Of this privilege
is limited to declined" votors by the sec
ton Of the law forbiddine any change in
utilization within six months prior to pri-
mary election.
In part. Mr.. Poe's opinion is as follows
Il would call your attention to the fol-
lowing language or Section 160-E Of Chap
ter 1872 Of the Acts Of 1914, being Section
1872 of the Pamphlet Of the Election Laws
Of 1914:
Each and every voter as he appears at
the first primary election at which he votes
subsequent to the passage Of this act shall
before he is permitted to vote at said pri-
mary, state to which party he is inclined
and to which party he desires to have him.
self recorded as affiliated. and the Board
Of Registers. then sitting as Judges Of Elec-
ton. shall thereupon and at once enter in
the column provided for party affiliations
the name Of the political party to which
the voter is inclined and with which he
desires to affiliate. and in said primary
and all primary elections thereafter held
any person so registered as affiliated with
a given political party shall have the right
to vote the official ballot of that party and
Of no other.
his utilization registered shall be permitted
to make any change in his party afilia-
ton unless the same shall be made at
least six months prior TO the day of the
primary election
at is very clear from this language that
a registered voter opposite whose name
upon the registration book appears the
word declined in the column headed Party
Affiliations voting for the first time at
primary since April 10. 1914. the date Of
the passage Of said Chapter 1872. has the
right to require the judges of election to
record his party utilization in the proper
column Of the registration book. and upon
such record being made. to vote in the
primary of the party with which he is
recorded as affiliated.
"0f course, this privilege can only be
awaited of by person who has previously
registered and who is voting for the first
time at a primary held subsequent to
April 16, 1914, and who has not previously
had his party utilization registered within
six months prior to the day Of the primary
election"
As TO the right of young man coming
of age after the primary and before the
election to vote in the primary. Mr. Poe
says:
"You have also asked as to the right Of
a person not yet q years Of age. but who
will attain the age Of q before the general
election. TO vote at the primary election.
Such right is secured 10 him by the follow