The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-09-16
Should Restore Names
Of Voters to Books.

The board Of county commissioners
took wise and just course when
they decided at their meeting Of
Tuesday night to hold an open ses-
sion Tuesday and restore to the reg
istration books of the county the
names of all persons who have paid
their poll taxes and who are justly
entitled to cast their vote in the local
option election of October II. Fur
thermore, many Of these names
should never have been stricken from
the registration books.
It is understood that some nine
hundred names have been removed.
The registration officer justifes this
revision by the fact that he had be-
fore him afidavits made by various
persons that certain voters do not
now reside in the precinct in which
they are registered. The law, in the
opinion Of the registration officer,
gives him mo alternative than to
strike from the books names con-
tanned in afidavits and he says that
while he has authority to remove the
names he has not the authority t.
restore them.
It would seem an unjust act to de
prive man Of his vote on any ques
ton just because he had moved intt
possibly an adjoining precinct ant
had failed to secure transfer. Al
a usual thing the average voter doe
not think Of his status until near tn,
day of an election. Then he hastenec
to assure himself that he has paid hi
poll taxes or transferred to the pre-
cinct m which he is lawfully entitled
to cast his vote.
1t would be a bad situation if ;
voter, should he move from one pre-
cinct to another, be compelled to rac'
to the registration Office to secur'
his transfer, to find possibly, upol
his arrival there, that some persol
had beat him to the Office with al
affidavit and had deprived him of hi
ballot. To create situation Of thi
character would be against the bes
interests Of the people as whole
for a person or group of persons o
vicious character could deprive man,
legitimate voters Of their right o
suffrage by simply fling their afr
davits.
To strike an otherwise legal vote
from the books because he has faile
to secure a transfer certificate an
then to refuse to restore him to tn
books when he does call to transfer
unjust. If he has been a residen
Of the state and county for the lengt
of the time required by law and hs
paid his poll tax then he is entitle
to vote and to deprive him of tn
right is taking from him one of tn
privileges guaranteed to every man,
Many persons, who really reside !
other cities and in other states, sti
claim Pensacola as their home an
come here to cast heir ballot. The
are not registered voters in the elite
or states in which they really +,
side, but claiming Pensacola as the
home, demand the right to cast the
ballot there. A notable case of tn
character was the late Capt. j. Z
O'Brien, whose name once WI
stricken from the books of Escamb
county and who explained TO Il
board that though he resided
Washington, he looked upon Pens
cola as his home and always can
here to cast his ballot. His name W
restored.
The board of county commissions
should, at their meeting of Tuesds
restore all names where the perso
can show they are really qualifi
voters. The question of how the
voters win cast their ballots shou
not enter into the matter. The boa
should, and The Journal believes
win, be fair.