The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1916-06-15
New Primary Rules;
All Voters Must Enroll

"o' OioShobs " uAS 1AOH.
Editor The Advertiser:
desire space in your paper to
calf the attention of the Dem
ocratic voters of Chesterfield
county to the fact that the new
rules of the party adopted by
the last Democatic State Con
vention require that every per-
son who votes in the coming pri.
mary election shall enroll him
self on the book of his precinct
or polling place, by writing his
name in full, his age, occupation.
and post office address. If he is
unable to write, then by max
ing his mark to the same before
the last Tuesday in July of cleo
tion years.
Now Mr.. Editor had the hon
or of being a member of the
State Democratic Convention
two years ago when the rule re-
auiring primary election partici.
pants to enroll under their own
hand and / remember very we'll
that the great argument used in
favor of passing the enrolment
rule, was that the roll so made
up would be filed with the Clerk
of Court for each county and
would become the permanent
Democratic Club Roll for such
county except such: as should be
added from one election yea- to
another, who might become of
age, tranfer or move in between
such election years, and that
the books of enrolment would
remain open until five days pre-
ceding the first primary. l very
well remember the task some
of us had in getting all those
who were qualified to enroll
themselves so that they could
participate in the electious.
Now again this year the same
difficult task is to go over again
with the further added disad-
vantage that the time for enroll
Ing is cut down, instead of the
books of enrolment being open
ed during the political cam
paign, while the matter is fresh
upon the minds of those who can
vote and during the leisure of
laying by season, when people
get together and discuss men
and measures and interest in the
elections are at its highest pitch,
when every one is interested
enough to see after this import
ant factor in his right to say who
shall rule over him.
We have under the new rules
the spectacle of the books clos
ing the last Tuesday in July one
whole month before the primary
being opened, only in h time
when those who are making
their living by farming are busi-
ly engaged in the cultivation
and harvesting of their crops,
and when their minds are occu.
pied more with their business
than anything else. This in my
opinion is wrong and especially
so towards those who live in the
rural districts of our county.
want to impress upon every
white man in Chesterfield coun-
ty the Importance of seeing to it
that he is properly enrolled.
Don't put it off, nor delay be-
cause the time slips away, and
almost before you are aware of
1t the time for enrolling will be
passed and then no matter how
much you may desire to vote in
the primary for the man of your
choice you will be debarred un-
less you are properly enrolled.
And besides, this enrolment
will be your mem bership in your
club and will allow you to par
ticipate in the election of your
club officers and delegates to
your next County Convention
and from there to the next State
Convention where I hope some
stems will be taken to correct