The copper era and Morenci leader., 1916-05-05
QUALIFICATION F0R REGISTRATIONS
 EXPLAINED
Registration for Primary Election in September Will Begin Next Week. Has No Connection With the Late Town Election.

There has been some misunder- standing and inquiry regarding the matter of declaring party affiliations at the time of registering for the gen. eral election. In reply to an inquiry by, County Recorder Vaughan, county Attorney Candy, of Maricopa county, gave the following opinion: q have your inquiry of April 20 as to the matter of political party af- filiation in registration of voters for the coming primary and regular cleo tions shall answer your questions specifically.
 1. Must the party affiliations be given by the voter in registering? A Yes
 i Can any party utilization be given whether such party be repre- sented on the ticket of the primary or general election? A. Yes. 3. If an eIector refuses to give any party utilization, is he eligible to reg ! istration? A. The elector may de- clare that he has no party utilization,
 in which event it will be so recorded on the registration blank and on the register. Blank A would. then read. "I am affiliated with no party" { 4. What is the duty of the. re- corder or registering officer as to reg istering a voter who refuses to give party afffIiation?, A. If voter re- fuses to give party utilization, or to say that he is not affiliated with any political. party, he. cannot be regis tered.
 The amended primary election law provides that there shall be sep arate ticket for each party entitled to i participate in the primary and also 1 a blank ticket, on which shall be printed only the titles of the offices ! to be voted for by the electors. It also, in providing the procedure with in the polling place, says that there shall be given to the voter one ticket ! of the party with which he or she is affiliated, as appears from the pre- ] cinct register. A way is therefore provided for one who is not affiliated with any political party to exercise his franchise at the primary. ! We should interpret the registra- ! tion law in such manner as to harmo- nize, if possible, with the primary election law I am, therefore, of the opinion that an election can be regis tered as of no political party (when he declares for the purpose of regis tration that he is not affiliated with any political party) and that at the primary election one who is so reg istered will receive the blank or non- party ballot On this blank ballot may be written the names of such candidates for the various offices as the elector may desire to vote for, with this exception, however, that no name may be written on such ballot which appears on any of the party ballot
 The foregoing view was concurred in by Assistant Attorney General Hardy in the following letter:
 Tn response to your communication of yesterday, I desire to inform. you that c. M. Candy, County Attorney of this county, has transmitted to us copy of his opinion today rendered to you, concerning the registration of electors which is the subject of your communication addressed to us.
 For this department I desire to inform you that we concur in the opinion of the county attorney. This I hope, is a sufficient response to your communication.