The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-05-01

Although the impression has been,
and it has been so stated by the
newspapers, that citizens who voted
in the last election would be auto
matically registered under the new
law, Attorney Alger Melton. Of tins
city. who has studied the statute care
fully, declares that all voters must
apply TO the registrars for certifi-
Gates during the ten days beginning
today. otherwise they will not be
qualified to participate in the coming
elections. In explanation OF the law.
Mr.. Melton furnished the Express the
following statement:
Some contention is made that nn'
der the registration act those who
voted in the general election in 1914
are not required to register. 4 care
full reading OF the act in connection
with the constitution convinces me
that ali electors must register. The
registration law provides that no cleo
tor shall vote in any primary election
in this state unless he is registered
The right to vote In party primaries
Is not constitutional right No one
is permitted under the act to vote in
any primary unless registered as an
elector and q member Of some politi-
cal party and he can only vote the
party ticket OF which he is a member
as shown by his registration certifi-
cate. without the certificate he can
not participate in party primaries.
1T Is also doubtful II an elector can
vote in any general election unless he
is registered The registration act
says that the failure OF the registrar
to register an elector who voted in
1914. shall not deprive such elector
OF his right to vote. This would in
dIcate that the legislature intended
to relieve those who voted in 1914
from the duty to register. Section 6
OF Article OF the constitution pro
vides:
"In all elections by the people the
vote shall be by ballot and the legis-
laturc shall provide the kind Of ticket
or ballot to be used and make all
such other regulations as may be nee
essary to detect and punish fraud
and preserve the purity OF the ballot,
and may, when necessary. provide by
law for the registration OF electors
throughout the state or in any in
corporated city or town thereof. and
when 1t is so provided, no person
shall vote at any election unless he
shall have registered according to
law
'In providing for registration
throughout the state the legislature
exercised the authority given by this
section of the constitution and II is
extremely doubtful If the Legislature
has authority to relieve any elector
from registration in view of the pro-
vision that no person shall vote at
any election unless he shall have
registered according to law
"In view of these provisions of the
constitution every elector should reg
lister. No one should take a chance
on the provision of the act, as to
those who voted in 1914. being in
valid"
Chairman L. c. Hutson. OF the DEM
ocratic county central committee,
called the members of the committee
together with the precinct registrars,
appointed by County Registrar MUIR
ray, in special meeting Saturday
afternoon in the auditorium at the
city hall.
Mr.. Hutson explained the object OF
the meeting and introduced Senator
O'Neill. who proceeded in detail to
explain the several provisions Of the
new election law. In beginning the
senator stated that past experiences
had shown that the ignorant and the
floating vote, the repeater and the
unscrupulous voter should be safe
guarded against. This. he said, was
conceded by all. Such being the