The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-10
ABSENT VOTING BILL
IS URGED IN HOUSE
Commercial Travellers, Railway Men
and Many Others Now Dis
franchised.
RICHMOND MAN is AUTHOR
OF IMPORTANT MEASURE
Passage OF Bill of Which Mr.. Hobson
Is Patron Would Give Justice to
Citizens Whose Duties Take Them
From Voting Places.

House bill 24s, of which Mr.. Hob
son, of Richmond, is patron, and
which. If enacted, will enable voters
| required by their duties to be absent
from their voting precincts on cleo
ton days, to vote by registered mail, Is
attracting Statewide attention. The
measure is now on its second reading
! on the House calendar having been
| favorably reported from the Commit
| tee on Privileges and Elections.
The bill carries the heartiest en-
| dorsement of travelling men generally.
| and there are 1000 commercial traV-
! elers who are citizens of Virginia. 1t
has been endorsed by the national or
CARNATIONS OF railway conductors, fire.
men, brakemen and engineers, by the
! United Commercial Travellers and by
the Travellers Protective Association.
| The LOO members of Post A, OF
Richmond, are adding their influence
| locally to that behind the bill.
w. B. Cridlin. of Post A. Ia author
of the bill. 1t received the approval
of the national attorney, Thomas u.
Rutledge. Of st. Louis, before it was
submitted TO the national convention
for endorsement, With the stamp OF
the approval OF the national conven-
ton, 1t is proposed to submit the suf-
frage act to every State division In
the country and through them to the
local posts throughout each State, so
that the r. +. A. members of each
State can work intelligently for the
passage OF this suffrage act by their
respective legislatures. The act is OF
interest aside from the very novelty
of II. by reason OF the fact that its
passage by the legislatures of the
various States would change the COM
plexion of the election laws, and not
only swell the volume OF vote, but
seriously affect the fortunes of cam
didates everywhere.
To Remedy Injustice.
The inspiration for the drawing OF
the act is the idea that because a
travelling mans duties draw him away
from his home town, where he main !
tains domicile and pays taxes, II
Is an injustice to deny him the rig 1T
OF suffrage because OF enforced alb
sence and the plan evolved in Mr..
Cridlin's bill is simplicity itself
Briefly stated. the act provides tina.
the voter shall notify the registrar or
other proper election Official of the
county and precinct in which he holds
suffrage not less than sixty days prior
to an election of his intention TO vote
In the primary or election, applying
TO said official for blank ballot. II
the voter Is outside the confines of
the United States, he is required 20
in advance. In either case the appii-
cation for ballot must be sent by regis
tered mail. enclosing sufficient post
age for the registrar to forward the
ballot in similar manner, The voter |
liz then required to mark his ballot !
and return IL to the election official
by registered mail, accompanied by
an affidavit that he is a qualified voter
of the precinct. county and State, to-
gether with such personal data as
shall identify him beyond question.
one week prior TO the date OF the
election the registrar or election Off
clal is required to post publicly list
of the names of the absent electors
who have returned their ballots. SO
that any who desire may challenge
their votes The ballots of the absent
electors are TO be kept separately in
sealed box until the day Of election /
and then turned over to; the Judges I
OF election who shall cast them III
the proper boxes and properly check /
ed with the registrars list of the alb |
sentees
Penalties For Fraud.
The act carries severe penalties for
fraudulent voting under its provisions, |
both for the elector and the election
officials. The fraudulent elector may
be sentenced to the penitentiary for
Ave years. Any elector attempting
to perpetrate a fraud under it's pro-
visions may receive sentence OF five
wears in States prison. any person at |
tempting a fraudulent vote by taking
advantage of the provisions of the
act can be proceeded against for
forgery, and any election official con-
spring or conniving at fraud in con- |
nertion with the ballots of absentee |
voters shall be disfranchised forever.