Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-10-30
SOLDIERS ABROAD
TO CAST BALLOTS
NEW LAW MAKES PROVISION FOR
THEM TO V0TE-NEW YORK HAS
LARGEST VOTING STRENGTH
IN FRANCE.


voting preferences of nearly cne-tenth
OF the electorate of New York state,
as expressed at the polls on Noyem-
Der 9th, next will not be known until
nearly eight weeks later.
This unique condition arises from
the fact that approximately $4,000
of the 100000 voters are now en-
rolled in the military and naval fo--
ces of the United States, and conse-
quently, will be obliged to record
their political choice under the sol,
der vote provisions of the election
law The voters in federal service
will cast their ballots wherever they
are stationed, whether in France, Ha-
wall Panama, along the Mexican bord-
er, in camps and cantonments of tha
National Guard and National Ahmy
or on board ships of the navy
In the event of close contests, eth
er on the woman suffrage referen-
dunn, the race for the attorney gen.
or in some local or municipal
campaign, the ultimate result pos
sibly may not be known until the SOL
der vote is canvassed by Secretary
of State Francis NJ. Hugo, not later
than December 20
An interesting feature of last year S
soldier vote on the Mexican border
was the election of an assessor in the
city of Cohoes by the vote OF one
resident of that city who was sery-
ing McAllen, Tex, with the Second
New York Field Hospital The re-
suit in the city was tie, which was
broken by the ballot of the Cohoes
guardsman on the Rio Grande.
The largest unit of New York state
troops is at Camp Wadsworth, Spar
tanbudg, S. C. Others are at Camp
Upton, Yaphank L. l., Camp Dix,
Wrightown, n j., and at Camp De-
vens, Aver, Mass. In addition, there
are about 25,000 citizens of the state
enrolled in the regular army, and Is
900 on the roster of the navy
For obvious military reasons no
statement can be made as to the
number of New York voters at pres
ent in service in Europe, either with
General Pershing's troops or on the
naval craft commander by Vice
Admiral Sims. At the same time, it
is officially announced that the number
is sufficient to warrant their enroll
ment as voters on the other side Of
the Atlantic. This registration will
be conducted under the supervision
of General Pershing and Vice-Ad
miral Sims along the same lines as
in election districts at home. Each
officer will prepare
duplicate list of the New York voters
in his command, one copy to be re-
tained by HON and the other to be
to the Office of the secre-
tary OF state at Alban. Three rep
of Secretary Hugo's Of
fee already have departed for Fran e
to aid in taking the soldier vote.
The election law provides that the
ballots of the soldiers and sailors
shall be counted by the election
boards in the districts where the men
have their legal residnece Afttr each
soldier or sailor marks his ballot. le
seals it in an envelope bearing his
name, his home address, and the mill
tary or naval unit to which he is
The envelope is then de-
posted in the ballot box in the
field or on shipboard After the polis
arec losed, the ballots will be sent
to Secretary Hugo's office where they
will be assorted and sent to the elec-
ton boards in their respective home
districts of the voters On a desig-
mated day, the vote will be countel
by the local boards. The results are
to be reported to the secretary o.
state by December 30. No result re-
ceived after that date will be consid-
cred, as the final out come of the vot-
ing must be definitely determined be
fore January 1, when virtually all OF
the successful candidates assume o.
fee,
Two hundred and seventy thousan.
ballots, or twice as many as the nun
ber of voters in military and nava
service, have been prepared and a.
being shipped to all places wher,
New York's soldiers and sailors Ar
in service. These ballots not onl
contain the names OF the state OF
ficers to be voted for, but also tn