Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-09-07
New Corporations-Chat

in preparing the ballots for the special
State election has given special at
tention to the Maine soldier contin-
gent, being very DESTROYS that as few
Of these boys as possible shall be dis
franchised on account OF their ao-
sence from the State in the military
service. In view Of the fact that
these various detachments are subject
to sudden transfer orders, 1t may be
that some Of the contingents will not
be reached on Monday. 1t will not be
through the fault of Mr.. Ball however
If every Maine soldier voter is not fur
nisted with a ballot on September
tent
Whether or not the Constitution
contemplated that the soldiers shouio
have an opportunity to vote upon
Constitutional amendments and refer
endum questions, is not entirely
clear Secretary Ball, nevertheless
prefers to err on the safe side of this
question.
1t is very gratifying to the Secre-
tary to know that the Commandments OF
the various military posts where Maine
toys are stationed are glad to cooper
ate With him in any way possible and
although all are Of course terribly busy
just at this time. assurances have
been received at the Department of
State, that polls will be open IN all
camps where detachments of Maine
soldiers Numbering twenty or more)
are to be found.
TIE Constitutional provision reia-
tive to the voting of soldiers absent
from the State in military service
dates back to the war Of the sixties
where the Constitution was so amend
cd as to give the Maine soldiers at the
front an opportunity to vote in the
presidential and State elections as
we'll Since the close of the Civil Wsr.
however, 1t has seldom been found
necessary to apply this provision OF
the Constitution. In 1915 when the
Second Maine Regiment OF the Ma
tional Guard was on duty at the
Texas border its members were given
an opportunity to vote in the State
election It was a much less difficult
matter at that time, however, to pre-
pare the ballot machinery on account
e the fact that the whereabouts of
the members Of the Regiment We're
easily known. This year the fact that
a company or detachment of Maine
soldiers is to be found at a certain
place today Is absolutely no criterion
upon which to base a superstition as
to where they will be tomorrow. AS
far as is known at the Department OF
State. however. the following includes
all Of the Maine soldier detachments
COT the requisite number), now at mill
itary stations out of the State.
Second Maine Infantry (now 1o3rd
Infantry at Westfield, Mass: the Mil
hken Regiment (now the 1st Maine
Heavy Field Artillery at Westf1eld,
Mass: Trench Mortar Battery trans"
ferred from Milliken Regiment Box
ford Mass: 1o1st Engineers Grams
fers having been made from the Mil
liken Regiment and from the Coast
Artillery LIST Corps Cadet Armory'
Boston. Mass: Field Artillery Brig
cde transferred from Milliken Reg
imenD Bedford, Mass. The 6th. 10Th
and 18th Companies of the Coast Ar
tllerv have been detached from the
Maine organization and their respect
i've headquarters are at Aver, Mass.
Tho Maine Quartermaster's Corps is
az Atlanta. Ga Ballots for the Maine
Militia BOYS were also sent to the
comma ndant Of the navy yard at
Charlostown. Mass. as we'll for the
men in tie Radio school at Cambridge.
Mass. and in tho training camp AT
platshurG. y. y. BY this, It is in
tended to provide ballots for every
Maine soldier. whose unit and where
ahouts are known.
Tho State Department is in receipt
~ copy Of the instructions which
have tccn issued fro:, the headaunr-
tcrs If Tho 1st Maine Heavy Field Ar
tillerv. Camp Bartlett. Westfeld.
Mass. which is as follows;
Election will he held by the Regi-
ment as whole.
Tho polling place will he in front of
Headquarters Office.
The polling place will he open at 40
A. NJ and close at go A. NJ, or as
soon thereafter every soldier on
titled 10 vote in the Regiment has had
the opportunity.
Each organization commander will
~ once prepare list Of voters in this
organization tofficers included, en-
titled To vote in tho State Of Maine.
giving the town. city. plantation. and
county, in which each voter resides.
In this list residents of one county
shall he kept separate FROM those Of
another
ORGANIZATION commanders must sat
isfv thcu=el of the age. citizen
shin. residence and right to vote of all
rcrsons whose names are included in
their list Of voters.
Every citizen Of the State Of Maine
~ the age Of twenty-one years IN
such military service shall be entitled
to vote as aforesaid.
He shall he considered as voting in
the city town. plantation and county
in the state Of Maine where he re-
sided when he entered the service.
These instructions shall be posted
fer the heneht Of the men.
The probability is that there will be
UPWARDS Of one hundred drafted men
from this state in the Federal Sery-
ice on the 10Th Of September, These
will be stationed at Aver. Mass. and
will he attached to the 18th
division The Secretary of State