South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-23
Between Forty and Fifty to be
Added to Accommodate
the Women Voters of j..
the Country.
COMMISSIONERS WILL
FIX THE BOUNDARIES
Probable That Women Will be
Given Places on Precinct
Boards - All Voters
Must Register.

Between 40 and so new precincts
will % added To st. Joseph county
this fall 20 accommodate the women
voters. according TO an approximate
estimate made Friday by County
Auditor Wolf Steps for redistrict-
ing the city and county vii be taken
D., re county commissioners at their
ia. .ing Monday The addition of
more precincts will also mean sim
La number Of voting machines. en-
failing a probable extra outlay Of
$4,000 Of $4,000.
At present there are o. precincts
I'm the county. Not all of these.
however. will be divided Five or
six in the outlying townships will be
sufficient in their present status to
care for he increased voting. But
those in South Bend and Mishawaka
win in the majority Of cases have to
be doubled and in few instances
Lripled.
Vote TO BE Doubled.
II is estimated that there will
probably be one woman vote for
every man and a probable doubling
II the entire vote in the county
Methods OF handling the woman
vote will be evolved in the next few
weeks by the county commissioners.
II is probable that several women
will get places on the precinct
boards TO steer their sisters through
he booths without mishap.
Precincts in the more thickly
settled districts Of the city are the
ones that are expected to necessitate
changes and additional polling
places to accommodate the women
voters. Some of those in the sixth
and seventh wards where a voting
strength OF from 500 10 1000 is not
unusual, will need 10 be divided into
two and three precincts. IL is be
ueved. a heavy vote among the
foreign born women now eufran-
chised is expected. one county
building official stated Friday that
ne would not be surprised to see at
east 2 3 per cent OF the enfranchised
women take advantage OF their op-
porIunity.
Several thickly populated pre-
rircts are also in Nushawaka and
VIII probably he broken into two or
hree 10 provide places for the
women.
The townships lying on the edge
Of the county 20 the south are the
ones that viii probably need no
changes. the present precincts being
fully equal 10 the demands expected
10 be made.
Expense VIII BE Greater.
With additional voting machines
costing in the neighborhoOd OF $500.
and the necessity Of more boards i'm
each precinct. the expenses to the
county will be no small issue. IL is
pointed out
Counties all over the state are
preparing 20 meet the same condi-
tions prevalent here. many report
ing that precincts will be doubled
and tripled.
All women who desire 10 vote at
The city election In November. and
no the election OF delegates TO the
constitutional convention in Septem-
her. must register the same as their
husbands or brothers. Registration
for the constitutional convention
election will begin about the first OF
June and continue for so days. All
registration vii be done at the
court house. Arrangements for
CARRYING ouy the work are being
made now by George Raab. county
clerk. The assistants 10 the regis
tration board who ave appointed by
the respective chairmen of the two
political powers. VIII probably be
named Saturday