Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1918-07-16
VOTERS SHOULD
REGISTER NOW
ATTORNEY WILSON GIVES RESUME
OF ELECTION LAWS PASSED
AT LAST LEGISLATURE
PROVIDES FOR ABSENTEE VOTING
Voters Cannot Be Sworn In Now on
Election Day

Many of the voters of Boundary
county have never had chance to
read digest of the changes in the pri-
mary and general election laws which
will be in effect this fall and on this
account the Herald is publishing the
following statement prepared for it by
County Attorney, o. c. Wilson:
1t is important that the electors of
Boundary county should understand
the changes which have been made in
the election laws of Idaho since the
last general election.
Prior to 1913 the law in regard to
registration OF voters was practically
the same as the new law of 1917 This
law was repealed in 1913 and a law
enacted providing a permanent sys-
TEN of registration. On account of
the numerous defects in the admins
tration of the 1913 law, the same was
repealed in 1917 and the old law was
practically reinstated
At the present time in order to en-
title a person to vote at the general
election, one must be a citizen of the
United States and have resided in the
State of Idaho for six months immed-
lately preceding the election at which
he offers to vote, and in the county 80
days and no person shall vote unless
he is first registered.
No person is qualified to vote at any
primary unless he will be a qualified
elector of the county and state at the
next general election and at the time
of the primary be duly registered in
the precinct wherein he offers to vote.
One may register during each Sat
urday, including and from the first
day of May, to and including the Sat-
urday next preceding the primary
election, at which time the registra-
ton books are closed until the Satur-
day following the primary election,
and are then reopened for registration
at any time until nine p. m. on the
Saturday preceding the general cleo
ton thus it will be seen that no per-
son can register on the day of cleo
ton, either primary or general.
If one registers for the primary
election it is not necessary to register
again for the general election.
Another important change in the
general election laws is the form of
ballot which is now practically head
less ballot and makes it impossible for
a person to vote a straight ticket with
a single cross as a cross must be
placed after the name of each person
for whom one desires to vote at the
general election.
1t is thought that the new system of
registration will be much more salts
factory than the one previously used
as it prevents much fraudulent voting
alleged to have occurred in the cleo
tons under the old system.
Another law which has been much
discussed, was enacted in 1917, re-
lating to authorization of absent vot-
ing. Under this law any qualified
elector of the State of Idaho, who is
absent or expects to be absent from
the election precinct in which he re-
sides, on the day of holding any cleo
ton under the laws of this state.
under which an official ballot is re-
quired and if registration is required
for such election, one who is duly
registered therefor, may vote at any
such election if he makes application
to the county auditor or other proper
official not more than fifteen or less
than one day preceding such election,
for an official ballot to be voted by
himself. The officer receiving the ap-
plication thereupon delivers to the ap-
plicant personally or mails him by
registered mail, an official ballot.
The ballot is marked by the absent
voter and returned to the officer who
issued the same, at least one day be-
fore the date of election, and upon
receipt of the returned ballot, the Off
Ger receiving it shall deliver it to the
judges of election of the precinct at
which the elector resides.
The various provisions relating to
absentees voting must be strictly fol-
lowed in regard to the ballots and the
penalty for false affidavits or imper-
sOnations is Imprisonment in the
county Jail not exceeding ninety days
or a fine not exceeding $500.
This law provides a method of vot-
ing in addition to that provided by
other statutes.