Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-10-27
VOTING OUTSIDE
Of HOME COUNTY
FULLY EXPLAINED
Absent Voters May Cast Bal
lots Only for Candidates for
Certain Offices, Is Interpre-
tation of New Law,

Some question has arisen as to just
what right absent voters have in the
coming election under the law passed
by the 1917 session Of the legislature
enabling qualified voters away from
home on election dav TO vote in any
precinct in the state where they may
happen to be. The particular point
in the law which is not generally I'M
derstood is how a qualified voter in
Bernalillo county, for instance,
would be able to vote for county Of
ficers in his home county If he hap
pened to be in Dona Ana county on
November 5.
The Journal submitted the question
TO reputable lawyers, and the decision
was that a man could not vote Tor
county offices in the case cited above.
He could. however, vote for United
States senator, representative in con-
gress, state Officers and on constltu-
tional amendments. Also. If on cleo
ton day he was absent from his homa
county, but not outside Of the judicial
or legislative district in which his
home county is located, he would be
permitted to vote for judicial and leg
isatiye candidates. For instance, a
qualified voter in Bernalillo county,
in Mckinley county on election day,
could vote for United States senator,
congressman, state officers. amend
ments and judge in the Second judi
cial district. comprising Mckinley
Bernalillo and Sandoval counties. A
man entitled to vote in Sandoval coun-
ty, temporarily in Rio Arriba county
on November s. could vote for the Of
ficers above named, except district
judge, and in lieu thereof could vote
for legislative candidates, as Sandoval
and Rio Arriba counties make up the
Twenty districts.
AS a matter of general information
excerpts from the law follow:
'Any qualified elector. unavoidably
absent from his home precinct on
election day, and more than fifteen
miles distant from such precinct, may
vote in any precinct or election dis
trict, or ward in the state. under the
regulations hereinafter provided Any
such elector offering to vote at any
polling place within the state, other
than his home precinct. shah present
to the election officers of said polling
place, certificate from the board
of registration of his home precinct
showing that said elector is duly reg
istered and qualified to vote in such
home precinct.
'If the home precinct of such
elector is in another county than that
wherein he so offers to vote, the
judges of election shall detach that
portion of the ballot containing the
names of candidates for any district
or county officers for which such
elector is not entitled to vote. and
such elector so offering to vote at any
polling place. outside of his home
county, shall be entitled to vote only
for presidential electors, United States
senators and members of congress,
state officers, or for candidates for
legislative or district offices in dis
tricts including his home county and
the county in which he so offers to
vote, and upon proposed constitutional
amendments and other questions sub
mitted to electors throughout the
state"
1t will be observed that a voter
must be more than fifteen miles dis
tant from his home precinct, and
must be provided with proper regis
tration certificate, before he can cast
his ballot outside of his home pre-
cinct.