Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-21
BILL PROVIDES D. c.
REPRESENTATION
Senator Spencer's Measure
Would Give Delegates in
Congress to District.

Delegates to represent the people |
of the District of Columbia in the
Senate and House are provided for /!
~ hill ;'ttiof ICED late yesterday after |
noon BY Senator Spencer of Missouri.
In the House the District is to be /
represented under the provisions of
the bill by one delegate for every
two hundred thousand inhabitants.
according to the last preceding United
States census.
No person shall be eligible for cleo |
ton as a delegate in the House who
is less than twenty-five years Old or
who has not been citizen OF the !
United States for at least seven years
and an inhabitant of the District Tor
at least three years. or who Is not
a qualified voter in the District under
the terms of the proposed law. Ihe
delegates to the House shall receive
the same pay as members or the
House. They shall have the right OF
debate but not of voting. Not more
than two of the delegates snail De
designated by the Speaker of the
House to serve as eX-officiO members
of the House District committee
without right of vote.
Provides for senate Delegate.
The District also shall be repre-
scented by Senate delegate. No per-
son shall he elected as delegate TO
the Senate who is less than thirty
years old. or who has not been Gu
nine years and an inhabitant OF the
District for at least three years or
who is not qualified voter In the
District. The Senate delegate shall
receive the same pay as senator ana
shall have the right OF debate. but.
not of voting. He shall be ex-ofiicio
member of the Senate committee on
the District without the right to vote
Election Of Delegates.
The bill specifies that all citizens OF
the United States twenty-one years of
age and over who are actual bona hde
residents of the District. and who
have been residents of the District
continuously during an entire year
! Immediately preceding the election.
and who have resided continuously for
thirty days preceding the election in
the election district in which they
vote, shall be qualified to vote for the
election of delegate to the senate and
House.
Election of delegates from the Dis
trict to the House shall be held in
1920 and every two years thereafter
on the Tuesday after the first Monday
in November. The term of each dele
gate shall commence March of The
year subsequent to his election.
The election of Senate delegate
shall be held in 1920 and every six
years thereafter.
Commission nm Election Board.
The Commissioners of the District
are TO constitute an election board.
and the board shall be empow cred to
employ secretary at an annual sal
airy of $4,000. The board is to divide
the District of Columbia into num-
bered election districts. each of which
district shall be composed of compact,
contiguous territory in which not more
Than L500 votes and not lass than
1000 voters are residents. Detailed
provisions are made for registration
of all voters.
1t is provided in the bill that nomi-
nations and elections of delegates to
J partisan. Any person may be nOmi-
mated for delegate by fling with the
! board nomination papers signed by
not less than 10 per cent and not more
| than Is per cent of the qualined
voters voting at the last preceding
1 election. Provision is made for the
preparation of nomination papers and
! ballots.
| The candidate for Senate delegate
| who receives the largest number OF
/ votes shall be declared elected by the
/ board. Those candidates for the va
cancies existing in the office of House
delegates who receive the largest
| number of votes shall be declared
elected All laws of the United States
4 relating to the nomination Of sena-
| tors shall be applicable TO the elec-
ton for these delegates. Penalties for
| any person who violates the provi-
p, yided sum of $4,000 is appro-
priated for the payment OF the sala-
! ries of the secretary, clerks and cleo
| ton officials, and for other necessary
| expenses under the provisions or the
said act. '-ss-- 7-~ re