Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-02-14
DIE VIII. BE-
PERMITTED 10 VOTE
IN May PRIMARIES
strgans u Stase Ttking b Keen u.
seFest Ii The seIasae Vote, Par
ticuIariy il BaItimore


Hasfng what promises 20 be heat
81 political contest lor the coming pri-
aries ID Baltimore at which the
nayoraity candidates viii be noni-
mAtsd the question o. legality of the
voting Of the service men. whether
aemy, navy Of marine corps II Of pc
Suliar interest throughout the state.
but especially 10 Baltimore city al
this time
Any service man wherever he may
~ Iii the service Of the government,
may vote In the approaching primary
nnd III the municipal election II May.
if he Wishes 10, provided he makes
application for ballot marks Il II ae-
G1Fdance with the. instructions that
viii Be Gent him and malls Il 50 that
Ii viii reach the once of the secretary
og state at Annapolis BY April s for
ssse primary and May i3 for the cleo
ton. The ballot. or course must
have beer marked before the actual
day of either election
ii does not matter whether the alb
cent soldier or sailor was able % get
himself enrolled III the last city regis
tratlon The Law provides that II HIS
name vas on the books before lie went
away Ii viii be carried forward 10 the
naw books
AttOrney- G;enerai Explains
Attorney General Richie made this
clear yesterday when he WAS asked to-
explain how an absent soldier would
10 about voting and whether he could
vote tn the primaries. He put his
answer to the proposition in writing.
end here 1t is
When the legislature of 1913 passed
tie Soldiers and Sailors vote law Il
WAS not known whether the Law would
geally be needed Ii the spring of 1919
or not Absent voting involves some
quite radical changes In the election
laws, and Ii was recognized that IL the
soldiers and sailors Will nov be given.
&he law was made dependent for Its
effect upon the governors proclama-
ton. Early this year II was evident
Ehat large number Of our soldiers
and sailors would not be home III time
10 vote at the April primary or the
Nay election In Baltimore city and ac-s
cordingiy the governor, on January To-.
1919. issued his proclamation declaring
The law effective.
III was impossible for the legisla-
aUre To devise mach lnery for sending
commission to the soldiers to take
Gated ii too many different places and
because, III any event, we were unable
"a learn from the war department
where the men. more particularly
those abroad. were located.
10 Send Ballots 10 Them.
sThe only way. therefore, III which
We could give the soldiers and sailors
the vote was to provide for sending
haiiots to them upon their applica-
ton. II is. therefore. important that
every means be taken 10 inform the
absent soldiers and sailors exactly
how they can secure ballots and how
they should mark and return them.
1T IL hoped that this statement
which has that purpose In view, may
xaceive wide publicity. and that the
families and friends OF absent soldiers
and sailors will advise them Of its
c0ntents. or better still, send them Q
copy OF ii fin order that they may
know how ID exercise their right Of
naffrage at the spring elections.
The baltimore city primary will be
held on April /, and the election will
" held on May 6. The procedure for
voting ut these two elections BY absent
soldiers and sailors will now be given.
al being understood that while the
word soldier only is used. vet this is
simply for breyity and sailors are In
dluded also.
Names Carried Forward.
eIn The first place, the extra session
ar the legislature Of 1917 passed d Law
providing that no registered voter
should be stricken from the books
during his absence in military or ma
val service. and providing also that
when new registrations were held, the
names OF such absent persons should
Sc carried forward from the old 70 the
new books
This Law took effect on June %,
1917, and, accordingly, any soldier who
was registered in Baltimore city on
that dag, but who was absent in the
service at the time OF the new regis
tgation held III baltimore city last tall,
ia, nevertheless. entitled to vote at the
elections this spring
In ike manner soldiers registered
on June IS. 1917. IN the recently an
nexed portions OF Baltimore county
and Anne Arundel county. but who
we're absent iii the service At the time
of the registration of the voters Of this
annexed territory held ii January
1918. may also vote At the elections
this spring
Makes Mritten Application.
'The absent soldier, who does not
expect 10 he home before election day,
makes application in writing to the
Esnard an CfnprviSnrS ar Elections