The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-09-23
WOMEN NEED NOT
DISCLOSE YEARS
STATE ELECTION LAWS DO NOT
REQUIRE WOMEN TO GIVE
EXACT AGE
BROOMNeS WOMEN KNOW HOW TO VOTE
November Election Will Be Their
First Opportunity to Vote
For President.

Surely no man who doesn't know a
guest towel from an embroidered nap
kin will dare to tell the women Of
Bookings how to vote. To the women
of many states voting is a novelty,
but in South Dakota suffrage has been
in effect over a year. The women of
this city are quite familiar with the
ballot, having participated in many
elections of various sorts. The men
who have been trying to scare women
from the polls by telling them that
they must disclose their exact age be-
fore they can vote are wrong. In
South Dakota q woman is only re-
CURED to swear that she is q years
cor over However, the coming cleo
ton on November 2 will he the first
experience of Brookings women TO
vote at a general election for county,
state and national officials. 1t will
be the first time that they have had
an opportunity to vote for president.
To many men as well as women
who have not had time to study the
intricacies of the election laws of this
state, a brief review of the more i'm
pOrtant features may be Of interest.
South Dakota is different from many
states in that it is not necessary for
voters to register before the general
election. Theoretically all voters,
both men and women are automatic
ally registered by the assessor. Those
whom he misses or those who have
moved into the city recently are not
barred, but may now or at any time
before election notify the city auditor
of their addresses and be placed upon
the books. In the country they may
notify the township clerk. Or if they
fail to do this before election they
may still vote if they take with them
to the polls. two persons who are
known to be qualified to vote, who
will swear to the residence and the
qualifications OF the proposed voter.
1t will save considerable time and
trouble If the voter will register him
self or herself with the auditor be
fore the election.
The state election law requires that
each voter be an American born citi-
zen or else fully naturalized. 1t also
requires that the elector shall have had
his residence in the state for one
year, 80 days in the county, and 80
days in the precinct. These Qualifl-
cations are the same for men and
women. Upon entering the polls the
voter will be asked by the judge of
the election to give his name and
address. The election clerks will then
verify the answer by the registrars
books. 1t is not necessary at this cleo
ton to state their party affiliations as
is done at the primary election. The
voter will receive a ballot upon which
all Of the parties and their candidates
are named. The ballots will be an
duplicate Of the sample ballots
recently mailed out except in color
and title. Care must be taken in
marking the ballot so that il will not
De nulllHeu. Inc cOmmOneSt error
made is placing a cross in each Of
the circles opposite the names of two
candidates for the same Office. An
error Of this kind makes the whole
ballot invalid and it will be thrown
out. The voter may vote for candi-
dates in any of the columns as long
az he chooses but one for aach of
flee. They may vote for a republican
president, a democratic senator, or
any other combination by marking in
the circle opposite the names of the
candidates which they desire. After
marking the ballot and folding il the
voter will hand it to one Of the judges
who will drop 1t into the ballot box.
-w. s. S.