The Washington herald., 1920-03-28
TO VOTE.
In PRIMARIES.
Association Holds Rati6ca-
ton Will Eliminate
Word Male.
CAN USE PRESENT PLAN
Election Boards Usually
Are Allowed to Prepare
For New Voters.
By CONSTANCE DRExEL.

Can women vote in the primaries?
From several States the question
has been received as to whether the
ratification of the Federal amend
mcnt will enable the women to vote
In the primaries without further
Legislation.
The reply to this question as is
sued by the National American
Woman Suffrage Association is that
the ratification of the Federal
amendment virtually takes the word
male" out of all State constitutions.
1t does not change the qualification
for voters within any State, and
the constitution may be read with
the word male" left out to discover
the real status OF the new women
voters.
In most States the election boards
have full authority to make prepara-
tion for the additional number Of
voters. AS a matter of fact they
do this every year, estimating the
probable number of men in each
community. The advent Of women
voters is no different except that
annual increase.
III luOSd SolaIcSp Ho"CNCI, z a
polltax is a qualification. legal au-
thoritfes may find 1t necessary TO
pass special Legislation to make this
qualification to apply to women.
Some lawyers have SO construed the
law, and in that event the opinion
OF authorities within the State will
be necessary to learn the exact sit
uation.
If. however, any State should con-
nive at the denial to women of their
right to participate in the election,
primary or regular, after ratifica-
tion of the suffrage amendment, an
election could without doubt be in
validated unless very ample excuse
is afforded.
In Pennsylvania Governor Sproul
has given his word that the attorney
general is studying the question in
an effort to find a legal way making
it possible for women to vote in the
May primaries instead of waiting
for the fall elections.
Enabling Act Unnecessary.
There has also been considerable
discussion as to whether Congress
would have to pass an enabling act
for the suffrage amendment. as is
the case of the prohibition amend
ment. Both the National Woman
Suffrage Association and the Ma
Itional Woman's party have consult
ed the attorney generals Office and
obtained expert legal opinion on the
point. The verdict is that no ena-
bling act is necessary. All that the
Secretary OF State has to do upon
receipt of the thirty-sixth ratifica-
tion in his Office Is to issue the
proclamation, and the Nineteenth
anne r6ment to the constitution will
automatically go into effect.
1t reads: The right of citizens of
the United States to vote shall not
be denied or abridged by the Unitc'i
States or by any State on account of
sex. Congress shall have the power
to enforce this article by appro-
pirate legislation"
| But no legislation is necessary.
II has also been stated that the
Secretary of State might withhold
the proclamation pending settlement
of the legality of ratification in
Ohio, which Is now before the
United States Supreme Court for
hearing on April IL. But as the Sec
retary of State has accepted ratiti-
! cation by Ohio this cannot affect the
! issuance of the proclamation of the
amendment.
Copyright, 1890. by Public Ledger Coz