The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-13
MORRIS PREPARED
 ID QUALIFY WOMEN AS REGULAR VOTERS
Should Tennessee Ratify Amendment, Commission CT Declares He Will
 Open Books

Tn the event the Tennessee legislature ratifies the suffrage amendment approximately 35,- 900 women will be allowed to register to vote in the general election in November as soon as Secretary of State Colby is- sues a formal proclamation an- nouncing the adoption of the amendment by the required thirty-six states.
 This announcement was made yes terday by M. E. Morris election com missioner of the county, who declared he would proceed with his preparations to register the women as soon as the amendment was ratified by Tennessee. MT. Morris returned from Montgom- cry yesterday where he went to confer with Attorney General J. Q. Smith re- garding the legality of his beginning to register the women in this county before an act by the legislature grant ing this authority Attorney General Smith declined to pass any official opinion on the legality of the proceed ings pending final outcome of the suf- frage battle now being waged in Ten nessee. he stated.
 The office of election commis-
 sioner in Jefferson county. created
 by n special act of the last legfs-
 lature, according to Mir. Morris, Is n judicial office which gives him
 authority to pass on such ques-
 tions as the registration of voters.
 He stated that should Tennessee act favorably on the amendment.
 he would imm mediately open the reg
 fstration books of the county to the women for registration until
 they are closed at midnight on September 8.
 The closing of the books on Septem- Der is in compliance with the state law requiring that registration books must be closed sixty days prior to the holding of an election, which occurs this year on November ?. After tnis day any registration of male or fe- male would be illegal, he stated, with out further action by the legislature
  keeping the books open. as the clos ing statute is mandatory and the books must be closed on September 5.
 If Tennessee ratifies the amendment, 1t is self-operative in the opinion of MT. Norris during which time the books can legally be kept open and no spe- cial provision of the legislature will be necessary to enable him to register women voters during that period.
 MT. Morris is of the opinion that tht women will owe poll tax for this year if the amendment is favorably voted on by Tennessee, but will not owe back tax as some people have stated. He stated that even though they have not paid any poll tax, they will be allowed to vote this year as they are in the same position as men who have become 21 years of age after the closing of the poll tax books on February l. They are liable only for future poll taxes. but are allowed to vote in elections prior to the time their initial taxes fall due, which would be October 1, in this case. This tax will become de- linquent February ?, 1921, he stated.
 There are approximately 36,000 wom : en in Jefferson county, who will be eligible to vote if the amendment is ratified, according to the election com missioner. He stated that there were 29,00O men voters on the poll lists and he believed the number of women voters will exceed the men voters by several thousand.
 It is believed that the exemptions from payment of poll tax allowed men as to age limit will also apply to wom- en in the event the amendment Is ratified without special action by the legislature. Persons 45 years of age. are not required to pay poll tax under the present law, although they are re- quired to register regardless of age, according to MT. Morris.
 In the meantime he states all eyes are turned on Tennessee with more than usual interest and the final ac- tion of the legislature on the suffrage amendment is being awaited.