The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-03-29
PUT women
VOTE UP TO
co. CLERKS
Ballots Will Not Figure in
Election, Brundage
Rules.

Springfield, ILL.,. March %
Whether women will vote at the
presidential primary
in Illinois Tuesday, April Is, and
the officers they may be allowed to
vote for, will be finally determined
in each county by the county clerk,
it seemed probable today.
The letter of Attorney General
Edward j. Brundage to Governor
Lowden, Saturday, informing the
governor that it would not invali-
date the primary and if women are
allowed to vote, provided their bal
lots are counted and sealed sepa-
rate from those case by the men.
caused confusion among the county
clerks and election commissioners.
The attorney general in a previous
opinion had held that women are
not allowed to vote for any candi-
dates at the April primary
Opinion Unchanged.
At the attorney generals Office
today it was explained thnt the let
ter to the governor does not re-
verse the previous opinion.
The situation. it is explained, is
that women have no legal right to
vote at the primaries, but that coun-
ty clerks. if they wish to assume
the responsibility, may have wom-
ems ballots prepared and distribu-
ted. The women may vote but their
~stseWilnseeif ess1is6a6 viii mean
nothing more than 4 straw vote.
Brundage's Ruling.
In response to a request of NJ. W.
Chaplin of Morris, county clerk of
Grundy county. for information as
to what candidates women might
vote for the attorney general today
sent the following reply:
Il am in receipt of your telegram
of the 9th instant, asking to be ad-
vised. in case women are permitted
to vote at the April primary.
whether the woman's ballot should
contain the names of candidates for
president and the names of dele
gates or alternate delegates to ma
tional nominating conventions and
precinct committeeman.
Relative to whether women are
qualified electors for choice of can
didates for nomination for the Office
of president, l herewith enclose
copy of an opinion given Robert M.
Sweitzer, county clerk of the coun-
ty of Cook, which considers that
question.
You will note that the conclu-
sion therein. based upon the law as
at present. is that women are not
Qualified electors for choice of
candidates for nomination for
president.
No Vote BY Act.
Relative to whether women are
entitlel to vote for delegates and
alternate delegates to national
nominating conventions and for
precinct committeeman, l will say
that the supreme court holds that
the Woman's Suffrage Act does not
give women the right to vote either
tor delegates and alternate dele
gates to national nominating con-
ventions or for precinct committee
men.
Under the holding of the SUI
preme court constituting the wom-
ans suffrage act. it would seem
that women are not legally enti-
tied to vote at the April primary.
Very truly yours. tSignedD
EDWARD ]. BRUNDAGE,
Attorney General
County Clerk Charles Byers OF
Sangamon county. announced to.
day that he did not intend tc
print ballots for women in this
county. The decision of the SUI
1ts-esne court constituting the Won
5 Suffrage Act was made. in 8
.sslich was brought to pre-
e ,rs from providing ballots
ZEN at the last presidential
j., a
Adams Denies Vote.
! -,dincy. H., March 29.-Adams
countIwomen will not be permitted
n vote at the primaries on April
County Clerk Smith having SC
lied this morning. His refusal is
ased on the decision Of the su-
lreme court denying this right.