The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-08-31

MUST REGISTER
BEFORE ELECTION
No Tax Paying Requirement for Voting
in State and National Elections-Sec-
retary Black to Notify Town and City
Officials.

III state anu NdLIOnd1 1lCIl1uAs-
retary Black to Notify Town and City
Officials.
MONTPELIER, Aug. 3l-The women
of Vermont can vote at the state primar
les September IA when a candidate for
governor and other state officers will be !
nominated and at the general election in
November by getting their names on the |
check lists and without the payment of
poll or any other kind of a tax, de-
clares Attorney General Frank c. Archi-
bald.
The attorney general says that the
proclaiming of the equal suffrage amend
ment to the United States constitution
! by Secretary of State Colby automatic
cally makes women voters and declares
that no additional legislation is needed
in Vermont to make it possible for the
new voters to assume their newly granted
right.
\ MIR. Archibald continued that there
t was no longer any distinction between
} men and women so FAR as political
: rights are concerned and that the con-
2 stitution being the supreme law of the
= land, all state statutes which are based
4 on such distinction are swept aside
4 and men and women stand on an abso-
lutte equality. What the statutes require
of men in the way OF qualification IS now
r required OF women, no more and no less.
: Secretary of State Harry Black, ON
whom falls the duty under the law of
p preparing and providing the ballots TO
Y be used on primary day. says that suf-
a ,F aSgffsa ha lAntS fD meet
y the new situation are now being printed
In order to clear up any confusion
which may exist Secretary Black will on
Wednesday send out a letter to the town
and city clerks setting forth the new
\ conditions and calling their attention to
- the fact that women are now voters and
can get their names placed on the check
- list.
L Secretary Black said that women have
only to present themselves before boards
of civil authority at their meetings, and
being qualified by American citizenship
k age and length OF residence, have them
n. selves enrolled as voters exactly as men
al The attorney general makes it verl
i plain that no tax qualification Is neces
re sary. There has been some confusion ol
l. this Doint. because women (as have men
O. have been required to pay a poll tax II
n order to qualify as voters IN town ant
CITY meetings, the extent to which yo
x man suffrage has been granted IN Nel
o. mont up until this time.
N But there IS no tax qualification 10
id men in state primaries or general ele'
al tions and there can be none for womer
N The attorney general says that no woma
can be denied her right to get on tn
check list on the ground that she ma
not paid tax or previously eXpresse
, her intention to vote
d The amendment to the constitutio
Us brings about an entirely new situatoI
g woman does not have to pay Ia,
iitt neither does she, in enrolling hersel
u make herself liable to pay tax.
"a Attorney General Archibald was aske
les il he intended to inform town and cit
IN clerks and board of civil authority
the new conditions. He answered thi
he had no authority to do so, that tt
officials in charge of making up ehet
,es list are supposed to keep themselves i
'th formed of such matters, and he though
Der that so big a thing amending the te
ON eral constitution could not escape the
Wy attention
or He said that the boards of civil a
the thoritv are required to hold meetln
for the revision of check lists preYlo
to the primaries and elections and tn
Il. they are supposed TO give pioPSi nv
of their meetings. The final meeting
to generally held on the Saturday prevlo
| to the election or primary, he said. i
women are supposed to keep track
lara these announcements and present the
Wlii selves for enrolment, if they wish
vote
ap, The list OF men voters is now suppos
MAJ to be posted in town and city clerks
Is fees. Women have a right to get tn
ana name on that list if they are at least
pny- wears of age, have lived in this state
lenl , least a year before September IA a
anu =, are American citizens Like men u
thg I have to take the freeman's oath.
aIeu sonal presentation and taking OF
oath is all that is required of won
- who want to vote. Women's names
- not 90 on the check list automatic
at this time.