Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-09-05
WOMEN DENIED
VOTEIN GEORGIA
PRIMARY SEPT.
County Returns Where
They Cast Ballot Or
dered Thrown Out

ATLANTA, Sept. 4-The women
of Georgia cannot vote in the Derl-
ocratic primary Wednesday. If they
are permitted to vote in any county
the returns from that county will be
thrown out.
This was the effect of resolution
adopted by the subcommittee on
rules of the state Democratic exec
utive committee in Atlanta shortly
before IL o'clock Friday night. The
committee held long session during
which many court decisions were
read.
Following is the resolution adopted
shortly before midnight which defi-
niteIy settles whether women shall
vote in the primary;
"Be 1t Resolved: That this sub
committee has no jurisdiction to
amend the rules and regulations un-
der which the pending campaign has
been conducted, by providing rules
and regulations for the women vot-
ers, or for their participation in the
primary of September s, and it is
the sense of this committee that the
existing rules and regulations con-
troll.
"The secretary is hereby instruct
ed to so notify county chairmen."
The resolution was offered by J.
Fl. Miner of Dodge county, and was
adopted by vote of five to two. ic
was adopted after resolution offer
ed by Hiram Gardner, secretary OF
the committee, which would have al
lowed women to vote, was voted
down.
Following is the Gardner resolu-
ton. which was defeated:
Gardner Resolution
Whereas, the amendment to the
federal constitution removing suf-
frage disqualification from the wo-
men of the United States, becarhe
effective by proclamation issued by
subsequent to the creation of thus
subcommittee of the Democratic
Executive Committee of Georgia and
to provide rules or regulations fer
the registration of female voters or
for their participation in the Demo
cratic primary of September 8, 1929
and
"Whereas, the chairman Of the
state committee has not called a
meeting Of the state committee to
provide rules and regulations for
such registration and participation,
and
"Whereas, only three days Tex
elusive of Sunday intervene between
the meeting of this committee and
the date Of the primary, and it Is OBJ
viousIy impossible to provide for the
general registration of the women OF
Georgia and for their general partie-
ipation in this primary, even were It
possible to obtain action by the state
committee, therefore;
"Be it resolved: That this sub-com-
mittee has no jurisdiction to amend
the rules and regulations under
which the pending campaign has been
conducted by providing rules and
regulations for the women voters or
for their participation in the primary
of September 8, this being matter
at present solely within the jurisdie-
ton of the state committee"
The meeting of the subcommittee
was called by Senator FermOr Bar
rett, who held that women had a
right to vote in the primary, to fix
rules governing their voting.
Judge Flynt, of Griffin, chairman
of the state committee, who took the
contrary view, attended. A large
delegation representing the Georgia
Woman's Suffrage Association also
was present.
Judge Flynt contended that despite
the ratification Of the suffrage
amendment the Supreme court of the
United States had held that state
laws control all primary elections in
those states, and that not even the
whole state democratic executive
committee has right to abrogate
those laws. His position was sustained
by the action of the committee.
Every county executive committee
viii be notified Immediately that
any movement to permit women to
vote in the primaryNwill result in the
returns from the county affected be-
ing declared null and void and the
vote of the entire county viii be
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