The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-07-20
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State Chairman Says Must
Gioe Age in Signing Rolls

state chairman of the Democratic
party, rules that in order to qualify
as a voter in the approaching pri-
maries, the applicant must declare
his or her age. This ruling conflicts
with recent opinion from Attorney
General Wolfe, in which it was held
sufficient that the applicant show
that he or she would be 21 or older.
Mr.. Brown is a lawyer.
Mr.. Brown said: 81 have given
some serious thought to the rules Of
the party referring to the age of ap-
plicants for membership in Democra-
tic clubs, and for voting at pri-
mary.
cat first blush I felt like concur
ring in the opinion rendered by the
attorney general, to the effect that
the rules only require women to in
dicate on the enrolment book that
they are 21 plus. However, the more
I read the rules and the more I think
of the matter, am convinced that his
ruling is entirely contrary to the
true intent and requirements of the
party rules. Read carefully rule 6,
and then read carefully rule II.
81 am therefore, constrained to
give it as my opinion that in order to
qualify as a voter in the primary, it
is absolutely necessary that the apph-
cant shall write in person upon the
club roll, his or her full name and
Immediately thereafter his or her
age, occupation and postoffice ad-
dress, etc.
ssI hand you herewith statement
which I have prepared for publica-
ton. hope you will see that it gets
the widest publicity, in order that
the women may have an opportunity
to avoid improper enrolment in this
respect
Ruling of State Chairman.
The formal statement follows:
'.In order to determine the requi-
sites as to age of an applicant for
membership in a Democratic club,
and for voting at a primary, two
rules of the party must be construed;
rules 6 and IL.
''Rule 6, in part, is as. follows:
The qualifications for member
ship in any club Of the party in this
state, and for voting at primary,
shall be as follows, viz: the appli-
cant for membership, or voter, shall
be 21. years of age, or shall become
sc before the succeeding general elec-
tion.'
'tRule II, in part, is as follows:
"s Each applicant for enroll
ment SHALL in person write upon
the club roll Ris Cor herr full name
and Immediately thereafter his Cor
herr age. -
'Rule 6, or so much thereof as is
here quoted, simply attempts to de-
scribe, as a class, those who may be-
come members of Democratic club,
and vote at primary, while rule IL
states in specific terms that each ap-
plicant for enrolment SHALL in per-
son write upon the club roll his Tor
herr full name. and Immediately
thereafter his Cor herr age, and post
Office address. It does not say that
the applicant may supply this infor-
nation, but shall supply it as one OF
the requisites to becoming compe-
tent voter.
'sThe rules of the party are the
statutes of the party, and must 'De
strictly construed, in the same man
ner as the courts construe our statute
laws. Hence, 1 have no alternative
other than to rule that in order to
qualify as comp petent voter, whether
man or woman, he, or she, shall, in
the wording of rule II in person
write upon the club roll his Cor herr
full name, and Immediately thereaf-
ter Cor herr age.
sT urge every woman in South Car
olina, as part of her duty to the
state, to enroll and vote in the COM
ing primary. At the same time l
urge them to follow the rules strict
ly. To do otherwise may bring about
innumerable contests, which can so
easily be avoided by strict adherence
to the rules
And SwOpe TSDoS