The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1922-07-05
REG|SfRAT|0nsL LAW
Hello UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Smitb.Minor Act Declared Void
On Account OF Technical
Defects.

Frankfort, KY, June 29.-Th'
general registration act Of 1892, re
/ quirirg all voters % register ia ,,.
cry precinct in the State the second
Monday and Tuesday In July, was
held unconstitutional by Chief Jus
tice Rollin Hurt of the Court of Ap-
n peals this afternoon, granting, an
= injunction to ]. NJ. Perkins, promi.
nent Republican Of Frankfort, to
restrain the Franklin County Board
of Election Commissioners from
holding the registration. The suit
was backed by the Republican State
organization. 4.
All the judges of the Court OF
Appeals considered the case with
the Chief Justice, and all conourred
in the conclusion. excepting Judge
William Rogers Clay Of this dis
trict who filed dissenting opinion.
The act was held unconstitutional
because 1t dees not provide for a
special registration outside cities
for special elections or for special
registration of public officers, mill
/, tiamen, jurors and others, whose
3duties prevent them from register
ing on the regular registration day.
No Registration Day
!. This decision disposes of the gem
eral registration, but an interesting
aftermath of the suit involves the
payment of about 100000 for the
registration books, sent to the coun-
ty clerks. The Standard Printing
Company, Bradley-Gilbert Com
pany and C. T. Dearing Company of
Louisville. bound an equal number
of the books, about 5000 in all
The work was done under the SUI
pervision of the Board of Registra-
tion Commissioners, created by the
act, composed of Secretary of State
Fred A. Vaughan, and the chairman
of the Democratic and Republican
State Committees. They were, of
course, required to act in time to
get the books to the County Clerks
befort the registration. The law
provides that the counties shall pay
for their own books, and the clerks
\ notified the printers of the numbers
fhey needed. It is apprehended>that
counties may resist payment. and 1t
is doubted whether the State may
reimburse the printers without leg
islative sanction
In consequence of this situation
further litigation may follow the
action of the court in the injuntion
case today.
Judge Hurts Opinion
III l could hold that the provi-
sions of the act provided a reasona-
Bile opportunity to register, to vote
at the November election and for
such special elections as might be
held between the second Monday in
July and the November election,
there are no provisions in the act.
which would enable anyone, who
had not heretofore registered, TO
vote in any special election which
might be held between the Novem-
Der election and sixty days after the
registration In July of each year.
II citizen removes from another
State and becomes citizen of this
State and by reason of one years
residence in county becomes entit-
led TO vote just following the Nov
ember election. he could not regis
ter until July, following. and hence
would be deprived OF tte right to
vote until sixty days following the
registration in July. and without
fault upon his part. The person. be-
coming 21 years CT age after the
November election In any year,
without fault or neglect on his part.
could not vote at any election until
sixty days after the second Monday
sin July. The registered voter who
moves from the county OF registra-
tion, into another county, at such a
time as win not authorize him to
vote at the following November
election, II he should, by reason OF
residence, become entitled to vote
Immediately after that election or
previous TO- H.. but less than sixty
days previous to II, he could not
register In the county to which he
removes until the registration day
~ I,,Iv fhn nexf xoar> and rocial ~ : I