Evening star., 1923-08-01
VIRGINIA VOTERS
TROUBLE MOONEY
Postmaster Asks State to
Change Law So Notaries
Can Sign Ballots.

Forced to neglect duties pertaining
to the postal service in order to help
Virginia voters by mail. Postmaster
William NJ Mooney of the Washing
ton city post Office today asked the
secretary of state of the Old Dominion
to have laws changed so that vir-
ginia voters here may have their
ballots sworn to by a notary public.
Voters not only ask the postmaster,
and his assistant, William H. Hay
cock. to affix their signatures to ball
lots. but also request them to set
down their ages. color of their eyes
and hair. and other information. Not
only is it difficult to ask a woman
voter her age, but the work requires
many minutes a day which should be
given over to the proper affairs OF
the Washington city post office
Postmaster's Difficulties.
Il desire to call your attention to
the difficulties experienced in follow
state Of Virginia requiring voters by
mail to execute their ballots in the
presence of a postmaster" said Post
master Mooney.
This office has endeavored to as
sist to the utmost the voters of your
state living in this city, but during
the period Of the primaries and the
regular elections the work in con-
nection Herewith becomes so burden
some and requires so much of the
time of myself and the assistant
postmaster that it is necessary to
neglect duties pertaining to the pos
tai service" continued the local pos
tai head.
while the statement on the back
of the ballot envelope is supposed to
be filled out and signed by the voter.
do more than sign their name and
request that the other portion, indi-
postmaster and the name of the post
office, be filled out by the attesting
postmaster. This, in connection with
filling out the coupon supplying the
name, color. height. weight. age.
color of hair. color of eyes. occupa-
ton, place of birth and place where
last voted, requires considerable
time.
Voters Wait In Line.
"At the present time some of the
counties are holding primary cleo
tions. and before IL o'clock this morn
ing six voters applied for this serv-
ice on the part of myself or my as
sistant, and frequently during cleo
ton period we have the voters wait
ing in line for the execution of their
ballots
"Of course, this service is not OBJ
ligatory on the part of postmasters.
and / understand that some post
masters decline to assist. but up to
this time we have co-operated, and
i shall be glad to continue to do so
as long as conditions permit, but am
calling the matter to your attention
with the suggestion that the ballots
could be executed before notary
public. which. in addition to reliev-
ing the post office Of this work. would
result in the saving of much time to
the citizens of your state who can
always reach a notary public resid-
neighborhood, whereas, under the re-
cent law, 1t is necessary for them to
come to the post Office.
IF the law were changed, making
it possible to execute the ballot be-
fore notaries public. the voters would
have several hundred places in this
city where they could perform the
transaction, whereas under the pres
ent law there is only one point to
which they can apply for the service.
am taking the liberty of calling the
matter to your attention in order that
you may consider the advisability of
bringing about such changes in the
law as will relieve the situation"