Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-24
CITY CLERK DANIEL ". C0NY SAYS
HIS OFFICE ONLY PARTLY ATFAULT
IN MATTER ENROLL MENT ERRORS

therefore. he could not very well have
his name appear on the enrolment
lists
"Other names Of people who were
sent to City Hall for correction were
found on the enrolment lists return
ed from that ward. These names
were among additions to lists added
Saturday before election.
MANY of the errors caused Mon
day at the primary were due a
great deal to the voters themselves
refusing to give their party aftilia-
ton. Personally, I overheard a man
J question the right of the clerk ask
ing him to declare himself.
IF you will refer to the Revised
Statutes, Chapter 6, Section 10, you
ling places in the cities and towns.
each person applying to vote, shall
give his name residence, party affil-
| iation-.' If every voter carried out
| these instructions, many errors
would have been prevented last
Monday.
II know of several Democrats
who appeared at polling places to
vote and they were given to UNDER
stand that their names did not APP
pear on the list, but the clerk was
looking for the names on the Re-
publican list.
Another reason for so many err
rors in primary elections Is the fact
that the law allows every Tom,
Dick and Harry to take enrolment
blanks and enroll people at any
time and place and file their names
with the proper board. There is no
doubt but what these people have
enrolled but 1t is a question in my
mind how many Of these enroll
ments have been filed with the
proper Board.
Il daresay there are many voters
! in Augusta that do not understand
the difference between registration
and enrolment as many complaints
were made last Monday on account
Of people thinking because they
registered, they were enrolled. but
blank.
There are some people who en-
rolled before they were registered.
This was proven at the Board of
Registration when a woman appear
ed much disturbed because she was
| not on the enrolment lists and 1t
was found that she had never reg
istered but at some time or other
had enrolled. I have had several en-
rollments brought to the City
Clerks office of people who had
! never registered. A person cannot
be enrolled until they are registered
as a voter.
The Chairman of the Board OF
Registration claims that his Board
is not responsible for any Irregular
| tiles on the enrolment lists in the
City of Augusta last Monday. Now
l am going to be a little more con-
sentative and admit that some Of
the errors might have been caused
in my office. I think that some were
caused at the Board of Registration
and / also think that some were
caused by officials at the polling
places but this is nothing more than
can be expected from human be-
ings.
II do not feel responsible for any
enrollments that do not appear on
official books presented to me by my
predecessor nor for any enrollments
, made at polling places that were
never returned to the City Clerks
office. I will guarantee that enroll
ments filed with me since l have
, been City Clerk have been accurate
| ly kept and filed in the proper
| books.
From newspaper reports, it is
apparent that Augusta was not the
only place where some confusion
existed as Waterville and Portland
, seemed to have their troubles.
Truly yours.
DAN w. CONY.
City Clerk.