The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-12
LAW REPEATING
REGISTRATION
is GIVEN VETO
S. B. l34 Attempt Of Political
Bosses to Control Voters,
Says Governor

Governor A. G. Sorlie brought his
veto count to II Friday when senate
bill l34 felt the weight of the guber-
Material axe
The measure would have eliminat.
ed the present law requiring voters
to state their political affiliations
when the assessor calls in April. He
then is required to vote the ticket Of
that party ut the primary election
in June.
Announcing his veto Of what he
termed repeal of the ''party registra-
tion law" the executive said: "The
law now in existence, as provided for
in the sections above mentioned, re-
quires that. assessors shall, in the
even numbered years. enroll all the
qualified electors Of the assessing
district in the precinct in which they
are entitled to vote. 1t also provides
that the electors must furnish infOr-
nation, upon blanks provided by the
assessors for such purposes, showing
their qualifications as voters, by
stating therein their ages and citi-
zenship, whether citizens by birth or
by naturalization. They must also
designate the political party with
which they have affiliated. This
registration statement is then filed
with the county auditor and becomes
u permanent record to which any
citizen may refer for information as
to who. are qualified electors in his
particular precinct. 1t is the only
means, so far as know, whereby
list Of qualified electors of the
state is provided.
Party Responsibility Necessary
Senate bill No. 134 provides for
the repeal of these sections pertain
ing to the registration Of voters. If
THIS bill became law there would
be no provision whereby We would
know how many or who were quail
fled electors of the state except by
resorting to the poll books at the
various elections.
ut is the belief of many Of the
leading statesmen Of this country
that the stability Of the government
depends upon party responsibility.
Our nation has been governed
through party organizations from
the very earliest days Of its exist
encc. As long as we have u govern
ment clecting it's officers and Of
ficials upon party tickets, believe
1t is for our best interests to safe
kudTu SucH party dlIlIlaClOns. lncTe
should be no person in this state, of
voting age, who does not know at
the time of the registration of voters
by the assessor, as to which party
he belongs, or the party with which
he desires to affiliate.
"Thc law as we have it today does
not prevent person from changing
his party affiliations, but in order
to do so he must comply with the
law. If senate bill No. l34 should
become law, it seems to me that it
would be but an instrument in the
hands of those who term themselves
political bosses whereby they could
the more easily control those voters
who are under their domination.
ITO my mind it is another attempt
by those who feel that their power
is rapidly slipping away from them,
to bolster up their control Of govern
mental officials. We have lived for
q great many years under the existing
law. and ! can see no good which
would result from the repeal Of
these provisions relating to the reg
istration of voters. have, there.
fore, vetoed senate bill No. 134.''