The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-02-03
Montana
Provides For
Soldier Voting

The Montana state legislature,
during its last session, showed it.
self more awake to present con-
tingencies than many of the state
legislatures by enacting legislation
providing for the voting of the men
and women in the armed forces of
the United States. This legislation
was called to our attention last
week by State Representative D. F.
FeWkes. The act is quite voluminous
and covers every angle of the prob
lem
1t states that any qualified elector
who is absent from the state on the
date of the election shall have the
right to vote. This includes all men
or women in any of the auxiliary
services, such as the WACs,
WAVES, SPARS, and also those in
Red Cross work. Under this legis-
lation the county clerk must make
out and transit to the secretary of
state list of all men in the armed
forces and those members of the
auxiliary services who are residents
of the county, every 10 days after
the primary election.
1t then becomes the duty of the
secretary of state to make
file Of such absent voters, by coun-
ties, in which is noted each voters
home address and his or her mill
tary address if ii is possible to Sc
cure it. He must then furnish such
lists to each county clerk
Within "a hours after the can
wasting of the vote of the primary
election, the secretary Of state must
transmit to each county clerk the
names of the candidates entitled to
be printed on the official ballot for
the general election It then be-
comes the duty of the county clerk
to have the ballots printed not more
than 10 days after the receipt of the
copy from the secretary of state
Each 10 days after the primary
election, the secretary of state must
notify the county clerks of the num-
Der of absent voters from his coun-
ty as shown by the register in his
office. The county clerk must there
upon forward to the secretary of
state one official ballot for each
person so absent from his county.
The ballot shall then be stamped
official ballot and shall bear across
its face the wording, Ballot Of alb
sent voter engaged in War Service
These ballots must be forwarded to
the secretary Of state every 10
days. The act also provides for the
usual envelopes to carry such bal
let's, and the ballot when voted has
to be sworn to before properly con-
stituted officer. Other provisions
are made to secure the secrecy and
validity Of the voting by the absent
voter
Within 48 hours after receipt of
the official ballots from any county
clerk, the secretary Of state must
forward them to the absent voters
for whom they are designated
through such channels as military
regulations provide.
Any such absent voter may cast
his ballot at any time before 8
o'clock p. m. Of the day on which
such general election is held
Any ballot returned by the voter
to the secretary of state, if received
by him S days before the general
election, must be sent by him to the
proper county clerk. The ballot is
kept, in a properly sealed envelope,
by the county clerk and mailed by
him to the judges of election of the
precinct in which the absent voter
resides. 1t is then opened and count
ed at the time the usual counting
of ballots is made.
Any ballots received by the sec
rotary of state later than 5 days
prior to the date of the general
election and not later than the first
Monday in December, shall be
turned over to the state treasurer,
still unopened On the first Mon
day in December the state canvas
sing board shall meet to canvass all
of such ballots held by the state
treasurer. The result of such can
vass Of absent, voters ballots shall
be transmitted Ny the secretary of
state to each county clerk and shall
by him be added to the results of
the voting in each county.
Any ballots received by the sec
rotary Of state after the first Mon
day in December and on or before
the fourth Monday in December
shall be retained, unopened, by the
state treasurer. On the fourth
Monday in December, the state can
vassing board shall again meet and
canvass such ballots This result
shall again be transmitted to the
county clerks. The final canvass