Evening star., 1945-12-16
oman Board Urged
ToCentraIize Control
OF Virginia Elections
BY The Associated Press.

OF Virginia Elections
BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND. Va. Dec. l5.-Crea-
ton OF three-man bipartisan board
appointed by the Governor to exer-
else centralized control and super
vision of Virginia's election machin-
cry, abolition of the poll tax as a
prerequisite to voting, annual reg
iStration of voters and important
changes in the absentee voters law
to correct abuses, were recommended
today by a special legislative COM
mission which has been engaged for
a year in study of the States elec-
tion laws.
Some score or more constitutional
changes and perhaps as many as
200 bills amending statute law will
be necessary to carry out the sweep
ing program of revision outlined by
the commission and made public by
Gov. Darden.
Delegate Stuart B. Campbell
Wythe County, the commission
chairman, said the constitutional
amendments, if approved by the
general assembly, might be submit
ted to the electorate as a bloc.
Administration System.
Ultimately, the election system
would be administered by the three
man State board and 124 local three
man boards in the States counties
and cities. This cannot be made
fully effective, however, until con-
stitutional changes are approved.
The commission recommended the
immediate creation of the three
man State board to take over the
electoral duties of the Secretary of
the Commonwealth and the State
Board of Canvassers. Until con-
stitutional changes are made it
would function through the present
county and city electoral boards and
registrars who are named by the
judge of the circuit or corporation
court having jurisdiction.
The minority party would have
representation on the State board
and local boards with each of the
major political parties nominating
its representatives.
CapitatiOn Tax Suggested.
With abolition of the poll tax
would go the only present means of
providing a list of qualified voters,
and the commission recommended
the annual registration to provide
such a list
To replace the revenue of some
5000 900 a year received from" the
poll tax, the commission suggested
capitation tax of not more than
SO. which would not be a pre-
requisite to voting but which the
assembly might make a prerequisite
to obtaining licenses or permits for
privileges.
The commission expressed the
view that the present requirements
for reading and writing are adequate
for literacy test, and that they
should be applied uniformly
throughout the State. Persons
Registered prior to 1904. when the
present constitution became effec-
tive, will automatically be entitled
to registration, all now being over
IS. Others will be entitled to
register by passing the literacy test
and satisfying requirements as to
residence
The majority said the statute
should be further amended to pre-
vent the registrar from soliciting
applications.
In election contests, the commits
sion recommended that jurisdiction
be vested in three Judge special
court without right of appeal to the
Supreme Court.
| The nine-man commission-three
from the Senate, three from the
House and three appointed by the
Governor-was not unanimous in its
decisions.
Judge Paul Dissents.
Judge John Paul, Harrisonburg. a
Republican and United States Dis
trict Judge for Western Virginia,
dissented on the majority's recon-
mendation concerning the absentee
voters law. He expressed the view
that neither the changes proposed
nor any others could protect the
law sufficient to justify its continu-
ance.
If retained in any form, he said,
it should be limited to those physi-
cally unable to go to the polls or
those absent on active military serv-
ice. He was joined by Delegate
William R. Shaffer, Shenandoah,
also a Republican.
Judge Paul also went further than
the majority in its recommendation
for heavier penalties for election
law violation
Vernon c. Smith, Grundy, mem
Der of the House, and j. Frank
Wysor, Pulaski, one of the Cover
nor's appointees, dissented from the
majority recommendation for aboli-
tion of the poll tax, but if it is re-
pealed they recommend the pro-
posed plan as substitute.