Evening star., 1946-05-31
Official Clarifies
Voting Law in
Montgomery
HI New Act Is Needed
III To Permit U UnoffiIiuted
HI Citizens to BuIIot
by the Associofed Pres,

4 General William Curran said last
night that a new legislative act
will be necessary to permit unaf-
nliated voters Of Baltimore City and
montgomery and Washington
counties, whether veterans of World
War II or not, to vote in the June
"A primaries.
Hill Gov. OConnor had asked for Mr.
Curran's opinion on petitions he has
,seceived asking that a special ses-
Eon be called to clarity the voting
Iilaws.
iiiI Mr.. Curran said he had mailed his
Iopinion to the Governor and al
though he declined to give the exact
text, he made these observations
INTO clear up some real or fancied
Misconceptions"
sshb /. That in 81 of the % counties,
fhere will be another registration
Il DAY on June 18, at which persons
4 may register or affiliate himself
with a party If now unaffiliated.
aB Absentee Ballot Permitted.
Hill 2. That in Baltimore City, Mont
lgomery and Washington Counties,
veterans discharged within 80 days
spf the primary may make applica-
Zion for ballet under the absentee
voting law;
ilH 3. That persons in the two coun-
ties and Baltimore had the right to
register through May "a or to affili-
ate with party if they were un-
afiliated. If they did not exercise
this right, whether they are veterans
or nonveterans, they cannot vote
under the present law.
Il 4. In dealing with Section 29B),
4 relating to cancellation of the regis
+ tration of persons who have not
voted within five years, while we be-
heve that policy of liberal con-
structlon should be followed, we are
forced to the conclusion that the
provisions of this section are man
/ datory.
]. However. it does not apply to a
person In the armed forces. . =.
Senators Ask Special Session.
ANY veteran who has received a
card OF cancellation (of registration)
or any veteran, though he has not
received such a card, but knows he
has not voted within the last five
Yeas, will have no difficulty in hav-
ing his registration card restored to
the precinct simply by making ap-
pllcatlon to the Board of Supervisors
up to the time the binders 20 out
to the precincts"
Earlier, State Senators Stephen 3
Campbell, jr., and E. Milton Altfield
had called for a special session OF
the Legislature.
Under terms of a 1945 bill, elec-
ton supervisors were directed to
cancel the registrations of persons
who had not voted in the past five
years.
Some persons, including Senator
Radcliffe. Democrat, of MARYLAND
and William Preston Lane of Ha-
gerstown, candidate for the DEM
ocratic nomination for Governor.
asked Gov. O'Conor to call a spe-
cial session. They asserted that
many veterans who were overseas
would be disfranchised under the
present law.
CurraA's Action. Criticized.
Gov. O'Conor took no action on
calling the session pending advice
from the Attorney General on
various aspects of the present sit
uation"
Meanwhile, former Representative
John A. Meyer, who is seeking re-
nomination, asserted that Attorney
General Curran had a personal
stake" in the election since his
Democratic organization has a ticket
In the field.
1T is most unfortunate" Mr.
Meyer advised the Governor, "that
the Attorney General in his advis-
ory capacity to the election officials
knowing of the cessation of fostili-
ties more than a year ago, did not
anticipate the woeful inadequacy OF
! the prevailing registration and cleo
ton machinery, so far as our thou
fsands Of returning veterans are con-
cerned."
4 Mr.sMeyer concluded that I'VE are
Aleft with but one alternative and
that is the calling of a special ses-
Z sion of the LEGISLATURE"