Evening star., 1949-11-03
SuffrageP|an
|sExp|ained
Campbell
Annual Registration
Unnecessary Under
Proposal, He Says
BY the Associotsd Press

RICHMOND. Va. Nov. s.
Stuart B. Campbell, who headee
the commission which recon
mended suffrage amendments tt
be voted on next Tuesday, EN-
phasized today that under tn,
proposed changes it would not b,
necessary for voters to re-registe
annually.
"The original registration de.
termines the qualification of thu
voter and that status having beer
established, the only function O.
renewal of registration is to evi
dence continued residence in th'
precinct and the happening of n,
disqualifying event such as in.
sanity, conviction of felony. etc.
Mr.. Campbell said in a statement
issued here today.
Nothing could be simpler, thu
former member of the House ol
Delegates from Wythe said, thar
the methods proposed by the COM
mission for renewing registration,
Cd personal application to the
local board, CD voting in the
preceding year. or 80 paying per-
sonal taxes before the penalty
date.
Statement Quoted.
The statement by Mr.. Camp
bell. whose commission made the
recommendations in l945, said:
THE amendments. either OF
themselves, or with implementing
statutes:
81. Eliminate the payment of q
poll tax or any other tax as pre-
requisite to voting or registering
"2. Create a bipartisan State
Board of Elections with overall
supervisory authority designed to
secure fairness and honesty in
elections.
IS. Provide a bipartisan local
Board of Elections charged with
registering all new voters. renew
ing all registrations. appointing
the local election officials in each
precinct and supervising the con-
duct of elections within it's county
or city.
q. The minority political party
IS given representation of its own
choosing on the local boards In
the clerks and judges of election
thus guaranteeing bipartisan su-
pervision for every election
process.
To Prepare Voting Lists.
IS. Provide, through annual re-
newal of registration of definite
list Of persons eligible to vote in
such precinct for every election,
thus bringing certainty out of
frequent confusion, giving any
interested party an effective op-
portunity to challenge the eligible
ity of any person offering to vote.
and furnishing adequate means
of trying such challenges.
This voting list is to be pre-
pared by the board, posted for 80
days, during which time oppor-
tunity is given any interested
party to secure corrections either
by way of addition to, or purgine
from, the list. This insures cor
rectness as to the eligibility of the
voter and fairness in the voting
rolls. The list becomes final &C
days prior to the election fol
which it is made up and all per.
sons. whether candidates or in.
terested citizens. may then know
exactly who can and who cannot
vote.
"The copies Of the final votinI
list are sent to the precinct ol
the day of election, the name O
each voter must be checked On thi
list as the ballot is deposited ant
the checked lists are then re-
turned, with the ballots and pol
books. to the local Board of Elec
tions, thus constituting certain
and definite evidence as to who di,
or did not vote at that precinct.
To Fix 50 Ceiling on Fee.
"6. Limit the power of the Gen
eral Assembly to levy a poll tax
not connected with voting in an,
way, by fixing a ceiling of s;
and requiring that. If imposed, /
be spent for schools.
Some organized minorities Oh.
posed any poll tax for schools, bu
this opposition is so palpabl,
either selfish or uniformed or op.
posed to the genius of Virginian
as to merit but little considera.
ton. The provision limits rathe,
than expands legislative author
ity; it also substitutes a discretion
for the present mandatory re,
quirement that such a tax b,
levied. /"
please bear in mind that it /,
not necessary to reregister an,
nually; the original registration
determines the qualification of tn,
voter and that status having beer
established. the only function O
renewal of registration is to evi
dence continued residence in tn,
precinct and the happening of NJ
disqualifying factor"
Road Drainage Agreemen
In Silver Spring Reached
Montgomery County Manage
Trying q McNovr onpo,,noaa 1,os