Evening star., 1959-12-20


register before the final rush
starts.
Deadline on registration is Is
days before the May 3 elec-
ton. However, the Board OF
Elections has not named the
exact day for final registration
because it has not decided
whether Sundays should be in
cluded in the 15-day period.
Since the last election in
1856 was the first since 1874,
some District residents may
need to refresh their memories
on what is involved.
Here are some of the funda-
mental questions about the
election and the answers sup
piled by District election Off
cialS:
@. Who can vote?
A. Any one who has resided
continuously in the District for
one year, provided that he is
81 years of age, has never been
convicted of a felony. has not
registered to vote elsewhere
and has not been judged men,
tally incompetent by a court of
law.
q. Who can register?
A. Any one who meets the
qualifications for an elector
and slaS lived continuously in
the District for nine months
and is willing to declare his
party affiliation.
@. Can some one register as
independent?
A. No. The main purpose Of
the election is to name officers
of political parties.
@. If you have registered in
the District previously do you
have to register again?
A. No. However, if your ad-
dress has changed, you must
notify the Board of Elections.
The simplest way to do this is
to wait for the post card the
board will mail you in its can
vass to determine if voters are
still living at their previous
address.
@. Where should a prOSpec-
tive voter register?
A. He can register at the
voting registration Office on the
fifth floor of the District Build
ing, Fourteenth and E streets
NV. This Office is open be-
tween $50 am. and 4:30 pm.
daily. Around January 3 this
Dffice will be moved to Room 8
Dn the first floor of the District
Building to make registration
more convenient.
Area or branch registrations
will also be conducted during
two two-and-a-h half day peri
DDS before the election. The
dates for these neighborhood
registrations are March 1919
and April TO. Sites for these
branch registrations have not
yet been selected.
@. Will voters be offered a
choice at the polls between Re-
publican and Democratic can
lidateS?
A. No. This is a type of pri-
nary election at which Repub-
icans and Democrats vote sep
lrately to select their reSpec-
live party officers. 1t would also
be possible for other political
parties to participate in this
election if any were organized
IN the District.
@. What offices are to be
allied?
A. National committeeman
and national committeewomen,
members of local party COM
mittees and delegates and al
ternates to the national con-
Ventions of political parties
nominating candidates for the
presidency and vice presidency
Of the United States.
@. How many votes will the
District have at the national
conventions in selecting candi-
dates for President and Vice
President?
A. At the Republican ma
ton convention, the District
delegates will have eight votes
out of a total of 1881. And at
the Democratic national con-
Vention, the District delegation
will have nine votes out of
1921.
@. Is it worthwhile for a
presidential hopeful to run in
the District primary since the
Washington delegations will
have a relatively small voice in
the national conventions?
A. Politicians recognize that
Washington is a showcase for
the Nation and that a cam
paign here will receive wide at
tanfiOV