Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-08-18
Would Allow
18-Yeur-OIds
To Ballot Here


He wants S0-0ay residence
and 18-year-old voting age re-
quirements, plus liberal absen-
tee voting rights.
With his plea, chances in
creased for a tough Senate
House conference on the vote
bill in the busy last weeks Of
the session.
The House on Monday unan-
imouSly voted to enfranchise
citizens 81 years and older who
have lived in the District one
year prior to election day. Alb
sentee voting would be open
only to servicemen and Gov
eminent officers serving over
seas and their dependents.
Senator Kefauver argued his
case for modernization in a
four-page letter to Senate
District Committee Chairman
Bible.
Kennedy Bill Pressed
1t will be welcomed by Sena-
tor Bibles committeeman, who
are expected Tuesday to report
the main outlines OF a Kennedy
bill. This White House version
incorporates the three sugges-
tions of Senator Kefauver.
The Tennessean helped push
through Congress the Twenty
third Amendment to the Con-
stitution granting the presiden-
tial vote for the first time in
history to Capital City residents.
The battle to enfranchise
the citizens of the District was
long and difficult" wrote Sena-
tor Kefauver, chairman of the
Senate Constitutional Amend
mentS Subcommittee. The
Twenty-third Amendment is a
milestone for democracy, COM
parable to the amendment fol-
lowing the War Between the
States, direct election of Sena-
tors and women's suffrage.
1T would nullify this victory
to a great extent for Congress
to obstruct the ballot box with
archaic voting laws"
The District would be In
company with IS States should
the one-year residenc require
ment stand. Only IL States call
for six months.
But Senator Kefauver brand
ed these requirements "obso-
lete horse and buggy
restrictions" victimizing the
Nations mobile population. De-
prived of the vote would be
educated, responsible citizens
. executives, professional
persons and Government Off
Gals who have the gumption
to pull up stakes and seek
advancement in a new COM
according to Senator
Kefauver. He said the District
was uniquely subject to an in
flux of people of this type.
Three Possibilities
Stressing that 8 million citi-
zenS were denied the vote in
the last presidential election
because they couldn't meet
residence requirements, Sena-
tor Kefauver said there were
three general approaches to lib
eralization.
One is to set a short period,
such as the 40 days required in
Ohio, 81 in California and so
in Missouri.
Another is to permit citizens
who leave one State to vote in
their old home State for a set
period. Connecticut has this
system.
The third is the Wisconsin
setup allowing new residents to
vote for President and Vice
President if the voters were
qualified to cast ballots In
States from which they came,
AS for 18-year-old votingi
Senator Kefauver noted that
both William E. Miller and
John M. Bailey, Republicans
and Democratic national chair
men, respectively, had whole
heartedly Endorsed the lower
age qualification. In the Dis
trict, Republican Chairman
Carl L. Shipley favored 81
voting in the interest
of prompt passage of an cleo
ton bill, but Democratic Chair
man John Kinney Endorsed the
18-year-old vote.
Only five States carry such
stringent absentee provisos as
voted by the House-New Mex
leo, Alabama, Louisiana, Mis-
Sissippi and South Carolina.
Millions Denied Vote
Senator Kefauver said the
Heritage Foundation
estimated rs million Ameri-
cans were unable to vote in
1860 because they were kept
from the polls by illness, hos
oitalization or travel.
He asked Senator Bible to
the Tennessee ap-
promising absentee
ballots to any voter or spouse
Who will be absent on election
lay by reason of business,
health. education or travel.
Such absentees simply must
apply for the ballot 10 days
before an election.
Senator Kefauver is unlike
y to yield on his demands be-
'ause he has been pressing
ince the last election for the
same reforms on a Nation
vide basis. He sees the Dis
riot law as an expression of
Congress views on voting age.
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