Evening star., 1961-04-02
VOTE
GSAHeod to Certify
Amendment Adoption
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HHGnQHG|
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Keating, Republican of New
York, original sponsor of the
amendment in the Senate, has
called for a model law" in the
Nations Capital.
From Ohio, Republican Rep
resentative Harsha. freshman
member of the House District
Committee, plans to introduce
a bill based on the Ohio law.
His proposal will gain prestige
from the support of Represent
ative McCulloch, Republican Of
Ohio, senior minority member
|of Mr.. Celler's committee.
Ohio's election laws have been
cited By the. American Heritage
Foundation as guarding against
fraudulent ballots.
The South Carolina, Georgia
and Nevada systems will win
notice because these are the
home States of Democratic
Representatives Mcmillan, Dis
trict Committee chairman, and
Davis, a senior District Com
mittee member. and Senator
Bible. Senate District Commit
tee chairman, respectively.
Parties Differ Here
Some legal experts in Con-
gress and the Library of Con-
gress believe the old Alaska and
Hawaii laws lend themselves to
the District as a unique politi-
cal entity, not a State.
1t should become clear this
week whether local Democrats
and Republicans will compro-
mise or crystalline their differ
enceS over a proposed bill.
Partisan opinions now vary
on residence requirements -
from six months by Democrats
to two years by Republicans
and on registration, from EN-.
poWering the Board of Elec.
tions to fix the frequency
CDemocrats) to requiring re.
registration before each elec.
ton CRepublicans).
The Commissioners bill sets
up a one-year residence re.
quirement and a permanent
registration system. A bill al.
ready introduced by Repre-
/ sentative Broyhill, Republican
of Virginia, asks for one-yeaI
residence and reregistratior
each four years.
Both the Commissioners anC
the Broyhill draft would permit
500 persons to place a minority
party on the ballot by petition
Acting Democratic Chairman
Joseph L. Rauh favors this. Re-
publican Chairman Carl L
Shipley wants an added bar
against balloting for any party
that advocates overthrow Of the
Government by force or vio-
lence or makes race or religion
a qualification Of membership
Elections Board a PuZzler
One puzzler for city officials
| in the previously disfranchised
city is the future role OF
the Board Of Elections. Mem
bers are appointed by the Com
missioners, who, in turn, are
appointed by the President.
So the question arises for the
first time-are officials ap-
pointed by the party in national
power the appropriate individu-
ais to exercise wide discretion
over presidential elections?
| 1t is this question which is al
the root of the decision either
to write voting requirements
into the law or to leave details
to the Board Of Elections.
The board was established In
1855 to run elections for party
delegates to national nominal
ing conventions. The Commits.
Sioners have proposed theil
election draft as an amendment
to the primary law which Gre
ated the board.
| Another non-legal question
is posed by voting machines.
Most city officials favor ma
chimes. But manufacturers un-
til now have made machines
for States. where many candi-
dates are elected. No machines
on the mass market are de-
signed for presidential elec-
tionS only.
Yet, whether or not the city
uses machines could influence
drafters Of the election law.
Following is a summary of
election laws being scrutinized
in the current study:
NEW YORK
Voters qualifications -2l
years old; United States citi-
zen at least 80 days prior to
election; resident one year in
State, four months in county,
80 days in election district be-
fore election; able to read and
write. Voters must pass literacy
test or show they've completed
the eighth grade.
Voters disqualified-If they
accept bribes, or are unpar-
doned felons or unreleaSed per-
sons judged incompetent or
insane by a court.
/ Registration-Cities or coun-
ties with more than 5000 popu-
lation may adopt permanent
registration law, subject to
cancellation if person failed to
vote for two years. Registrants
take an oath only If challenged
They answer Is questions when
they register, concerning pre-
vious voting, party affiliation,
residence. citizenship and per-
sonal description.