Opinion ID: 1654710
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Candidate and Party Qualifications

Text: Section 1. The right to vote in Arkansas shall be subject to the provisions of this amendment; provided, however, nothing herein shall be construed as repealing the Poll Tax requirements. Section 2. Every citizen of this State and of the United States native born or naturalized, not less than twenty-one years of age, and possessing the following qualifications, shall be an elector, and shall be entitled to vote at any election in the State by the people. Section 3. Each voter shall have been an actual bona fide resident of the State of Arkansas for two years, of the County one year, of the municipality in municipal elections four months, and of the precinct in which he offers to vote three months next preceding the election; provided, that removal from one precinct to another in the same county shall not operate to deprive any person of the right to vote in the precinct from which he has removed until three months after such removal; provided, further, that removal from one county to another shall not deprive any person of the right to vote in the county from which he has removed for district officers to be elected in a district which includes the county to which he has removed, or for state officers, whether the county be in the same district or not, until he shall have acquired the right to vote for such officers in the county to which he has removed. Section 4. Each voter shall be, at the time he offers to vote legally enrolled as a registered voter on his own personal application, in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution, and the laws enacted thereunder. Section 5. Each voter shall be of good moral character and shall understand the duties and obligations of citizenship under a republican form of government. He shall be able to read and write, and shall demonstrate his ability to do so when he applies for registration by making, under oath, administered by the registration officer or his deputy, written application, therefor, in the English language, which application shall contain the essential facts necessary to show that he is entitled to register and vote, and shall be entirely written, dated and signed by him, except that he may date, fill out, and sign the blank application for registration hereinafter provided for, and, in either case, in the presence of the registration officer or his deputy, without assistance, or suggestion from any person or any memorandum whatever, other than the form of the application hereinafter set forth; provided, however, that if the applicant is unable to write his application by reason of physical disability, the same shall be written at his dictation by the registration officer or his deputy, upon oath of such disability. The application for registration above provided for shall be a copy of the following form with the proper names, dates and numbers substituted for the blanks appearing therein, to-wit: I am a citizen of the United States and of the State of Arkansas. My name is Mr. ___ Mrs. ___ Miss ___. I was born in the state (or country) of ___, County of ___ on the ___ day of ___ in the year ___. I am now ___ years, and ___ months and ___ days of age. I have resided in Arkansas since ___, in the county since ___, and in Precinct No. ___, in Ward No. ___ of this county continuously since ___. I am not disfranchised by any provision of the Constitution of this State. The name of the householder at my present address of ___ is ___. My occupation is ___. My color is ___. My sex is ___. I am not now registered as a voter in any other ward or precinct of this State, except ___. My last registration was in Ward ___ Precinct ___, County ___. I am now affiliated with the ___ Party. ___ Signature Sworn to and subscribed before me: ___ Registration Officer Section 6. Each voter must in all cases be able to establish that he is the identical person whom he represents himself to be when applying for registration, and when presenting himself at the polls for the purpose of voting in any election, or primary election. At any time of voting he must present his registration certificate for identification. In all instances of voting in any election or primary election the election officials must make proper notation on the elector's registration certificate as to time and polling place of his appearance and as to the propriety of his party affiliation. Section 7. The General Assembly shall enact laws to secure fairness in party primary elections, conventions, or other methods of naming party candidates. No person shall vote at any primary election, or in any convention, or other political assembly held for the purpose of nominating any candidate for public office, unless he is at the time a registered voter, and a certified member of the political party holding such election, convention, or assembly, and has such other and additional qualifications as may be prescribed by the party of which candidates for public office are to be nominated. All ballots in any election or primary election must designate the race either Caucasian or Negroof all candidates appearing thereon. And in all political conventions in this State the apportionment of representation shall be on the basis of population. No person shall be chosen as a delegate by any political party in this State to represent such party in any convention, local, state or national unless such delegate is a duly qualified elector under the provisions of this amendment. No provision of this amendment shall be construed as, nor shall any laws be passed by General Assembly, prohibiting or unreasonably restricting the formation of additional political parties, or binding any political party in this State to any national political party bearing the same name. Section 8. Any person possessing the qualifications for voting prescribed by this amendment, who may be denied registration, shall have the right to apply for relief to the Circuit Court for the county in which he offers to register. Said court shall then try the cause, giving it preference over all other cases, before a jury of twelve, nine of whom must concur to render a verdict. Any duly qualified voter of this State shall have the right to apply to the Circuit Court to have stricken off any names illegally placed or standing on the registration rolls of any county within the jurisdiction of said court; and such application shall be tried by preference before a jury of twelve, nine of whom must concur to render a verdict. Such application hereinabove provided for shall be without cost. Section 9. The following persons shall not be permitted to register, vote or hold office or appointment of honor, trust, or profit in this State, to-wit: Those who have been convicted of any crime which may be punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary, and not afterwards pardoned with express restoration of franchise; those actually confined in any public prison or county farm; all interdicted persons, and all persons notoriously insane or idiotic, whether interdicted or not. Section 10. The General Assembly shall further implement this amendment by appropriate legislation. The qualifications herein provided for are in addition to other qualifications as are now required by law except those laws in conflict herewith.