The Edna Herald (Edna, Tex.), Vol. 50, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 3, 1956 Page: 25 of 37
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VOTE liEQU
( onliniKHl I*'Horn rapr 16
^in.pl> a head tax. li*vi<»d on ,thr
Hm .si , that vxvvy ri' i/on should
oonti ihuto . something toward
iIlf* support- of I heir state gov -
ernment whether they own
•
particularly toward the support
<■( the puhli; -. r■.w.jU whirl) get
$1 (nit of <>a<h $1 :»•).
\II 2 1-1*0 I ial.ir
Kvoi % Texas citizen is liable
foi the tax if he is
and 60, whether hi
not. Malting payn
bolween 21
pays it or
ont of tin-
tax or tBe securing of an ex-
emption * cert if irate a require
mcnf for vetting amounts to a
devi,-<• for collecting the tax.
Keen with a voter irgistration
.system of some sort, which
some states7 have, tlrt-re wi.ulil
have to ;be a fee.
A 1,1ST OK qual fieri voters
furnished ear'll peer int election
judge helps '.to ijt“tier honest
elections.
The voter also is required .to
ptesent his poll .tax receipt
y\emption certifira
appear-s to vote. T1
rrot required for persm- over
when he
latter is
s or towns
population
knows the
t and those
jreople can-
"S; paupers
lUhties and
11 of a fel
been par-
11 rights of.
60 in rural pi eeinet
of less than 10,000
They can vote by affidavit.
Also, it is assure ed that in
thdse sparsely settled precincts
the election judge tr,./...-. ri .
voters of his precir.t
over tin.
A TOV classes of ,......
not vote in Texas: Those under
21. idiots and lunati:
supported by the co
any person convict,
cny unless lie has
•toned or had his fu.. ..........
citizenship, including suffrage
restored.
Members of the regular
I'nitecj States Army Navy and
Marine Corps formerly were
prohibited from voting, but
under a state constitutional
amendment .adopted in IPod
they pow vote on the same
basis as other citizens if they
pay the poll tax. They must
qualify as a voter in the
county where they resided at
the vtitne they werf indueteil
into tlie service.
The |ian on voting . kvhich was
repealed diri not app y to mern-
bta-s of the Natioral Guard,
reservists or retired regular
officers. Nor did it
citizens on- milifai y
dueling the " J
apply to
duty, in-
Knited States
jvho were
Merchant Marine,
not part of the regu ar Armed
Kent's.
t'nder Texas law. absentee
voting is limited to a peii.il
starting 20 days blofore the
hate of the election ajnd ending
three days before the election.
A serviceman, even Jf he filss
his application for ar absentee
ballot with the county clerk
m advance of the start of the
period, sometimes may find it
difficult to execute he ballot
and return it to thd clerk in
time for the ballot to be onun’-
f ( in the elect ion if te should
t*c on overseas duty.
\ ole 31a<*hiiH‘s
Safeguard See
t
Harris County is one of the
counties of the staie which
uses voting machines for its
elections as permitted by the
Texas Flection Codeft
: Among other advantages,
tliyse machines perm'1 the
voter to mark his rallot in
temp's, te. secreev „
MOST news counties, h.ow-
c-vvr, continue to use p pc
ballots which must'be marked
by pencil. Since 1950, he state
has used a special type of bal-
l'd, designed to insure secrecy
as do I,low any individual voter
marks; his ballot.
Beb. ■ e 1950, when the long-
agitated “secret ballot' change
became effective, each ballot
was numbered and i.- sued to
v oters consecutively. Each' pre-
cinct election judge, or his
assistants, kept a record of the
person to whom the ballot was
i> sued.
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Since.1 the poll-t; > is tc*<*hnir
ally levied during tin year prrk
lelinj’ the one during which
the payment*receipt is os«d as
evident e of voung fph'difiea*
tion, persons reaching 21 get
thf {uivilege « f voting the
fust year-, although they must
* A I;iir exon i•:! < * i I if i< a tes
from the county tax office.
New residents < f the state and
eouniy who meet the residence
requirements by the date of
the election in whirh they wish,
to vote ** '• gei exf-mp
tic»i* cei tifn atcs the f:r r vear
l H K S I- i IsIM I! K A I KS
may be obtained up to 30 days
heh ie the date of the election,
an<i the tax eolhstor simply
compiles a supplemental list of
fjuahljed voters for the use of
pieeinct election judges.
if a voter loses oi misplaces
his poll tax receipt *he
lev «. < to vote if he makes an
atlKiaxit at the polling place
that hr paid the tax and that
he has lost the receipt,
if *•; person moves to another
county or voting precinct, after
he p..\ s the pod ‘ tax itnd re
cei\a s Ins re< ».'i].!. ti« can vote
in the precinct of hi new .resi-
dence simply by presenting-
himsei t at the polhng place
and j: lit king an aifi(ia\it that
he is the ]>erson namoi in his
poll tax receipt and that he
has lived in the state a year
and the county six months
provided the precinct n rural
or in a town of less than 10.
• l<*0 population.
<)tlu r Hull s
II- IIIK sole: wlie h;i« moved
lives in a town of 10,000 popu-
lation or more, he must go to
till ceu.-dy tax Office n<-:%ics.s
than four days before the date
<•1 tiie eii-etion in which he
w ishes to vote, present his poll
tan receipt. exemption certifi-
cate or affidavit of loss, and
arrange to have his name
transferred to the poll fist for
his new voting precinct. If he
fails to tin this, fie cannot vote.
A husband is permitted to
pay the poll tax for his wife,
or vice versa. But the law spe-
cifically prohibits a candidate
for" public office from paying
for - another - person. Nor can
anybody do it in behalf of the
candidate. Besides candidates,
the law also covers a person
interested in any question to
be voted upon.
A SIX MONTH residence is
required in the city to vote in
a municipal election.
When a pioliitcal subdivision
of the state or county holds an
election on the .issuance of
bonds or on a matter involv-
ing expenditure of public funds
or the incurring of debt, only
qualified voter- who own tax-
able properly in trie . subdivi-
sion and who have rendered it
for taxation may vote. This
has been inter} reted to mean
that the property ran tie 'Ten-
noted either by the owner or
the rax collector.
and Law ILdp
reev of Ballot
In counting the votes — or
latci it access to the ballot box
could i>e gained it was pos-
- idle to tell how any pri son
voter! bv comparing the record
will! the marked ballot.'
the I.AU was changed, to
prevent that. It now requites
that eachiofficial ballot have a
detachable, perforated stub'in
the upper right-hand corner
bearing the same number as
that of the bailot.
The \<ter, after-marking his
ballot signs the reverse side of
this stub, detaches it. deposits
•the marked and folded ballot in
one metal box prov ided for tljat
purpose.and deposits the signed
stub in a separate, sealed con-
tainer.
After The polls close, the
stub box. never unsealed, is
deliver* d_ to the custody of the
district Get k it cat. be opened
coi isty inns
o phkchs'cts
Harris County will.have
six new voting precincts
this year, created by the
<' o u ti l y Commissioners
( our-t.
'I hey raise the number
of precincts in the cout
to 259. compared with J90
in 1952.
Precinct 2-Vt was created
nut of Precinct 10-1, piC
einet 255 out of Precinct
146, -t’rei inct 256 out of
Precinct 129. Precinct 257
out of Precinct 92, Pre-
cinct 258 out of Pret inct
187 and-Precinct 259 out of
Precincts 164 and 187.
Precincts 82, 20-1. 122 and
6u jifii' iin re.ised in size
by reducing the si/e of
TocincU 71, 195 and 94.
Non I’
konly by court order, as in an
election contest.
The district clerk protects, it
•for at least 60 days if no con-
test is filed, he gets a court
ordet at the end of 60 days for
^destruction* of the* contents of
the stub box.
For l se in (*onrt
The purpose of the signature
on the stub is for purposes of
identification in the event of
an election contest in court.
Without actress to the stub, it
is impossible to tell wtio voted
any individual ballot.
It is up to the election offi-
cials to sec that nobody gets a
ballot at Ihe [tolling place win
Is not entitled to one.
THE PREC I N't T elect ion
judge is required to mix his
supply of unvoted ballots
thoroughly so that they are in
no consecutive numbered se-
quence. arithmetical or geomet-
rical and to place the ballots
face down in stacks. The voter
may select an\ unmarked
balin' he chooses* , -
The ..umber o{ the ballot is
not written down in any wav.
The election judge simple
makes a notation that a partic-
ular voter voted in this elec
tion and stamps the date on the
back of the voter’s poll tax re-
ceipt or exemption certificate.
If a person cannot’ write, he
should place the stub face
down so as not to disclose the
number, put an X on the back
and ask the election judge to
sign the voter’s name for him.
The voter then deposits the
stub in the stub box himself.
There are two ways by which
a ballot may be marked legally
by the voter: One is by draw-
ing a line through the names
of ail candidates he wants to
vote sagainst, 1 c a v in g un-
seratched only the candidates
he wants to vote for. (If he
doesn’t want to vote for any of
them, he can write in the name
of the person for Whom he does
want to vote, after scratching
the other candidates, in the
space provided for that pur-
pose.
THE I.AU also permits the
voter to mark an X, plus sign
or any other mark that clearly
shows his intention in a square
which must be provided after
the name of each oandidate on’
the ballot.
It is required that this sen-
tence Tc printed on the ballot:
You may vote for the candi-
date of your .choice by placing
v an -X in the square beside the
name, or you may vote for the
candidate of your choice in
each race by scratching or
marking out all other names ni
that race.” '/-
On a general election ballot
the name of each candidate, un-
less an independent, must be
printed on the ballot under the
name of the party which nomi-.
: nated him by proper- conven-
tion or primary election.
The law bars from the ballot
the nominees of any partv
• Whose principles include .any'
'though! or purpose of setting
aside representative form of
government and substituting
tr,« !♦ for other fnrn of
< ; I,lot ot
’-[*<< d >< alK batted ..re/
>( i nominees < f ih«-.Cn
munist Party, the 1;
I • ‘V .0.1 Tie /, I ' . ■ .
talk candidate is Mu-,.till
’- Sign a loyalf; oath assert*)
top) h< u ill support and defe
* ’ <• state .and fedcial Com,lit t
la-ins n mi rite representati
form <! government, resistir „
anv effort or movement to su >
vert or destrov it.
No new political party is per-
mitted t. use the name of at y
jaity which piTx.iously exists d
and the party name pt inted c
tie official ballot cannot co
tarn more than three words.
i nr n ame of each ’ancii
c: t( c.n the general election ba
id must have heon properly
certified as detailed in the lav.
"I'he law, requires that voting
r ootic. t>e used in each votin'
[ i eeinet it. a c ity of 10.000 pt-l -
•datior- or more to insure pr •
'ary foi the voter in marking
his 1,allot w ith c.hc voting plat y
c-i t noth for each 70 voters
When v oting booths are n
required, there must be guar
rails placed as specified in th
law so that no unauthorized
person, may approach withi
six feet ol the voter while
(s ptopai ing his ballot
At least that's what the lavf
sa v s.
Idle opeiation c.f voting m
ciiioes is simple so far as th
voter is; concerned. When th
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voter is alb
w r-.! ic if t . a
the machine
by *-*«*• FatHR *.f-
:|-
ftcial, he tu *
‘ ' ' . >
1
cioses the <
( l £' * M
: tt
chine The n.
iroe- „f fa- oi-rta-tes
aip h •*- I # ; f-4 -
,.v. hich the v ft*
; <■-*)'»* his i ll* ■ ‘e
X t»» appear th
. par to tha.1'
«is rjsisif.fel
4
1
the vi \« iunt: t.- «-_*n
OO.-.y || i ; *■ • * r&Nf*
Vfter firri \bfmg f#*r nsp##
r »*-•;;■- i :♦ r r-»* r. re e-. v*-' gluy
entitled to •; **- for. tbM
prevents ;1k
era! * • ris» the. v<#r
vote a st.rciSeht party tidwt Mr
turning a iar^* • v ;*-t *>r at
the top of the * umt tw 'iiiv
the f a j t >' - ea'
he may mak* <* -#* **-
tions am(-ng the vary*
didates by usinp the- %rr:^U *rv«-
ers opposite earai.
names.
When he ha< maes*- Mi. 'Hm ■
se’ections he ap r . ■ --»♦
switch which wtr.tr*>,*. ?r«-- r
tains of the rrsa. h.ne. *t*~
W-e curt air. >. a r : re, . -s-
vote. When rhe p.- j,-*: E-j* ?»e
number of \ otes cast, fee eaefi
candidate #x for m*
- ■ r c*r. y*k<e. bmWmtit
are immedio rely ai siladfeie ••
the election off a ohs.
If a voter unfamsltir »
how to of»erate t!w ma- -
he m.»y r *■ ir*': *m t #mt*
fn r ■ * eU • • • * f f - ««
the mechanu-s
Many Safeguards Set l |>
1 <» Protect Citizens* lti<dit*
The exc use that many people
use for ne t voting in elections
i.’c-.t their jobs do not allow
them time to go to the- polling
place and vote, is not a valie
ic-iisc.ri m Texas.
It is a criminal violation foi
an employer to refuse an em
plover entitled to vote the priv
i■■< ge c f attending the polls. II
is also a \ iolation to subjecl
the employee to a penalty oi
reduction of wages because he
exercises the privilege. Thf
maximum fine is $500.
Texas lawmakers have
thi own many safeguards about
the official election machinery
in an effort to insure, hionest
elections. -r^
THE PAWS affect everybody
connected with an election —
public officials, election offi-
cers anck the voter.
The election judge can be
fined, for example, if he per-
mits a person to vote illegally.
At the same time he can be
tined if he refuses to permit a
person to vote* who is legally
entitled t, vote. The possifoje
c-ftenses covered l^ the stat
utes are many and varied. Pen-
alties ate tather severe in sorrie
or sec-
It is of course, illegal to-
btibe c r intimidate anybody in
connection vv ith an election. It
i- also an c tfensc to carry any
gun. pistol, Bowie knife or- oth-
er dangerous weapon within
halt a mile of any polling place
while the poll^ are o pen on
election day unless one is a
peace < fficer.
IT IS II.1.EC.AE to.election-
eer or loiter w ithin 100 feet of
the entrance of the voting
place, and a campaign sound
truck may not approach with-
in 1,000 feet.
Lawful Assistance
It is a criminal offense for
any judge or peace officer
knowingly to cause the arrest
-of an elector w h i 1 e he is at.
going to or returning from,“an
election, except for treason,
felony or breach of the peace.
There is a-maximum fine of
$1,000 and 60 days in jail for
l etting before or after -cm the
result of any public election.
Then *s a $1,000 fine, too. if a
t iot is committed w ithin one
mil* < f a place where an eleo-
t i n is being held for the pur-
rose ot disturbing or influenc-
ing the election
For trying t> vote with
someone s pt U t. a r&*-+f *
or exemption $ert;fwaie, mm
o.an \h- <4 ’ »
for fr -n: tpr*-e to five-.year*.
Ti;a assBtance nki, H «=-. **e
tion judge-ram give f .*» \e?.-s w
regulated by. law, f > r11lirr .
the P»'l r: must tvte ~iwm
physu - - - ■, .
it impossible'for him tc n-jirtt
his ballot c-r be ever 6) a®«|. wa-
able to read ,-r w t ite
T: •’ < * ■ >i. • j
quire a etti/er. to answer utariMr.
oath before lie receives ,(*;
rial tiaflol roar fve ba> - , r c-eeri
furnished with anv p*pe-. er
dummy bailor »t , it
the names of caiMlwiate' f* r
whom he has agreed tc Vote *«r
has been requested to vote. - K
is illegal to p ■ sse>s‘»,i, h a te»
per at the pot Hag plarc antj.
th* would tje voter car t» re-
quired to suirer,:,
lie is allowe# t- Vi ic
A VOTER u S *
maximum of SoOu .if he
tils ballot so as T* l*\«
he voted, if he marks tt i*\ ■ »
w ay other than that re* ■ ;*.l
by law for tderttite at» », m f
he returns to the ele* u* r
any bailot ether than the « rLe-
issued to ttirh by the
So election official max c-e
election day indicate t.y
signs symbol erwo-.r^ t< cr,»
body lu;w tlie person sr. , /*: ar
should n-.- vote
A provision .-f ri., ...» * ,-.*.*
particularly atfe-w ; »j
public inform.! ta n , , .*• : g-
newspapers anti ratio; star's.,3^
forbids anybody cortnetfb*tt-wrtdh-
the holding of an ele, tasoki*"^-
veal arty mlorr I- e
tne hour the polk *-bise A> 7
I 51 as to the vt.-t, . ei
f"i' or agair.st ary. | ref* sit-iow
or candidates *-r who >5 iea*iscg
or trailing in th. t,.t.ui..t .* » wf
the Votes
T11E riCESIlHNt. . -
reveal at any tu ,e ' • -n*r
of votes cast up that tinr
The maximum |eriai-x f. . .»»-
lation of this law t- » **
$1,000.
When a voter .>}>{<*-- ; > at
polling place t. vote .c.« ;<«
sents his. poll tax receipt er **
emption cert if e ;te me «f th*
election judges r,- ’ h*
vpfcr attnepms his aaMNh 7h»
'judge che. th,- ;- ’* 'ii.-.in e
or the receipt . ... c -j:.* -tr
tified list t-f sit, d * ters
of the precnu*t furt ish«»l by
the tax collector. If -he -
See t lll/l NX . * x V
» I
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Evans, Chester. The Edna Herald (Edna, Tex.), Vol. 50, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 3, 1956, newspaper, May 3, 1956; Edna, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth763506/m1/25/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Jackson County Memorial Library.