Citizenship: A Manual for Voters

by Emma Guy Cromwell

A person desiring to register enters the voting place and announces his or her intention to register. The judge takes the name, residence, party affiliation and citizenship, and may also inquire as to any other matter that would affect his or her right to vote at an election.

If found to be qualified, that is 21 years of age and a resident of the state for one year, a resident of the county for six months, and a resident of the precinct for sixty days, they may register unless in a class prohibited by law from exercising the right to vote.

The clerk then writes the name and address in the registration book entering also color and political affiliation. When this is done the registration is completed, and the elector is qualified to exercise the right of suffrage in all subsequent elections, special elections and primary elections for one year. The officers of the election give him or her a certificate of registration signed by all four officers of the registration, and if they lose this certificate they cannot vote at the regular election unless they get a duplicate certificate from the county clerk, which costs 50 cents.

In the different class cities there are some differences as to the method and time of registering, but in Kentucky the general registration is usually on the first Tuesday of October, in all cities and towns of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth classes. The hours for registration are from six o'clock a. m. to nine o'clock p. m.

Special registrations are held thereafter as follows: One special registration may be held by order of the city authorities, which will be conducted exactly as the first registration above referred to, and during the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next preceding the general election day those persons who were absent or sick, or unable to attend and register on the regular registration days, may appear before the county court clerk at his office in the court house, and register, to have the same effect as if the registration had taken place in the manner above referred to, also on the day before the election and on election day, public officers of the state, and the United States government, traveling salesmen and certain ministers of religion may apply before the county court clerk in the court house and be registered if they will make oath that they were not present in their city or town during any of the previous registration days. Persons that have become eligible to vote at the general primary election, which occurs on the first Saturday in August may register two weeks before the election in the county court clerk's office as above described, provided such persons were not in the city on any of the previous regular registration days, or who were not then qualified to register and may vote in the primary election in the same manner as other qualified electors.

The primary election is conducted in the same manner as any other election.

When you register the clerk gives you a certificate of registration, which you keep to show the election officers when you go to vote, that you have registered.

Persons living in the country and small towns do not have to register.

The names of all candidates are arranged in columns, under the party device to which they belong. A voter by putting a cross mark in the circle under the rooster votes for all the Democratic nominees of his party. In the circle under the log cabin votes for the Republican nominees of his party.