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just beginning to be realized by the women and by the politicians. The women will be in a position to say who the officials shall be, since the nominees of Democratic primaries are always elected. In order to vote in a Democratic primary, a woman will be required, when requested by the judges, to make an oath that she is of the same political faith as the party holding the election, “and that, she will give her moral support to all the nominees of said political party.”This is no more than is required, morally, of men, who obligate themselves to support the nominees of the party in whose primary they may cast their vote. The women are required, also, to possess all the other qualifications of male electors, such as age, residence, citizenship, payment of poll-tax, etc. The law further provides that specially exempt from every disqualification, direct or indirect, on account of sex, every woman in this* 3tate shall have the right to vote at any primary elections held under the laws of the state.”The emergency clause* was stricken out by the Senate, so that under provisions of the Initiative and Referendum, the act does not become effective until ninety days after approval, or until Jtine 4. Before that time, the law is subject to reference, but there is no indication that anyone will so seriously oppose the new statute as to attempt to have it repealed, through the Referendum. All electors are required to hold a polltax receipt for the year next preceding that in which the election is held. Polltaxes for 1916 can be paid until July 1, and it follows that women can pay polltaxes between June 4 and July 1, with penalty for non-assessment, that will en able them to vote at any subsequent primary. If this construction is correct, the women of Little Rock will have their first opportunity to vote inthe municipal primary which will be%j held in Little Rock next December for the nomination of aldermen and city attorney. The next year they can enter the state primaries. The intro-1 duction of this new element in Arkan-! sas politics will cause a new alignment and will cause the old-time politicians to change their tactics.There appears to be no way by which they can be qualified to vote in the primary which the Democratic State Central Committee will probably call this week for the selection of candidates for the Constitutional Convention election to be held on June 26. They have been very anxious to haVe a part in that election, since the Convention will be called upon to de-' j cide upon constitutional and complete j suffrage. The advocates of equal suf-i frage have not won a complete victory yet, but have taken a long step forward.
Newspaper Details
Harrison Times
Harrison, Arkansas, US
Sat, Mar 17, 1917
Page 2
Full Page
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Arkansas S.
AR, USA 20 Oct 2016
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