OCR Text |
Show Information Given On Voting Status Much confusion has resulted at jast bond elections, both in Mil-j ford and elsewhere, as to the ! qualification of persons who seek! to vote. To avoid argument with i the judges of election, and to save I persons presenting themselves at j the polls only to learn they are not entitled to vote, the Milford News has requested from legal , authorities an opinion relative to these questions. j The statute laws provide: "The proposition to create such debti (referring to the issuance of' bonds) must ibe first submitted to the vote of such qualified electors . as shall have paid a proprety tax j in the year preceding such election and a majority of those voting thereon must have voted in favor i of incurring such deibt". It will be observed that only qualified electors may vote; that is, persona residing within the I town and who are duly registered j and who would otherwise be en-1 titled to vote at a general election ! if one were held on the date of the special bond election. It will be ! observed secondly that such qualified quali-fied elector must have paid a pro-! perty tax in the year preceding such election. If a person is a qualified elector but has not paid a property tax in 1 the year preceding such election, such person may not vote. It is not sufficient that a person owns property within the town. That person must have paid the taxes thereon, or on a portion of such property. If property, either the home or obher real estate or household furniture or a car, stands in the j name of the husband, then of course the husband pays the tax thereon and the wife is not entitled en-titled to vote. If the property stands in the name of the wife, then the husband cannot vote. If the property stands in the name of husband and wife, jointly, then both may vote. Payment of personal per-sonal property taxes entitles a qualified elector to vote. j However, it is urged that all persons presenting themselves at the polls to vote bring with them their receipted tax statements showing that they not only have property and are property owners, but paid the taxes thereon within the year preceding such election. By so doing, there can be no argument argu-ment about the right to vote. While the registration lists show who are registered and are duly qualified electors, such lists do not show who paid taxes within such year; consequently much confusion confu-sion as to ownership and payment of taxes can be avoided toy bringing bring-ing to the polls the receipted tax statements or independent receipts showing clearly the money was ' paid for property taxes. |